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Chezaday Inner circle Naperville, IL 1673 Posts |
Looks like one of the longest running conventions has come to an end. I believe there is an official explanation on their website but, it's all over Facebook right now. Very sad to see something so special come to an end. I attended regularly for twenty years! I was even fortunate enough to headline the show at Veterans Memorial Auditorium back in 1996.
I had some great times out there with friends from all across the country. I'm sure many of you have some fond memories ... Steve |
M Sini Inner circle 1359 Posts |
Sad to hear...
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Yes, this small convention was a sleeper, always hearing good things after it was over.
Living so close, I only got to attend twice. More because of their lack of promotion. By the time it was advertised in the magic magazines, it was over, or seemed that way to me. They always had great entertainment and the best dealers in the country. I am sure it can be summed up in one word, the "economy". Higher costs, and municipal governments dreaming up new ways to charge for things to off-set their income, with new regulations for what one would not think there would even be charged for in the 1st place. |
arthur stead Inner circle When I played soccer, I hit 1773 Posts |
Very sad news. I feel privileged to have participated a few years ago, presenting 3 lectures on 3 consecutive days. Saw Arthur Trace's stage act, which was very impressive. I also had a dealer booth next to Eric Jones ... and witnessed some amazing magic being demonstrated by him!
Magifest will surely be missed by many. Arthur Stead http://www.arthurstead.com |
Chezaday Inner circle Naperville, IL 1673 Posts |
In my opinion, moving it to downtown Columbus killed the convention. Staying in the city was not only expensive but also inconvenient. We didn't have access to our own vehicle ... there was no where to eat after midnight.
I could go on and on ... Steve |
hugmagic Inner circle 7655 Posts |
It was downtown for many years. And it worked. The shows were in the Masonic auditorium. But from what I heard, the new hotel was very unfriendly to the conventioneers money wise.
The old time dealers have been eliminated over the years. Remember when we used to deal in hotel rooms? I guess all things change and this is no exception. Horace Marshall was there from the start for 50 years until his death. I did the need 25 or so until the politics of rotating dealers took over and I have not been back since. RIP Richard
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
Chezaday Inner circle Naperville, IL 1673 Posts |
We had the best times when it was at the old Worthington Holiday Inn ... that place was awesome! I remember when the dealers were actually in hotel rooms! That was pretty wild ... but, we all took it in stride. The hallways were jam packed ... it was crazy back then!
It was a great way to break up the winter as the convention was always the first week of February. I get a little stir-crazy and it was time to hit the road. After really taking a look at the cost of the convention from the previous year and the expense of the hotel, we decided that if we were going to go ... we would just get tickets for the evening show. As luck would have it, I picked up a theater gig up in Wisconsin that weekend and went that direction instead. Maybe I'll head out to the Winter Carnival of Magic next year ... Steve |
ncarifo New user Burbank, California 56 Posts |
[quote]On 2012-03-13 15:25, wmhegbli wrote:
Yes, this small convention was a sleeper, always hearing good things after it was over. --------------------------------------------- To quote Richard Kaufman today on the Genii Forum - "The Magi-Fest was not small: until last year or the year before, it regularly drew 800 people." Pesonally, I believe many years it far surpassed even 800. I've been attending every year since I was a kid in the 80's and most of those years The Magi-Fest attendance rivaled, and frequently drew higher attendance than, some of the "national" conventions. As far as magic conventions go, The Columbus MagiFest was anything but small. It will be greatly missed. Nick Carifo
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Nicholas Carifo Modern Magician Productions nicholas@modernmagician.com www.modernmagician.com |
DanHarlan V.I.P. 998 Posts |
Sad news indeed. I have so many incredibly fond memories of my "hometown" convention (actually a 2 hour drive) which informed every facet of my career.
The first magic contest I was in was at The MAGI-FEST! Just a wide-eyed kid of 12, performing for a roomfull of my peers... and judges! In my teens, I was one of those "cool" kids in the hall, hanging out till all hours of the morning, practicing our moves and flourishes! Sweet days, for sure. I saw, met, and became friends with so many legends of magic who worked and attended The MAGI-FEST: Al Goshman, Gene Anderson, Jay Marshall, Hank Morehouse, Eugene Burger, Johnny Ace Palmer, David Williamson, and on and on. Later, when I released some of my own effects, I was one of those Dealers-in-a-Hotel-Room! We would tilt the beds up and prop them flat against the wall, drape some fabric over 'em, then re-arrange all the furniture to make the room look like a little magic shop. It was awesome. I also count myself among those fortunate enough to have been booked as a performer at this fine convention... I even had the honor of working the "private gig" for Jep Hostetler and his beautiful family. Everyone involved in putting together this convention did a fantastic job every year, but Mr. Hostetler deserves credit for being the best convention director ever! It's true. If you ever worked this convention, you know I ain't lying. Finally and fortunately (for me) I was able to attend this year's event... now, the last ever... and thoroughly enjoyed it, as usual. May we all remember the great times we had! MAGI-FEST, you will be missed. --Dan Harlan |
Devious Inner circle 2120 Posts |
My memories are getting jumped by a group of Puerto Ricans in Elyria after
a small gig at Cedar Point. I decided to join some friends for a graduation party and wandered off. Bad move. I still have the scar behind my ear to prove it. I only went to Magi-Fest once, but I loved the small town hospitality. Sad to hear folks. Perhaps Brother Harlan can create his own version nearby? |
Murray Hatfield Regular user Canada 150 Posts |
What a sad bit of news. I was thrilled to close the public show a few years back. It was one of the most enjoyable conventions I've been to. Sad to see it go...
