The Hits of Magifest

Magifest audiences have always had a reputation for being a discerning crowd. The best thing you could say in a magic ad, apparently, was that it was a big hit at Magifest. There were a lot of hits at Magifest over the years! If you search AskAlexander for “the hit of Magifest” you’ll get a whole bunch of matches.

Here are all of them. Mostly in chronological order, but who knows. Some are still available—even from Vanishing Inc in some cases. But many of these tricks are essentially unknown today, just waiting for someone to resurrect them and fool the hell out of everybody. You’ll have to do some searching, but you will be the only one doing it.

And remember, it must be pretty good—it was a hit at Magifest!

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• 18. 23. Hull's new JIM JAM CARDS • The trick that took the recent "MAGI-FEST" by storm.

• "JIM JAM CARDS" and "SQUASH" CREATE A SENSATION AT THE COLUMBUS MAGI-FEST

  • Squash is still available at generic prices, sometimes under a different name.

• Percy Abbott’s “Encore Cut Rope” trick. It was a huge hit at the recent Magi-fest.

  • If you’re interested, this one is in Abbott’s Encyclopedia of Rope Tricks by Stewart James.

• BREMA'S CONVINCING ROPE TRICK • THE HIT OF THE COLUMBUS MAGI-FEST

• NEW SELF-LIGHTING CIGARETTE DROPPER • THE TALK OF THE COLUMBUS MAGI-FEST

• Any Card Called Rises • J.G. Bag Trick • Grant’s Diminishing Cards • Visible Walk Thru Ribbon — The Four Hits Of The Magi-Fest Convention

• VISHNU. A Master Rope Trick by Robert Ellis. The hit of the Columbus Magi-Fest.

• The New "G. & M. Board Suspension." Better and more mystifying than all former methods and no chance for slipping or sliding. This is the same outfit as supplied to Paul Fenton and used by him at the Friday Night Magi-Fest Show that fooled all the Magis and got plenty of newspaper space.

• The first trick he made was the very same one he revised and made so popular at the Columbus Magi-Fest last February. Yes, the Die Box!

• These cards by CECIL were the hit of the February Columbus Magi-fest.

• Joseph Cottone's Continuous Card Production • Dealer's stock sold out at the Columbus Magi-fest after one demonstration.

  • I still see this performed, and you can find it if you look.

• Menge's PLASTIC BEER BOTTLES • This Trick was a HIT at the recent MAGI-FEST held here in Columbus, in fact over Three Dozen sets were sold the First Night.

• DUBL-X-ROPE By HOLLIS Released by U. F. Grant • This is really an outstanding effect . . . Was the real hit of the Columbus Magi-Fest.

• Sir Felix Korim and his "Mystery Durbar" • The show was one of hits of the recent Magi-Fest in Columbus.

• The Fly Circus • A SELL-OUT AT THE COLUMBUS MAGI-FEST!

• We introduced our New Pocket Siren at the Columbus Magi-fest and everybody went nuts over them. Sold 24 first day!!

• BOB ELLIS' COMEDY MILK PAIL • THE LAUGH SENSATION OF 1955 COLUMBUS MAGI-FEST!

• ENCHANTED A-B-SEE BOX • The Hit of the Columbus Magi-Fest

• SYMBOLOGIC • Best seller at the Columbus Magi-Fest

  • You can still buy this classic Hen Fetsch trick, at Vanishing Inc no less.

• JOHNNY GIORDMAINE'S BIG NICKEL TRICK • A sell-out at Columbus Magi-Fest!

• ACROBATIC MONKEY • A sell out at the Columbus Magi-Fest. Everyone wants several.

• Jack Chanin's oriental act was a hit at the Columbus Magi-Fest.

• Thimblettes • Mr. Nuessle demonstrated this at the recent Columbus Magi-Fest and sold out.

• HYDRA-PENTRO • The HIT of the Columbus Magi-Fest.

• SUITCASE SIDE SHOW • INSURANCE-POSTER TRICK Both The Above Were Sell-Outs At Magi-Fest!

• YOGI • We first saw this demonstrated by Alan Cracknell at Magi-Fest. It was an immediate hit.

