A new magic festival appears in Colon

COLON – There's at least one really good reason that Rick Fisher of FAB Magic Manufacturing Co. thinks Colon can handle another magic festival on its calendar.

"Our claim to fame is the magic capital of the world. There's only one magic capital of the world," Fisher said Friday. "There ought to be all kinds of events going on every single month in the magic capital of the world."

The people of Colon and regular visitors, of course, are no strangers to magic performances. Abbott's Magic Get Together will hold its 78th event there this year, and Michigan Magic Day's 2014 events were in Colon.

The downtown area features three magic shops that, in their own ways, also serve as repositories of the history of the craft; besides FAB, Sterlini Magic Co. and Abbott's Magic Co. are competing to get magicians the supplies they need and introduce beginners to their first tricks.

But a new event, 31 Flavors of Magic, brings all three of them together. That day of events is Saturday, with shows at a dozen locations in town and magicians performing acts for kids and adults.

The event is hosted by the International Brotherhood of Magicians Ring 386. Member and organizer Ron Carnell said the name of the event is appropriate because there are so many different kids of magic.

Carnell quoted Chicago magician Eugene Burger, who said magic is a "house with many rooms."

"Which I guess is a very profound way of saying different strokes for different folks," Carnell said. "What we wanted to do with the 31 Flavors is offer interest in some of those rooms."

In the main room at FAB, Fisher and Sterlini Magic Manufacturing owner John Sterlini sat at a table and talked about how what's good for one of them is good for all of them.

"We need to have events here every month," Sterlini said.

Fisher said Colon is managing to avoid becoming like other small, southern Michigan towns that have closed down businesses on their Main Streets. They're doing it by embracing and supporting magicians, but more needs to happen to avoid becoming like them, he said.

"If you went to Allen, Michigan, which is the 'antique capital of Michigan,' there is something going on there almost every weekend," Fisher said. "Now, they're smaller and they don't have the resources that we have in Colon. So why not do more things in town? Why not draw more people to town?"

In 2015, with no lack of digital entertainment, there are still people who want to see a magic show. Some just happen to be younger.

"Now, it's a little more hip, with David Blaine coming on the scene," Sterlini said. "Someone a 14-year-old can kind of identify with."

One of the locations offering performances is the Colon Township Library, which will feature kids' shows at 11 a.m. and noon. Director Julie Senske said her daughter's fourth birthday party was held at FAB.

"They had a magic show and it was wonderful," Senske said. "For kids, magic is so exciting."

At Abbott's, the old and the young meet. The current building, Carnell said, was probably built in the 1950s, although Abbott's dates back to 1934. The ceiling is covered in authentic magic posters that, in better condition, could be museum pieces.

Abbott's itself is a history of magic, its origin tied with famous magician Harry Blackstone Sr., who happens to be buried down the road at Lakeside Cemetery. Owner Greg Bordner, though, knows his audience.

Bordner described how, that morning, he performed a few tricks for a visiting 10-year-old boy and his grandmother, and how they boy's face lit up.

"That's where the magic happens, is in the face of little kids," Bordner said, shortly before fooling a gullible reporter with a coin trick known as Scotch and Soda. "He was so happy when he had a magic trick or two when he walked out the door."

Call Andy Fitzpatrick at 966-0697. Follow him on Twitter: @am_fitzpatrick

If you go

• WHAT: 31 Flavors of Magic.

• WHEN: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

• WHERE: Various locations in Colon.

• COST: Early registration tickets are $5 for children, $10 for adults and $25 for a family pack. Tickets the day of the event are $8 for kids, $15 for adults and $25 for a family pack.

• INFO: For a list of locations and to purchase tickets, go to www.magic-festival.com. For more information, call 432-4017.