For complete coverage, history, performer bio's, special events, tickets and registration go to http://www.magicgettogether.com/

Abbott's basic schedule is below, a town schedule (for those who aren't familiar with this it is not done in a hotel but in a small town) is available at http://www.colonmi.com/schedule.html

We will be adding more events to the schedule as they become finalized



WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3rd

9:00AM Registration at the Abbott Plant

10:00AM Showroom Opens at the Colon Elementary School

1:00PM BLINDFOLD DRIVE - Dan Stapleton

3:00PM LECTURE - Rick Marotta

8:00PM STAGE SHOW
Gordon Miller (Welcome to Colon), Ken Mate M.C., Jeanette Andrews, Nathan Kepner, Kevin Heller, Yumi (Japan)

10:00 PM DEALERS ROOM OPEN IN GRADE SCHOOL AFTER SHOW


THURSDAY, AUGUST 4TH

9:00AM Registration at the Abbott Plant

9:30AM LECTURE - Kevin Heller

10:00AM Showroom Opens at the Colon Elementary School

11:00AM Vent-O-Rama with George Schindler at the Abbott Plant

12:00PM Ladies Party at the Methodist Church, light refreshments will be served

1:00PM LECTURE - Dan Stapleton

2:30PM (after lecture) Dealers on Parade at the Elementary School

3:45PM Famous Magicians Graveside Tour ushered by Al the Only

8:00 PM STAGE SHOW
Mark Holstein M.C., Reuben Moreland, Nels Ross, Aaron Radatz

10:00 PM DEALERS ROOM OPEN IN GRADE SCHOOL AFTER SHOW


FRIDAY, AUGUST 5TH

9:00AM Registration at the Abbott Plant

9:00AM Magic Ministers Session with David Laflin (assisted by Duane Laflin) at the Methodist Church

9:00AM Colon Arts and Craft Fair Until 4:00PM

10:00AM Show Room Open at the Colon Elementary School

10:00AM Stage Talent Contest at the Colon High School

1:00PM LECTURE - James Dimmare

2:30PM CLOSE UP SHOW
Rick Marotta, Ron Jaxon, John Luka, Pattrick Przysieki

4:00 PM CONTEST AWARDS IN GRADE SCHOOL

8:00 PM STAGE SHOW
Kerry Pollock M.C., Tim Hill, Les Arnold & Dazzle, Dan Stapleton, John Calvert

COLON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FIREWORKS OUTSIDE THE HIGH SCHOOL AFTER THE SHOW

10:00 PM DEALERS ROOM OPEN IN GRADE SCHOOL AFTER SHOW
JOHN CALVERT 100 YEAR BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION (W/CAKE) IN GRADE SCHOOL


SATURDAY, AUGUST 6TH

9:00AM Registration at the Abbott Plant

9:00AM Arts and Craft Fair until 4:00PM

9:30AM LECTURE - A Talk With John Calvert

10:00AM Showroom opens at the Colon Elementary School

2:00 PM BENEFIT MATINEE
Mike Stiles M.C., Contest winner,John Sturk, Eli Portala, Mike Caveney, Bill Blagg

8:00 PM STAGE SHOW
Rick Marotta M.C., Shin Jisun (So. Korea), Joe Young, Bill Blagg, Rick Marotta & Twila Zone, James Dimmare

10:00 PM DEALERS ROOM OPEN IN GRADE SCHOOL AFTER SHOW
ABBOTT PERFORMER AWARDS IN GRADE SCHOOL AFTER SHOW

I like the new web design, hard to believe it's already been a year!

Thanks, can we expect you at Vent O Rama again this year?

Things are really beginning to hop in the village of Colon, the Colon Historical Society is working on a new magic exhibit which will be in time for the Get Together. Below is a video I took today.

http://youtu.be/uc4yfY0XYZQ

Posters came into Abbotts today so those are going up around town, also they are putting the final touches on the new 2011 Abbott Compendium which will be released on the 4th as a free download, this year the introduction is by Sue Holstein and is very touching.

Hope to see you all in Colon MI

Not this year, joe has to work. However we will be there for the Calvert events and shows Friday and Saturday.

Just heard about Hank, I am so sorry.

Hard to believe he's gone, got an email from him Saturday morning and then the phone call from Greg came that afternoon. Still completely stunned by how fast this happened. He was going to come back from China on the 11th and leave for Pittsburgh on the 12th.

Sorry I didn't respond quicker, we just got power back in Dearborn after about 24 hours.

