Coming up next week is the 2021 KIDabra Virtual Conference. August 18-21, 2021 (Wednesday to Saturday).

Final Schedule: https://www.kidabra.org/2021-schedule

Register here: https://www.kidabra.org/register-kidabra

When you register, you get access to a special "closed" Facebook Group, where you can watch the videos for a full year after the event.

Last year, there were also special Zoom hangouts in between the lectures and shows. And I've heard they're planning the same for this year.

- Donald

I haven't seen this mentioned in a while.

KIDabra International used to be an organization where you would pay annual membership dues, and also receive a magazine, 6 issues per year (printed version for a few years, and then an e-book version for a few years). The organization was launched in August 2005. It kind of dwindled off at the end. KIDabra Journal 10.4 was sent in June 2016, KIDabra Journal 10.5 was sent in August 2016, KIDabra Journal 10.6 was sent in November 2016, KIDabra Journal 11.1 was sent in May 2017, and KIDabra Journal 11.2 was sent in November 2017. (Note - I have ebook versions of 7.1-11.2 in my collection, and printed copies of the earlier magazines.) Then the organization and the magazine came to an end. When the organization existed, the Magic Café hosts once decided to make a KIDabra specific area, like they have an IBM and a SAM specific area. That is why some of Dennis' pinned links above no longer work, such as paid membership or magazines.

Mark and Tami Daniel ran the annual KIDabra conference before they decided to make the KIDabra organization. They ran the annual conference while the organization existed. And they continue to run the conference now that the organization no longer exists. It started out in 1992 as the International Festival of Children's Magicians.

This year's conference is the KIDabra Conference's 30th Anniversary.

- Donald

P.S. Part of the reason that the magazine came to an end was they were having problems with article contributors (like myself) missing deadlines. So they weren't able to publish on time, or had to publish a thinner magazine.

I just registered for the KAX 2022 Virtual Event.

It runs Feb. 2-5, with replays available for a year afterwards.

So, it starts tonight.

https://www.kidabra.org/kax-virtual-schedule-2022

- Donald

I unfortunately did not have time to broadcast, but I watched the recording. I liked it it was cool)

I am confused, I thought your timeline indicated that the organization ended. If that is the case, how were they able to hold a conference? What happened to the chapters? I also see that kidabra.org is still a working site, and it seems to be integrated with Axtell products now.

It is confusing???

not many answers

The Conference existed before the organization did, and continues to exist after the organization ended.

- Donald

thanks for the answers. I had a great time at kidabra conferences, and am sad to see that the organization has ended, but it is good to see that Steve Axtell and others have taken up the cause to continue the ideas and ideals of the organization.

Here's more information to answer your question...

According to this post from Dennis Michael, the "organization" started around 2005, and the "conference" celebrated it's 15th anniversary in 2006. So, the conference was around for many years before the organization. (Note - As far as I understand, Dennis is now retired his involvement with from magic and KIDabra. But he was very involved with KIDabra, and also made many posts here on The Magic Café. A good reference.)

The conference had a different name in the early years. The very first conference was in Williamsburg, VA, in August 1992, and was known as "The International Festival of Children's Magicians." (Source.)

So, it was rebranded around 2005 (I think).

The "KIDabra Conference" happens in August (mostly on the East Coast), and is about 30 years old (this includes the years it was known by a previous name).

The "KAX Conference" / aka "KAX" (combination of the words "KIDabra" and "Axtell") happens in January (mostly on the West Coast), and is about 8 years old.

Steve Axtell helps to run KAX, as it's held near his California headquarters, and it tends to have a bit more lean towards puppets and vent.

Mark and Tami Daniel have been involved with KIDabra for the whole 30 years, and involved with KAX for the whole 8 years.

Both Conferences still run ( https://www.kidabra.org/ ). For the most part, the events went virtual during the pandemic.

Aside from attending virtual events, I've attended KIDabra 2013 in Pigeon Forge, TN, and I've also attended KAX in Oxnard, CA, in 2015 and 2016.

The main change that I've seen as the organization came and went, is that there were annual dues and a magazine. The main focus over the years has always been the conferences, which is aside from the organization. The conferences existed before the organization, and they exist after.

The most active place for KIDabra discussion is in their Facebook group.

Note - I'm not in the leadership of KIDabra... I'm just a fan.

- Donald

P.S. I assume that most of the KIDabra chapters closed when the organization ended.