For a convention as massive as Blackpool, it would take months to document all of it on video, so it should be no surprise that we’re still finding new clips from the event. Here are two more highlight videos to indulge your FOMO. 

First up, some highlights from Pete James. His compilation includes an act from Brendan Rodrigues (who also impressed Chris Ramsay), alongside some barroom blues, a few slick Rubik’s Cube tricks, and just a handful of pranks.

James Grossman Magic doesn’t have much on his YouTube channel, but he also shared some highlights from a visit to the convention. The tricks are great, as are the soundtrack choices. It’s particularly refreshing to see so many younger performers captured on film rather than just the seasoned veterans. The future of magic is looking very bright indeed.

Blackpool Magic Convention attracts magicians and magic fans of all stripes. But since not all of the world’s magicians and magic fans can fit inside the Wintergardens, many attendees have kindly vlogged about the experience. It is, in the words of Cavan Booth, “a great magical time.”

The young Brit has only been a magician for six years, but he’s already got a charming style in front of the camera. He takes his viewers on a tour of the dealers’ hall, making the acquaintance of a very discerning animal trap and playing with fire. Booth also shows off some skills of his own. If you dig his style, subscribe to his YouTube channel, where he posts new videos of tricks and musings on the magic life about once a week.

There’s dinner table magic, and there’s Fay Presto, whose quick wit and quicker sleight of hand can put most other magicians to shame. Fay recently lectured and performed at the Blackpool Magic Convention a couple weeks ago, and thanks to UK magic shop PropDog Magic, her entire 25 minute routine from the convention has been recorded and uploaded to YouTube. Watch as she makes napkins disappear into thin air, make invisible decks of cards reappear right before your eyes, and cause an entire room full of magicians erupt with laughter.

Normally on The Magic Word podcast, host Scott Wells sits down for a lengthy chat with a fellow magician, talking about topics from magic history to stagecraft to novels. In this special episode, Wells handed the mic over to comedy magician Martin Cox, who shared an hour of his time roaming the halls at the Blackpool Magic Convention. He chats up many of the attendees about their time at the convention. It’s a slightly different take on sharing the Blackpool than the many (excellent) videos that pro magicians have been posting.

You can listen to the episode on The Magic Word’s website.

The Blackpool Magic convention isn’t just a great place to watch and meet other magicians; it’s a place where you can see inventors test out the cutting-edge of illusion. Alakazam Magic UK scoured the show floor over the past weekend looking for some of the best items there, and has rounded up a few of their favorites to sell in their online shop.

Perhaps the coolest one is a trick called RPG. Take a deck of cards, have an observer sign and replace a card, give the deck of shuffle, and place it on the table. Then, flick a ring, coin, or other object and watch as the top half of the deck explodes off the pile, leaving their card right on the top of the other half. You can see it for yourself in  the video below for a demonstration, and you can pick it up for £34.99. Act fast, though – quantities are very limited, and they’re already 14% through their stock as of press time.

They also picked up a prop called the mental vase, which allows you to pour out any one of the four colored balls currently held by a spectator. It’s a beautiful-looking prop, which is probably why it’s currently out of stock, unfortunately. Still, keep an eye on the Alakazam Magic UK store page in case they ever get resupplied, as these £124.99 beauties will probably run out again just as quickly

Chris Ramsey took his vlog to the Blackpool Magic Convention last weekend, joining many, many other magicians and magic aficionados. Given the massive size of the event, we can probably expect to see lots of videos from Ramsey and others over the coming days. But for now, we start with just two.

First off, the shenanigans:

Most of this video is about Wes Barker showing up to surprise his friends. (Woo buddies!) But the real standout is the sleight of hand by Brendan Rodrigues. With fashion as sharp as his moves, Rodrigues showed off some of the most rapid-fire sleights we’ve ever seen in a routine with a coin, a pen, and two rubber bands. There’s also a brief cameo of some hypnotic ring magic from Myles Thornton at the end.

Second, the serious business:

Every time Ramsey hits a convention, he compiles the standout tricks and gimmicks he finds. This compilation includes familiar faces like Joshua Jay, Ondrej Psenicka, and Peter Pellikaan showing off their wares.

Blackpool Magic Convention has more than a few things to see and do, which means you’ll want to strategize your time there. First off, check out the official beginner’s guide if you’re a newbie. Second, do a little research in advance to see what vendors will have so that you can plan your suitcase space accordingly.

Murphy’s Magic has kindly released a trailer showing the magic that it will be debuting at the show. The video above puts the tricks from creators such as Adrian Vega and Greg Rostami through their paces. For the most up-to-date information about what Murphy’s is bringing to Blackpool, head over to their website.

The 66th annual Blackpool Magic Convention is happening on February 16-18.

The February dates for the Blackpool Magic Convention are rapidly approaching, and if this is your first time attending, you’re probably scrambling around trying to figure out your itinerary. Where do you stay? How do you get there? And more importantly, what’s to eat? If you’re trying to hunt down the answers to these burning questions (and more), don’t sweat: the official Facebook page for the Blackpool Magic Convention has you covered.

The convention has compiled a huge list of tips and tricks for you to use for the duration of your stay, including what to expect to pay for a bed and breakfast, how to sign up for a TasteCard (which will save you cash on all your food), how to scope out the dealer hall (pro-tip: don’t spend all your money on the first day), and more. Check out the embedded post below for everything you need to know (click the “See More” link at the bottom of the post to expand it), and visit the convention’s official site and Facebook page for more info.

What began as a small, one-day gathering in 1952 in Blackpool, England has blossomed into a three-day magic extravaganza, and next month, the 66th annual Blackpool Magic Convention will see some of the world’s greatest magicians performing under one roof.

The convention will take place from Friday, February 16 through Sunday, February 18, and illusionists of all stripes can register for single day tickets or the entire weekend. Registration gets you access to daily lectures, fringe shows, over 100 dealers from all over the world, access to the Thursday mega auction, as well as tickets to each evening’s gala show.

There are dozens of performers slated to appear, including mentalist Asi Wind, close-up magician Paul Gordan, seven-time Magic Castle award winner Pop Haydn, expert card mechanic Richard Turner, Spanish sleight of hand artist Javier Benitez, and so many more. For a full list of appearances, be sure to check the convention’s 2018 artiste page.

If you’re interested in watching some great magic but don’t want to register for the full package, tickets to individual gala shows are available for the public, and can be purchased via Ticketweb for £20. Nine-year-old magician and Britain’s Got Talent runner-up Issy Simpson headlines on Friday, February 16, Richard Cadell & Sooty headline on Saturday, February 17, and 12-person magic troupe Magus Utopia will debut their new act to close out the weekend on Sunday, February 18. Each headliner is accompanied by a bevy of other performers, and each gala will perform twice each nice, once at 6:15pm, and again at 8:45pm

Registration is still available for individual days at £70 per day (£50 for juniors under 16 years of age), or £130 for the entire weekend (£65 for juniors). For more information on registration, performers, shows, and other details, head over to the convention’s official page.