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J Christensen Regular user 130 Posts |
I'm so sad to hear of the demise of the Magi-Fest. I first attended in 1954. The dealers were on the 2nd or 3rd floor of the Neil House. As a young teenager, it truly was magical. Back then, all the attendees wore suits and hats. The Neil House was great. I always went downstairs to the pool room. One of the first stage shows I attended, in the Masonic Temple, featured Jay Marshall, direct from the Palace Theater. My lifelong interest in magic was kindled by this yearly convention and Bob Nelson's magic shop on South High Street. Wonderful memories.
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Magic.J.Manuel Special user I have danced upon 663 Posts |
Remember all that great stuff packed into those small hotel rooms, and the beds were flipped on end and stacked against the wall?
It was a true treasure hunt! Lefty just sold for thousands...
Nothing would get done at all, if man waited so long that no one could find fault with it.
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Mobius303 Inner circle Lakewood, Ohio 1309 Posts |
I am truely going to miss it.
Yes in the 90's the attendence was 800 to 1500 and Jep was a great director. Things began to change when they began to change hotels. I had the pleasure of working the convention this year with Donnie at the RNT2 booth. It was fun. It is sad that they are closing it down...wish someone would take it over or have another in it's place. So many good memories for me. |
mrmagic0 Inner circle Ron Frank 1606 Posts |
Just my two cents here. I will miss the Magi-Fest as well. I will admit I have not attended since they moved it downtown but that was economic for me. Since I lived in Columbus it was much more costly to attend. Before this I was a "regular' and even a dealer for several years. That said, ther is, at least to me, an obvious soultion as to a way to keep the Magi-Fest. Here are my thoughts:
1. OK so attendence was off (no doubt in some respects because of the move). Why not move it to one of the hotels that the conventions was located before or at least one with easier access. 2. Downsize the convention. Cut out the big show at the theatre downdown altogether. Instead, make use of the hotel for the entire convention. So you don't have a big illusion act with a dozen illusions. Get an act with a couple illusions. Hire some of the "better cheaper acts" as Jay Marshall used to say. 3. Put the dealers back in the rooms. Yes, it is stuffy and hard to see the magic but that cuts costs 4. Don't have 20 dealers . Limit the dealers to 6-8. After all, they need to make money and if there are too many they will not want to attend and with fewer registrants there is no need for a lot of dealers This advantages are this: You will get at least a couple hundred who will attend. This is only a guess but I think that would be the case. You will cut the cost, and probably be able to cut the registration price as well. You will get magicians who will want to attend if the convention is not downtown with easy access and also they can eat at less expensive restaurants in the area. You keep a great tradition going. These are just a few of the thoughts I have . Ron |
magicianofoz New user 2 Posts |
I first started attending Magi-Fest back in 1970 at the old Neil House. I remember well browsing the hotel rooms of the Dealers Floor with my good friend, Buddy Moorehouse. We were charter members of I.B.M. Ring 210: Duke Stern Chapter based in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the Magi-Fest was the highlight of our year. I can recall watching Shimada performing wonderful stage illusions with his umbrellas and balls. There was Mr. Electric and, of course, wonderful performances by Hank Moorehouse, Denny Loomis, Jeff Wawrzaszek and many others. It was Paul Diamond at Magi-Fest who sold me my first Dancing Cane and taught me the most wonderful transfer move, which I still use today.
I was proud to have known Duke Stern, Al Goshman and so many others and I still have my JoAnne the Duck, which was given to me by Walter Hamilton himself at his last Magi-Fest. Magi-Fest meant so much to me that when I started writing children's books based on L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz (1899), I felt compelled to include I.B.M, Duke Stern and Al Goshman within the story lines and my third book, Family of Oz takes place (in part) at Magi-Fest. I last attended Magi-Fest last year at the 80th annual gathering and it was as thrilling as my first Magi-Fest. Here's a link to my blog posting about Magi-Fest and my mission from Princess Ozma. http://magicianofoz.blogspot.com/2011/02......-of.html Jep Hostettler, Ron Spangler and all the Red Coats were a joy to work with and I know how hard it must have been for them to make this decision. Regrettably, I didn't get the chance to attend this year. James C. Wallace II Royal Liaison to Princess Ozma http://magicianofoz.blogspot.com/ |
HM Whipps New user TN via FL via Ohio 11 Posts |
Let us not forget the men that started the Magi-Fest. Syl Reilly and Bob Nelson. Syl ran it untill his death in 1959. For those that visited Syl's Magic Shop, I have the sign that hung over the door to the stairs going up to it. As to the shows at the Scottish Rite Temple, I was on the stage crew till leaving Columbus.
Ther are 10 type of people in the world. Those that understand binary, and those that don't,
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Mr. Mystoffelees Inner circle I haven't changed anyone's opinion in 3623 Posts |
Living near Columbus, I am very sad to see such a great convention come to an end. I agree the move downtown seemed ill-conceived, but doubt the move or the economy had much to do with the decision. My opinion is that the convention was run by a small close-knit group that, for whatever reason, did not bring in new young-bloods to learn and continue. If you don't have a continuation plan, at some point you usually just come to a halt...
Jim
Also known, when doing rope magic, as "Cordini"
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