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Magifest 2022

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

January 20 - 22 2022

Columbus, Ohio, USA

Magifest 2022

We're delighted to be back January 20-22nd, at the Renaissance Hotel for the 90th Annual Magifest. You helped make our last convention what most considered to be the "best ever," and we have some ambitious plans for 2022. Space will again be limited to the first 500 registrants (we normally host 1000). 2022 is sure to sell out so be sure to register early. Your registration is fully refundable until December 1st, and this is the only way to ensure the earlybird rate of $250. After that registration becomes $300.

Welcome to Magifest University

For starters, we're changing up the format. This year we'll welcome you to Magifest University. Our goal is for every attendee to leave performing something new. Rather than all of the events in one big ballroom, there will be shows and lectures for everyone, and there will also be several electives to choose from, to enhance and personalize your Fest experience. You'll be taking classes with your preferred instructors on a variety of subjects including: beginner and advanced card magic, the theory of magic, stagecraft, and creating gimmicks.

We're also thrilled to welcome a living legend as our Guest of Honor for the 90th Magifest: Darwin Ortiz. Universally-acclaimed for his virtuosic sleight-of-hand, Darwin forged a unique career as a performer and casino consultant. For magicians, Darwin's work on the theoretical side of magic will be studied for generations. Mr. Ortiz rarely appears at magic conventions, and we're thrilled to honor him on our stage.

We'll also be announcing a stellar array of stage and close-up performances, plus lectures, talks, sessions, and a stunning gala show to cap it all off. You will not want to miss the 90th Magifest Celebration.

Magifest COVID Safety Policy

All Magifest registrants 12 years of age and older will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of the start of the convention. Your vaccination card or a photo of your vaccination card are both acceptable forms of proof and will be required to pick up your registration.

Performers & Speakers

Darwin Ortiz

Our guest of honor this year is one of the most revered thinkers and creators of our time. His seminal books on magic theory, Strong Magic and Designing Miracles, will be studied for generations, and represent perhaps the most forward-thinking theory on magic published in decades. His original sleight-of-hand creations are masterworks of structure and intelligent constructions. For the public, Darwin performed in prestigious gambling venues all over the world. He rarely appears at magic conventions, so we’re honored to welcome him as this year’s Guest of Honor.

Jason Ladanye

Bringing back Jason Ladanye felt particularly apt this year because we’re honoring his mentor, Darwin Ortiz. Ladanye has carved out his own niche in magic with two hit books, Game Changer and Confident Deceptions. His material is often difficult and highly impressive, and he will present an entirely new lecture and show.

Jason England

Widely regarded as one of our industry’s foremost exponents of sleight of hand, Jason England is a wunderkind of difficult card manipulations and an expert on the history of card cheating. What is less known is that Jason is also a formidable close-up magician. He will present material that will astound, as well as teach some of his most closely guarded secrets.

Niels Duinker

Straight on the heels of his long residency in Myrtle Beach, we welcome Guinness World Record holder Neils Duinker from his native Holland, who will share his full juggling show with us.

Ken Weber

Ken Weber’s seminal book Maximum Entertainment is consistently listed as one of the most important magic texts of our time. The same practical theoretical advice he espouses in his book will be on full display as Ken hosts his own Magifest University Class called, aptly, “Maximum Entertainment.” In his class you’ll learn how to improve the magic you already do, and to put your best self forward onstage.

Caleb Wiles

Caleb will conduct the Impromptu Card Magic class for Magifest University. Those who take his class will learn three fantastic card routines that you can do with a shuffled deck and a minimum of sleight-of-hand.

Denis Behr

Hailing from Germany, Denis Behr is a sleight-of-hand wizard, and his full evening close-up shows are a mainstay for the public in Germany. Denis brings to Magifest a particularly dry wit accompanied by world-class sleight of hand.

Mike Pisciotta

Five nights a week you can catch Mike Pisciotta's exceptional bar magic set at the Magic Castle. But for this weekend only, he will be bringing this fascinating, visual mix of card and coin magic to the lobby of the Magifest, where he will be performing this fantastic show on repeat late at night each evening. Not only that, he will present his all-new lecture onstage on his own powerful brand of magic.

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 2022: 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.

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2021 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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