The 2011 Abbott Compendium is available as a free download (we had scheduled its release for July 4th, same as last year)

http://www.magicgettogether.com/compendium.pdf

This is the updated version from last year and is over 400 pages including an introduction by Sue Holstein. The Compendium is considered the most comprehensive guide to Abbotts and the upcoming Get Together, lots of history included.

Abbott's is really gearing up for this event right now and this is the busy time for me (at the Get Together my only task is to carry the portable speaker for the graveyard tour and the last year we didn't even use the speaker).

Due to all the new magic coming in Greg is discounting the old magic for dealer room specials (we have a list at http://www.magicgettogether.com but these are dealer room specials only so you have to come to the event to take advantage of them).

Today we should have the first draft of the program finished for the printer, the posters arrived last week. The front table in the office is stacked with thousands of tickets for the evening shows and matinee that will be distributed to folks when they come into town.

Abbott's is getting many calls about Hank as you can imagine and right now we are waiting like everyone else for the red tape to clear at the US embassy in China. There will be a broken Wand ceremony for Hank, but we don't have the time or dates set yet (although we are close).

Ticket sales are very well, slightly ahead of last year (which was an outstanding turnout). Should be a great event and we hope to see you all soon.

I agree Chuck it's going to be a mahvelous time in Colon this year! But we certainly will miss Hank...his spirit will be there for sure!

I agree Rick, but Hank will be there in more than just spirit, everything is in order for the upcoming event thanks to Hank so this will still be his show. (After his China trip he would be home only one night then off to Pittsburgh so he had most everything set before he left for China)

Should be a great event!!!

Looks like Hank's Broken Wand Ceremony will be Saturday Aug 6 at 4pm.

Greg was in Chicago yesterday stocking up on more magic, we have new magic coming in daily from various parts of the world, Jim West is working on the Abbott inventory, the Jet Sets are stacked and ready, posters are in, programs are at the printers, and you can tell by the feeling in the air that the 74th Get Together is less than 3 weeks away.

Hope this gorgeous weather holds up.

Hanks Broken Wand confirmed, Sat Aug 6, 4pm at the Colon High School, Duane Laflin will be doing the ceremony.

Can't think of anybody better than Duane to do this. Hank would insist that we celebrate, and not mourn. See you all soon.

Abbott's spoke with John and Tammy Calvert, they are very excited about being at this years Get Together. In addition they offered their assistance to us to do whatever they could to help make the convention a big success. What an incredible couple!

John will be appearing at the Friday night show and also a special 100th Birthday Party is planned for him after the Friday night fireworks in the Dealers room (there will be cake). On Saturday Phillip Morris will M.C. the John Calvert Q&A (Aug 6, 9:30AM) session, for more info on topics of conversation go to the url below.

http://www.magicgettogether.com/John_Calvert_Session.html

The Colon Chamber of Commerce put out its television ad for the Get Together/Magic Week which should be shown locally during the next 2 weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUb9utWpW......filepage

We also put a John Calvert movie called "Devils Cargo" up on http://www.magicgettogether.com for the upcoming weekend. John plays "The Falcon" and performs magic starting at about the 9 minute mark of this murder mystery movie.

Hard to believe it is almost time! See everybody soon!

Whooop whoop!!!!

I got my "Mad Sponges" from Greg at the Abbott's Showroom about a month ago. Greg is saving the 6 left for the Get-Together ($50 each)- this trick gets more popular as the "Angry Birds" video game is now part of a phone company national ad campaign. Neat trick- it starts out by pulling out a "mad sponge/bird" out of your cell phone screen. I have a Samsung/Verizon touch screen phone so it works great... I was surprised how many people are familiar with the "Angry Birds". Even during the recent Women's World Cup Soccer finals, one of the signs on tv referred to a U.S. player as "The Bomb" which refers back to this game.

The trick is getting Greg not to sell the "Get Together Holdouts" early. Last year Hank actually locked the "2010" holdouts in lock boxes at Abbotts.

http://topsmag.com/Newest_Tops/wp-conten......07/s.jpg

One of the last emails I got from Hank in China was as follows; "You have to impress on Greg the stuff you want for the Wed opening he CAN NOT sell before time" We have about a half dozen boxes full of "Get Together Only" merchandise in the box, although it has not been locked. I felt that the promotional videos we made would "impress on Greg" not to sell early. You can see the videos below and in some cases, the anguish of Greg not being able to sell early.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2Ccii_EL......filepage

http://youtu.be/HPib52h-o9A