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Magifest 2021

Name: Magifest magic convention
Start: 2021-09-16T09:30
End: 2021-09-18T23:59
Location: Renaissance, Columbus Downtown

September 16 - 18 2021

Steve Cohen • Nate Staniforth • Carisa Hendrix • Mike Pisciotta • Jon Armstrong • Brent Braun • Alex Boyce • Tim Hill

Columbus, Ohio, USA

Magifest Goes Global

We’re delighted to announce that the Magifest 2021 will take place on September 16-18th, 2021. We are, at long last, delighted to welcome you to what we hope will be a convention that is special for many reasons. We will continue to follow federal and local guidelines for events, and after careful consideration and planning, we have confidence that we can celebrate safely together.

For one thing, this Magifest will boast the best weather ever in our 89 year history. We have never held the convention outside the winter months, so our chances of being snowed in are...zero. A LOT of effort and consideration has gone into the decision on how and whether to hold Magifest, and we’re making some key changes to the format for the safety of our guests. We will be following all suggested health and safety mandates by Marriot Hotels, the CDC, and the State of Ohio, and we’ll evolve our plans as regulations are rolled out.

Due to the strange circumstances of the last year, there are a few changes to be aware of. Since minors are unable to be vaccinated, we will be postponing all youth program events and scholarships until 2022. Due to unforeseeable regulations for international performers, we are instead focusing on domestic headliners for this year’s event.

Headliners include Asi Wind, Nate Staniforth, Eric Jones, Mike Pisciotta, Jon Armstrong, Alexander Boyce, Lucy Darling, Tim Hill, and more. And we’re EXTREMELY excited to announce our Guest of Honor: the incomparable Steve Cohen.

You will notice in our schedule that we are featuring ten shows. After a year of isolation, we felt that the thing we wanted to see most of all was really great magic shows. So that’s exactly what we’ve done. You’ll have the chance to see ten astounding magicians do their thing onstage. And along the way we have surprise events, brand new dealers, and exciting lobby-happenings. If you have EVER wanted to attend Magifest, this is the ultimate year to join us.

Performers & Speakers

Steve Cohen

We're delighted to welcome Steve Cohen as our Guest of Honor at the 2021 Magifest. Steve's contributions to magic are numerous, and he continues to shatter records as he surpasses more than 20 years of performances, welcoming more than 500,000 guests to his acclaimed show, Chamber Magic. Cohen single-handedly resurrected the high-end parlor show format in New York City, and he has realized his vision of a classical-yet-modern approach to magic through these weekly performances. His appearance on television are numerous, including his own special on the History Channel, Lost Magic Decoded. We're thrilled to honor Steve with our highest commendation, and to welcome him to our stage for both a show and lecture.

Asi Wind

Asi is a Magifest favorite and one of the most sought-after performers in our industry. Born in Israel, Asi now makes his home in New York City. His book Repertoire was a critical and commercial darling, and Asi has headlined some of the most prestigious venues in the world.

Jon Armstrong

Not only will Mr. Armstrong be appearing, but his partner in crime, the Tiny Plunger, will also be in attendance this year. Jon Armstrong made a smash-hit appearance on Fool Us, and was the focus on the acclaimed documentary Magicians: Life in the Impossible. He is a winner of the Close-up Magician of the Year title from the Academy of Magical Arts. Jon will perform his one-man show, and also debut his lecture for Magifest guests.

Terry Ward

Terry Ward has the informal distinction of doing more shows than any magician you're likely to meet. He did several shows a day, five days a week, for more than thirty years at Walt Disney World. He is an exceptional entertainer, playing the role of Diamond Jack, a wise-guy magician whose magic often escapes his control. Terry will be performing impromptu shows in our lobby each evening for your enjoyment.

The Evasons

This Canadian duo has been astonishing audiences around the world for decades, and their act is among the most revered in the entertainment community. They are the only mentalists to ever win the coveted Sarmoti Award at the World Magic Seminar, and they have appeared countless times on leading television shows around the globe. They make their second appearance at the Magifest as part of our gala show.

The Passing Zone

World-renowned juggling duo The Passing Zone is coming to the Magifest! This hilarious juggling duo will be performing on our Gala Show. They have been awarded an unprecedented 18 gold medals from the International Jugglers Association and hold 5 Guinness World Records. The Passing Zone have appeared on America's Got Talent and dozens of other top-rated television programs.

Carisa Hendrix

Performing as her alter-ego Lucy Darling, Carisa will present her full evening show, full of improv and comedy magic, for our guests. Carisa has appeared on television numerous times and is the recipient of the coveted "Rising Star" Award from the Allan Slaight Foundation.

Alex Ramon

Shooting to stardom thanks to his role in a live Disney Touring Magic Show, Alex Ramon had clocked an enormous amount of big venue-high-pressure stage time while still a teenager. He has since transitioned into a successful touring illusionist, playing the biggest venues in the USA and around the world. His latest residence was in Lake Tahoe, where he debuted new illusions that featured the newest member of his cast...his dog. We are thrilled to welcome Alex Ramon to his first Magifest as our Gala Show headliner.

