03 August 2020

New dates for FISM NACM in 2021

From the July 27th FISM NACM 2021 Facebook post:
We are pleased to announce the new dates for FISM NACM in 2021. The Canadian Championship of Magic 2021 and a 3rd contest for junior international and Canadian magicians will also take place. More information to come in September 2020!




31 July 2020

Top 5 posts in July 2020

There were 23+ posts at Canada's Magic last month.  Here are the 5 most viewed posts in the past 30 days:



5. Broken Wand: Evelyn Matlin - Our thoughts are with Evelyn's family and friends at this time.
4. Shezam with Carisa Hendrix and Kayla Drescher - Carisa and Kayla have been busy since March.
3. A safe place to scream into the void - In case you need to scream into the void.
2. Big news from The Browser's Den of Magic - The shop is open now, no appointment necessary.

and the most viewed post this month  ...






1. Sad news from The Browser's Den of Magic - Our condolences to Shawna's friends and family.

30 July 2020

Halifax Busker Festival Online

From the July 24th Instagram post of MichaelJamesMagic:
2020 Halifax Busker Festival Online is just days away, and the full list of performers (including myself) and daily performance schedule is now available!

Halifax Busker Festival ONLINE 1:00 pm Atlantic Time July 31, August 1, and August 2










29 July 2020

First magic performance in Canada?

Updated August 6th to add this find by Lee Asher:



Updated at 8:45am to add this find by Joe Culpepper:

--

Lee Asher asked an interesting question on Twitter Monday morning.
What is the name of the first magician to perform in Canada?


Was it Maginnis (circa 1875) as reported in The Canadian Encyclopedia?
Technically it could be yes, as The Dominion of Canada was officially born on July 1, 1867.  But lets expand the question to the first magician to perform in what is now considered Canada.


Was it MacAlister performing in Montreal in 1854 as shown by this clipping in the Ottawa Daily Citizen?

No.


How about Philippe in Quebec City September 30th in 1846?

Wrong again.



From an Ottawa Daily Citizen article published on May 22nd in 1852, discussion a performance by a Signor Blitz:








So far the earliest named and documented magic performance in what is now Canada, goes to Mons. Desage, as referenced in the Kingston Chronicle and Gazette December 30 1835.







There's evidence of an unnamed woman doing magic in Kingston in 1835!




And ventriloquists too.




People were complaining about magicians as early as the January 21st 1805 edition of the Quebec Mercury:





A final very important note from Joe Culpepper:





With thanks to Lee Asher for asking this question and Bill Mullins and Joe Culpepper for their hard work and sharing their findings!