A few of my magic friends and I have been discussing the cost of registration/rooms/travel/food/dealers room. Dropping a grand on a big convention just to get there, not including food/dealers room, is not my idea of a budget. Sure you can stay at another hotel, take a cooler...etc.

However, I think we are going to get creative this summer and try something different. We are going to find a good brick and mortar shop, make a road trip, and stay in town for the weekend. On this weekend we will visit the shop, eat good food, watch a DVD or two, and have some magic book discussions/jam sessions. Good food, good magic, and good friends! Isn't that what conventions used to be about?(okay, I am trying to make this justifiable here)

Thoughts? Ideas? Recommended shops in the US?

In Florida you have the sun, beach, Daytona Magic, Magic Dove (Cocoa Beach) and the greater Orlando area all within a two hour drive round trip.

Orlando has many inexpensive lodging options plus local performers (sidewalk acts @ Disney Broadwalk); Outta Control Magic Show (inexpensive & includes all you can eat pizza); Daytona can be your Saturday during the day, and Magic Dove is open on Sunday. The owners of Leaping Lizards publishing (Orlando) has plans to open a brick & mortar in Orlando sometime this summer (I think).

Monday evenings you have close up magic in a formal setting via Erick Olsen's Wizard's Magic Theater in Kissimmee.

HOWEVER if you're looking to get a lot of magic & keep expenses down look into Irv Cook & Harry Allen's Daytona Magic Festival in November. Beachside hotel starting at approx $100/night which you can split with a friend. The rooms have kitchenettes so you can go that route although registeration for the convention includes a Friday night deli dinner & pizza on Friday afternoon for a couple of bucks. There's a boat load of good, inexpensive places to eat all along the beach.

For a single person your hotel & registration will cost approx: $450 (convention approx $150; room @$100 / night). After that it's whatever you eat/drink & spend in the dealers room or lectures table. For a regional convention this year's lineup is pretty impressive (Geoff Williams; Arthur Trace, Juan Tamariz, Harry Allen, Penn & Teller, Banachek, Johnny Ace Palmer, Ascanio, Sylvester the Jester, Houdini, John Calvert and more). Contact Harry at the Daytona Magic shop site for more information.


I'm joking about Juan Tamariz, Penn AND Teller, Ascanio & Houdini but all the others are scheduled to be there which still makes it a pretty kickass line up for a regional convention.


REPEAT: JOKING ABOUT Tamariz, P&T, Ascanio & Houdini but not the others.

Good idea, but looking to do something this summer.

Denny & Lee's Magic Studio in Baltimore. I don't think there is a better magic shop in the country. He has his own stage and performance area in a separate room (theater?), tons of magic, and a lifetime of experience. It may just be what you are looking for.

Peter

I second Peters suggestion.You also have the Baltimore inner harbor with busking.Fells Point and so much history in and around Baltimore and things to see and go to.Let alone the great food...

Don

OOh Ooohh oooh Haines House of Cards in Norwood Oh. aka Cincinnati, plus there's another shop just over the river in Covington ky. The Magic Shop....


Lots to see and do...

Good ideas guys...keep them coming!

Anyone in Tennessee OR Carolina? After discussing more, we figured a drive (5 hours max, )a shop visit, and maybe get together with local Magic Club members on an afternoon. This would be much like a small convention. Thoughts?

Come to Colon Michigan in August ! Many of the events are FREE!
http://www.colonmichiganmagic.com

With gas at $4 a gallon it would help if we knew where you lived.

If you live within a budget to get to Kansas City/Lee's Summit Kansas...

U.S. Toys Magic Division has a wide range of items....

Wichita, Kansas - Stevens Magic

AMEN, it just does not get any better, nor is there a more well versed proprietor. Check the lecture schedule at the shop as well, he hosts tons of them. Worth the trip from anywhere. Then an hour to Washington DC.

