Magic in the Rockies 2002

This September 6, 7, 8, and 9, several of the World’s Greatest Magicians will be in Fort Collins for an annual event called “Magic in the Rockies.” Sponsored by the local magic club the Presto-Digitators (Ring 250 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians), this weekend convention attracts approximately 250 magicians from around the Rocky Mountain region and from the United States. In conjunction with the magic convention, which takes place at the Fort Collins Marriott, a Public Magic Show will be held at the Lincoln Center, 7:30 PM, Saturday night, September 8th.

Featured performers in this year’s Public Show will include; Michael Finney (Phoenix), Lennart Green (Sweden), Flip Hallema (Netherlands), Bob Sheets (Washington D.C.), Bob Kohler (Las Vegas), David Oliver (Boston), Charles Pecor (Atlanta).

Although these magicians may not be as well known by the general public as David Copperfield or David Blaine, they are some of the top names in magic. When the Public Show concludes, the audience will be invited to the Marriott for “Close-Up” magic performed by several of Colorado’s leading magicians, followed by a Magic Cabaret at the Marriott bar hosted by Aspen’s Doc Eason and Eric Mead.

In addition to the Saturday night Public Show, Magic in the Rockies begins the weekend convention festivities with a Friday morning “Junior Showcase.” This show features young magicians from around the state together with some of the Public Show headliners. The Junior Showcase has been dubbed “Kids Performing for Kids” because the audience is exclusively students from the Poudre School District. The Junior Showcase is a chance for the young magicians to perform on the main stage of the Lincoln Center in front of nearly one thousand of their peers. It also affords the youngsters in the audience an opportunity to view some positive accomplishments by kids their own age.

Last year’s Junior Showcase and the Public Show were sponsored by a grant from the Stryker Short Foundation. Other principal sponsors included: Rhoades Realty, Coopersmith’s Restaurant, The Rio Grande Restaurant, Tom Gleason and First National Bank, Waterpik Technologies, and Dr. Bob Sammons, a psychiatrist and magic enthusiast from Grand Junction. The Presto-Digitators are looking forward to working with these principal sponsors and adding several more this year.

Tickets for the Magic in the Rockies September 8th Public Show, which usually sells out, can be purchased beginning August 8th at the Lincoln Center or by calling the Box Office at 221-6730.