Nate Staniforth

Nate's book for the public, Here is Real Magic, is an honest, impassioned testimonial on the author's journey to excellence. It's a fascinating read by a thoughtful performer who cares deeply about his craft. Staniforth is an elusive figure in magic: he was the co-star of Breaking Magic and released a stunning collection of original material in Clouds and Kingdoms. But throughout his journey, he has remained mostly away from the magic community. That all changes this year at the Magifest, where Nate will perform and lecture in a special 90-minute hybrid-event. Staniforth will also present a workshop masterclass immediately following the Magifest convention.

Brent Braun

A consultant for stage and television acts, Brent Braun is also a technical guru. He was last on our stage five years ago, presenting a stunning handling of a table pass. This year he returns for a full lecture of his original sleight-of-hand magic.

Alex Boyce

As magic trends come and go, we find ourselves in a moment where there are fewer and fewer true stage manipulation acts. That's why we're thrilled to present Alex Boyce's suave stage act, which features many new and classical manipulations, including dove productions. Immediately following the show Alex will present a lecture on the original material he uses at SpeakEasy Magick, a sizzling New York City venue in which he appears weekly.

Eric Jones

Since his popular appearance in the semi-finals of America's Got Talent, Eric Jones has been a busy headline performer on cruise ships and corporate events. This is a chance to see Eric's show as well as the smooth, new coin and card work he has developed since his last Magifest appearance.

John Graham

While the name John Graham may be new to you, after you see his full parlor show you will never forget him. John is one of magic's busiest private and corporate entertainers, and his act is among the best we've seen. In conjunction with a brand new book on his material, we're delighted to welcome John Graham for his Magifest debut.

Tim Hill

Back by popular demand! Ohio Native Tim Hill is a wizard in both sleight-of-hand and also creating technological magic. Tim will be featured in a focused talk showcasing a new routine unlike anything you've seen in magic before.

Howard Hamburg

Howard Hamburg is a giant in magic. He knew and studied with many greats in magic, including Dai Vernon. His hilarious anecdotes and stories about the legends he held court with are equalled only by his superb card magic. You'll get a chance to see both in this late-night jam event.

Renaissance, Columbus Downtown

50 N 3rd St, Columbus, OH 43215, USA

Be sure to ask for the Magifest rate when booking a room. It's currently $112 (plus taxes) per night.

How to book a room

Magifest 2021: Three Reasons to Join Us

1. The best magic shops: We invite the finest magic dealers from around the world, and take care that each one is offering unique, different merchandise.
2. Access to excellence: Our headliners don't just amaze onstage. You get to meet and hang with them, too.
3. Extra workshops: For an additional fee, registrants can opt into private workshops, limited in attendance, just after the convention. This is a chance to take lessons from some of the finest magicians on Earth.

Health and safety considerations

It's more important than ever to consider the safety of our guests, so here are the changes we are making in 2021:

More Space: There will be increased space between seats in the ballroom, less chairs around each “jamming” table in the lobby, and less dealers in more space for our Dealer’s Room. We recognize that seeing friends and swapping tricks is a treasured part of the Magifest, so we’ve increased the area for jam-sessions so that magicians can swap tricks while maintaining a safe distance.

Masks, Cleanings, and Sanitizer Stations: The Renaissance Hotel will provide sanitation stations and frequent cleanings to railings, chairs, doors, bathrooms, and public areas around the clock. Should the government still advise it, our staff and the performers will be wearing masks throughout the duration of the convention, except on stage, and we’ll encourage attendees to take similar precautions. We'll even have some comfortable, fashionable masks available for you to use.

Extra Accommodations for High-Risk Individuals: If you consider yourself “high risk” for the disease, our staff will work with you for seating arrangements and dealer room visits with a minimal of interactions.

• Youth scholarships
• Magifest schedule
• Get in touch

Workshops

Continue your Magifest through Sunday to join us for workshops with Nate Staniforth and Jon Armstrong. Register below:

Nate Staniforth (10am - 1pm)

Nate almost never makes convention appearances, and he has graciously agreed to deliver a workshop around the subject of his acclaimed online course: Making Tricks into Magic. You'll learn how to take YOUR magic to the next level and give people the sensation of real mystery during your show. This is your chance to learn some of the magic Nate has developed, as well as getting feedback and insights on how to take YOUR magic to new heights. This is a rare chance to spend three hours with a guru of our industry.

Space for this workshop is extremely limited, and the cost is $100.

Jon Armstrong (2.30pm - 5pm)

Jon Armstrong's workshop (which will be entirely different from his lecture) will focus on a transition from close-up magic to parlor magic. Jon will cover three parlor in extreme detail. Here's how the format will work: first you'll see all three routines performed live for laymen. Then we'll spend roughly 45 minutes on each routine, with Jon walking us through every aspect of the piece with props in hand. That's right, you'll RECEIVE some key props to perform these pieces, so you will be able to walk out of this workshop ready to add these routines to your show.

The routines have never been published before and will be presented in this workshop only. They include:

• A coin routine, using a gimmick you all know, that plays huge in parlor.
• A three phase routine using an Uno deck that is as funny as it is amazing
• Based on an old chalk-talk stunt, this six minute routine with just a white board and three markers gives you an “in one” piece people will remember forever.

This workshop lasts 2.5 hours and is $100.

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