Myrtle Beach, SC, USA has a lot to offer. Broadway Magic at Broadway at the Beach, Conley's House of Magic at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle, IBM Ring 334 meets the first Thursday night of every month. The Monarchs of Magic, Michael Bairefoot, Greg Holt, Carl Michael and several other acts work regularly at venues up and down the beach. Rumor still has it that Morgan Strebler is bringing a show to the beach this summer, too.

Cap'n Mike
Seaside Showman
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA

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There's always Magic At the Beach in Myrtle Beach too! It's in January if you want a winter vacation. And there is NO way you would drop a 1,000 at this convention.

Rooms- $49 a night
Registration- $135
Travel- Spirit air flies direct to Myrtle Beach for $150 flights or less sometimes!!!

And not to mention we have some of the best talent coming in the SouthEast. It's a great place to eat, laugh, learn, and just watch some good magic.

http://www.MagicAttheBeach.org

-Matt

Myrtle Beach may just be the MAGIC CAPITAL of the South !! A lot of WORKING Magicians - Michael Bairefoot is at Angelos and Lakewood Campground , I perform Friday and Saturday at Thee Dollhouse and Thursdays at 2001 Nightclub as well as most corporate events held at the MB Convention Center , Greg Holt does quite a few resorts , Roman Lepree SC Magician of the year and owner of Trickmaster Magic , David Tanner Owner of Broadway Magic and has an impressive collection of magic props and did a resort show , collectibles and illusions , Jim Lee does birthdays as well as 2 flea market magic shops , Joe Joe is at Barefoot Landing during the Summer , Ron Conley once has the BEST Drug Free School Program and is the owner of Conleys House of Magic , Capt Mike is a very good all around performer and master of the diablo , and Magic Chuck does a few biker bars around town - I think I named everyone . We also have Magic at the Beach as well as getting Copperfield at the Palace theatre the past 2 years .

My show is going to open 8.1.11 in the old Nascar building. It's taken longer than expected, but everything is now on track.

Best wishes,

Morgan

Here is where to be October 7th and 8th.

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......m=31&419

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander
Magic Valley Magic

Twenty five years ago, our local ring took a field trip to Colon. We spent the day at Abbott's. We rent a couple of cabins at Miller's Landing and visited Bob Lund's Museum the next day. It was a great time, inexpensive and a fun filled memory.

Another option to contact a couple clubs in a general area and get a group hotel rates on rooms. See if they would throw in a meeting room for sessions.

The biggest down side to small little gatherings is you cannot get the big national and international talent without spending the money. But the friendship and fellowship can't be beat.

Richard

The Timid Rabbit Magic & Masquerade shop in Kalamazoo Michigan. I opened The Timid Rabbit in 1974 and still run it today. We host a monthly magic workshop on the 2nd Friday at 7:30 PM, have a monthly IBM Ring 333 (The Fox Ring) magic meeting on the 4th Friday at 7:30 PM, and we usually bring in four to eight lecturers per year. Past lecturers include; Allan Ackerman, Gene Anderson, Jerry Andrus, Danny Archer, Steven Bargatze, Matt Bates, Jay Scott Berry, John Calvert, James Cellini, Mike Close, Paul Cummins, Tim Ellis and Sue-Anne Webster, Antony Gerard, David Kaplan, Roger Klause, Nathan Kranzo, Petrick and Mia, Hank Moorehouse, Karl Norman, Jim Parks, Mike Powers, Marty Ransford, Jay Sankey, Danny Tong, Garrett Thomas, J.C. Wagner, Boris Wild, Tim Wright, and next week we are hosting The Jeff McBride Experience in Kalamazoo Michigan on May 27th, 28th, and 29th 2011.

We are also less then an hour drive from three other magic shops; Abbott's, Fab, and Hippity Hop. And if that is not enough; we are also less then an hour drive from The American Museum of Magic.

Take care and take cards
Antony Gerard

I live in the south. I am driving a car that gets about 47mpg, so gas prices are an annoyance more than a bank breaker.