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NEW FOR 2025
“The OscEARs Awards Show™“
SPEAKEASY SECRETS
The OscaEARs Awards Show™ has become known as “the” hottest convention event in magic convention presentations! Often talked about for years afterwards – this special One Night Only Party is limited to JUST the select 200 attendees attending that year.
Each year we find a fun “theme” to “dress up” the event – for 2025 – we roll the clocks back to the ‘ROARING 20’s” with Gangsters, Flappers & “Bathtub Gin” – The sounds of the Big Bands and secret entrances where you must know the password to enter – AbraCORNdabra’s SPEAKEASY SECRETS”…
This is a fun evening of shows, awards, gifts and photos.
Dress up in your favorite Gangster or Flapper costume!
You’ll be the “Bees Knees” and we know you will be “Hotsy-Totsy”!
Don’t try to attend “Rag-A-Muffin” – remember this is a “Ritzy” event.
It’s the “Real McCoy!”
And don’t blab to anyone that you know where the p lace is – otherwise, we are liable to get raided by the coppers!
Get up close and personal with ALL of our wonderful Magical Stars as you get photos and autographs with your favorite magicians.
(* A Special Commemorative Color Poster will be given to each Attendee ~ FREE!)
Saturday May 17th, 2025
7:30 PM SHARP
YOU WILL NOT BELEIVE YOUR EYES WHEN YOU SEE WHO WILL BE AT THIS PARTY!!!
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NEW FOR 2025
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Announcing the all new RAY THOMPSON AWARD OF EXCELLENCE Award for the Magimasters Senior Magic Tournament – This award may or may not be handed out each year….
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Magic Flea Market
YOU MUST BE WEARING YOUR BADGE IN ORDER TO ENTER THE FLEA MARKET!!!
Bring your used props (NO NEW MERCHANDISE ALLOWED) and join in the fun of our “Meet & Greet Flea Market” (Exclusively offered at AbraCORNdabra!)
Doors open at 11:00 AM – bring your items & be ready to search for that used treasure your act just can’t live without! We will have FOUR rooms at our new Host Hotel to fill with flea market sellers!
Flea Market hours are Friday May 16th – 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM ONLY. No other sales will be allowed at the convention to be fair to our wonderful dealers who are bringing BOXES, CRATES, & TRUCKS filled with exciting items for you to see & purchase from them!!!
Note: No pre-set up is allowed in the convention banquet room – NO SALES ALLOWED IN THE HOTEL HALLWAYS AT ANY GIVEN TIME DURING THE CONVENTION – Violators will be removed from the property with no refunds given. (This is hotel policy – please represent our “Magic Community” by following the Hotel Property rules – Thank you!)
ALL flea market sellers and buyers MUST be registered for AbraCORNdabra.
Friday May 16th, 2025
11:00 AM to 12:30 PM ONLY!
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CONTINUING THE TRADITION…
The Jeff Hepburn
“AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN MAGIC”
One Kernel may, or may not, be awarded the
Jeff Hepburn “AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN MAGIC” award
which comes with a beautiful Lead-Crystal Award AND $100 Cash.
Sadly, we lost our beloved local magician & Chemistry Teacher – Mr. Jeff Hepburn to Cancer in 2017. Jeff worked as a Chemistry Teacher in Des Moines and was also an avid collector of magic – especially Thayer Magic props. Jeff bequeathed a fund to AbraCORNdabra as he enjoyed the programs we have and are developing to encourage young magicians;
“The Kernels”.
Thanks to a personal friend of Jeff’s – this award now comes with a $100 cash prize. The winner of the Jeff Hepburn Award of Excellence in Magic, will received the lead-crystal award – the $100 cash prize – and will have their name put on the Jeff Hepburn Plaque that will be on display each year at the convention.
The 2017 Winner is:
ANTHONY STOCKTON
Chicago, IL.
The 2018 Winner is:
Elias Arbuckle
Des Moines, IA
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*** COMING BACK FOR 2024 ***
Silent Auctions to benefit the YOUNG MAGICIANS FUND
We have cleaned out the storage lockers and EVERYTHING MUST GO! We have amassed a collection from magic collectors that features items from the 1920’s to today! You will be given a SILENT AUCTION NUMBER at Check-in on the FRONT of your badge. THIS IS YOUR NUMBER ONLY.