• The Cleanest Trick in Magic - $12.50. U. F. Grant. This is the trick that was so enthusiastically received when George Lydiatt presented it at the 1962 Columbus Magi-Fest.

• Chex-Er-X • $3.75. U. F. Grant. You should have seen Don Lawton do it on the Dealer's Show at the Columbus Magi-Fest!

• THRU-BALL • The one that had them all talking at the Columbus Magi-fest

• Telespo — By Nick Trost • A sell-out at the recent Columbus Magi-Fest.

  • This is also in The Card Magic of Nick Trost, if you want to look it up. It is a great trick.

• Mousket-ear Magic — At the 1963 Magi-fest, the judges awarded the above trick First Prize in the originality contest.

• SUPER CARD MAN STUFF by AL LEECH • A Best-Seller at the recent Columbus Magi-Fest

  • This a book is actually available on Amazon, of all places. If you know any old-school card guys, they may have a copy in their bookcase.

• MIRACLE COINS "The finest magic coins ever made." • Just one of the comments made at Magi-Fest

• QUARTER FANTASY • One of the fabulous hits of the Ohio Magi-Fest.

• THE GENIE CARD • At Magi-Fest (where numerous dealers said it should sell for $5) many magicians said, “I’ve read the ads but just what is the effect?” After seeing it demonstrated, MOST OF THEM BOUGHT!

  • I read the ads, and they are correct: What is the effect? Here’s the ad: "The effect of this just-developed new Weldon closeup trick is that a series of 2 to 5 inexplicable, yet easy-to-do, magical things occur in the showing of a special printed card, ending in the magical appearance of a message. If desired, the card can be given to the spectator and he becomes an enthusiastic advertiser for YOU as he shows it to friends."
  • This didn’t ring any bells, but a later ad makes everything clear, at least to nerds like me who used to read Martin Gardner’s “Mathematical Games” column in Scientific American magazine: "It's a brand new, never-done-before plot involving 5 magical happenings. It is based on a seldom used magical principle . . . the tetra-tetraflexagon."
  • An explanation of flexagons is beyond the scope of this blog post, but if you google the word, you’ll be glad you did. At the very least, you will know why the effect of this trick is so hard to describe.

• Danny Johnson explained his close-up napkin tearing trick that was so well received at the Magi-Fest.

• Berland's SHOWER OF SILVER • First introduced at Magi-Fest and scored big.

• BOB MASON'S ESP CASSETTE MYSTERY • A COMPLETE SELLOUT AT MAGI-FEST

• The 1-2-3-4 CARD TRICK was a sellout at Magi-fest

• MAGICRAFT'S VISIBLE CANDLE TO SALT • A Complete Sellout at 1974 Magi-Fest!

• "Torn and Restored Bill" was the hit of the 1977 Blizzard.

• Tom Ladshaw's Sleeping Pill was one of the hit items at this year's Magi-Festa

  • I used to have one of these. A plastic prop that looks like an oversized medicine capsule. Put it on your hand lying flat and it slowly rises to vertical. Probably the most low-tech method I’ve ever seen for an animation effect. This is not a bad thing, by the way.

• THE DETECTIVE • A complete sellout at the 1992 Columbus Magi-Fest!

• BLADE BOX OF DEATH - A unique illusion involving five blades and two spears passing through a lady. Her hands and legs are visible throughout the performance. It was performed at the 1992 Columbus Magi-Fest.

  • This is an ad for a used illusion in Genii. Even used illusions mention Magi-fest!

• MONKEY IN THE MIDDLE • A complete sell-out at Tannen's and Magi-Fest.

  • This is the first trick on this list I’ve actually performed for real people, and it might be the best sandwich trick there is. Bill Goldman created it. Spectators examine the Queens, and they place them face up on the deck. You immediately spread them to reveal a selection in between.

• Mary Laflin invented an effect that produced a large, brightly colored, shimmering, flower bouquet. Her effect was a sellout at the Columbus Magi-fest.

  • Even unadvertised products can get a boost from being mentioned in a ring report.

• A few months later, I saw a room full of magicians go slack-jawed when Mr. Wild performed the effect at Magi-Fest.

  • Sometimes a mention is in a review of a product.

And finally...

• First Every Year by Pete McCabe, a 100% giveaway at the 2026 Magifest.
  • If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.