Abbotts 88th Get Together 2026

by Mark Holstein

Sue and I are on our flight back to Texas, delayed by storms moving through Chicago, after our annual pilgrimage to the Magic Capital of the world. As we sit here, hoping to take off soon, and all of this past week, I've been reflecting on the passage of time. It feels like yesterday that we were here, and yet here we were, back again. Though the year passed with stunning speed, a lot of life happened between last August and this. Some great, some not.

We spent much of the last week in a high school gymnasium in the village of Colon, Michigan. My uber-talented crew and chosen family convert that gymnasium into a fully functioning theater, ready for five incredible shows and seven fantastic lectures. As I think about it, I've spent a year of my life in that room, one week at a time. Helping to make each Abbott's Magic Get Togther successful.

This year was no exception. The events we all fantastic and the evening shows were all great. Opening night was a true variety show with a yo-yo trick shot act by Sean David Boguniaa, very charming and funny turn by Keith Fields and Lady Sarah, and the award winning magic of long time friend Stuart MacDonald. Old friend Jay Mattioli closed the show and lit up the audiences with his high energy performance featuring full scale stage illusions (rarely seen anymore) Host Bj Mallen kept things moving and added humor and wit throughout.

Thursday brought a mix of performers fortunate enough to have appeared on Penn and Teller's Fool Us show. Host David Corsaro set the tone with some great material. An interesting mix of performances by Krystal Lawrence, Vinny Grosso and Matt Donnelly made for a really fun show.

On Friday, it was Mike Caveney's opportunity to dazzle us, as he does every year. FISM award winner Artem Shchukin did two completely different acts, both stunning. ND was absolutely hilarious. Nick Diffatte was hilarious. Mirella presented her award winning act. Mortenn Christensen brought the house down with his quirky humor and jaw dropping magic. And Mike, one of the best MCs in Magic, added his humor and juggling, while keeping the show moving at an incredible pace. A lengthy standing ovation ended the night. I hardly know what to say about Saturday. For me, it was a thrilling, emotional and nerve wracking night. I've known Mac King for almost 40 years. He's a headliner in Las Vegas and one of the kindest souls in magic. He's ridiculously talented. He brought his full Vegas show to our humble gymnasium/theater and it was my job not to screw it up. Mac was on his home court and the audience was in the palm of his hand from the start. it kept getting better. You could literally feel the love and admiration this crowd felt for their hero. As I sat in the dark, carefully calling each cue, I felt an energy that is very special. Mac was rewarded with a lengthy standing ovation, a long meet and greet line and the Jack Gwynne award for performing excellence.

And just as quickly as it came, it was over. The curtains, sound, lights, and other backstage "stuff" was torn down, packed and ready for storage. In just a few hours, our theater was a gymnasium again.

I want to acknowledge my friend and show producer Mike Miller. Every year he convinces the best of Magic to make the inconvient trip to a tiny village in southern Michigan to perform. He never fails to deliver.

And I want to acknowledge, as I do every year, the incredible crew that silently makes the magic happen. They work 12 hour days, doing non-glamorous work, to ensure that every show is as close to flawless as we can achieve. To my crew and chosen family, Brian LeBoeuf, Tim Simenc Jr., Anthony Stockton, Richard Hughes, Steve Chezaday, Jeff Boyer, and Nichole Piotrowski-Scholl - you have my deep and heartfelt gratitude. We lost a member of this family since last year and we did a broken wand ceremony for Artie Kidwell before the Saturday night show.

I look forward to seeing everyone next August. It will be here in the blink of an eye.

If you have a favorite story or moment of the Magic Get Together
Send it to webmaster@magicgettogether.com for all to enjoy

Duke Stern said Colon is not a one horse town...

Guess he was right!

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Welcome to the Magic Capital of the World. Abbott's Magic mission is simple: to provide the best magic products and service to our customers at the lowest prices possible. We take great pride in our company (which has been doing business since 1934), our commitment to customer service and in the products we sell. Our online store is designed to provide you with a safe and secure environment to browse our product catalog. The Abbott plant provides year round employment for our staff. More than 50,000 square feet is divided into the following departments: Business Offices, Printing Department, Art Department, Silk Dyeing, Computer Room, Sewing Assembly, Silk Screen Processing, Blacksmith Shop, Lathe, and Precision Metal Work, Plastic and Chemicals, Metal Casting, Tool and Die Making, Shipping, Experimental, Wood Working, Sheet Metal Shop, Stock Room, Paint Shop, Showrooms, Demonstration Stage and Magic Theatre. Our phenomenal success proves that we are the recognized leaders in magic - not only in America but the entire world. We are credited with instituting real and modern innovations for the benefit of buyers of magical apparatus - proof enough of our sincerity in wanting to give those buyers a fair deal always. Our factory facilities are such that we are in the position to make anything in magic. Also we own our factory buildings - the only buildings in the world designed for the sole purpose of manufacturing magic. Abbott's leads the entire magic field in producing original magic effects. To us, your first order is the beginning of a lasting friendship in magic. Abbotts is the publisher of Tops Magazine (30's - 50's), New Tops Magazine (60's - 90's), and most recently our free online version the Newest Tops Magazine with informative articles by some of todays top magic performers. Abbotts Magic Shop and Abbotts Magic Get Together have been in business since 1934. Annual events include the Closeup Magic Convention, Summer Magic shows at the Abbott magic plant, a 4 day Magic Convention in August aka Magic Get Together, and Magic Flea Market and Auction. The Magic Get Together magic convention is well over 70 years old and has had many of the worlds greatest magicians perform on its magic stage including Blackstone Sr, Blackstone Jr, Karrell Fox, Lance Burton, Mac King, Jeff McBride, Jeff Hobson, Harlan Tarbell,Cardini, Neil Foster, and about 900 more. Publications include Tops Magic Magazine, Abbotts Illusions, Colon MI aka the Magic Capital of the World, Abbott Magic Movies, Abbott's Magic Compendium, and Abbott's Magic Catalog which includes thousands of magic tricks, magic books, and magic illusions for magicians of all ages and all magician skill levels including beginner magician and professional magician. Abbott's believes that this website, www.magicgettogether.com, is the largest magic site dealing with a magic conventions in the world.