The Silent Auction tables will be located in the lobby, outside of the ballrooms. (In front of the registration desk) There will be a slip of paper with each item. Simply bid a higher bid than the previous bid (increments of $1.00 or more) along with your bidding number.
The silent auction will be taking place (from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm) in the lobby.
When the silent auctions are finished, we will add up what YOU won! You may pay for & pick up your items as soon as the lecture ends next to the registration desk.
Note: Cash sales only – an ATM is available on property with standard ATM fees applied.
Saturday May 18th, 2024
10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
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“The KERNELS”
Young Magician’s Showcase Show
“The Kernels” is a Young Magician’s Showcase Show featuring some of our younger Magicians. Check out the Performers page to meet these young magi!
Hosted by TBA!
Saturday May 17th
11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
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CONTINUING for 2025
FREE PIZZA & POP LUNCH for any KERNELS performer who performs in the show! Arlen Soloman (President of the SYM) has hand-selected a group of professional magicians to watch and critique the KERNELS Young Magicians Showcase Show – IMMEDIATELY after the showcase show – the performers will be whisked off to a secret location for a FREE LUNCH and some professional advice on their acts! This is something that is rarely (if ever), offered at ANY magic convention in the United States.
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
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ENCORE SUNDAY
What has now become a tradition with the Midwest’s PREMIER Magic Convention is the SUPER LECTURE on the last day of the convention. We have truly saved the BEST FOR LAST to round out a fun weekend of magic! This year we have not one, but TWO super star lectures – Dan Fleshman presents a fast-paced 30 min lecture followed by our Guest of Honor, The MYSTERY MAGICIAN’s Lecture!
Sunday May 18th, 2025
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
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We started with MICHAEL FINNEY being the first we honored in 2016, with our unique, BEAUTIFUL collectible coins! Followed by EUGENE BURGER in 2017, then GENE ANDERSON in 2018. 2019 brought us ROCCO SILANO as our Mystery Magician and honoree coin. 2020 was a unique year with the Covid-19 Pandemic. Sadly, we had to cancel the convention – our special guest Mystery Magician was HARRY MONTI. We decided to GIVE AWAY the entire lot of 100 collectible coins to our attendees who graciously “rolled over” their registrations to 2021.
Our 2021 convention was ALSO cancelled due to the pandemic (DRAT!) – our Mystery Magician we honored was the first husband & wife team to be immortalized on one of our collectible coins – CHUCK & JAN JONES! We decided to also GIVE AWAY the entire lot of 100 collectible coins to our attendees who graciously “rolled over” their registrations to 2022.
2022 brought us our first “hand-painted” coin honoring JEFF HOBSON!
2023 was our “Lucky 13th” year – and we honored the incredible, CHRISTOPHER HART with a stunning Purple inlayed design featuring Christopher and his famous “Addams Family THING Hand”!
The TRADITION continues at AbraCORNdabra, The Midwest’s PREMIER Magic Convention..
We will have a limited number of minted collectible coins (Limited to just 100 coins minted for each year!) that will feature our yearly MYSTERY MAGICIAN on them. The coins cost $20.00 during the FIRST YEAR they are offered…
The remaining unsold coins go UP in value & cost by $10 each year.
Get your Official Collectible Coin ONLY at the Registration Desk at AbraCORNdabra!
PLEASE NOTE: WE ONLY OFFER THE COINS TO ATTENDEES.
*IF* there are any unsold coins AFTER the convention ends for that year – we will offer them to ON-LINE BUYERS at a cost of $30 each which includes shipping and handling charges in the CON USA – this offer is only until the end of May for that year – then the coins get locked up in the vault until the following year and will be sold at the increased price.
Coins CURRENTLY available are:
Michael Finney (2016)………………………………………………………………. $110 each.
Eugene Burger (2017)……………………………………………………………….. $100 each.
Gene Anderson (2018)…………………………………………………………………$90 each.
Rocco Silano (2019)…………………………………………………………………….$80 each.
Harry Monti (2020) (CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE)…………….$70 each.
Chuck & Jan Jones (2021) (CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE)…..$60 each.
Jeff Hobson (2022)…………………………………………………………………….$50 each.
Christopher Hart (2023)…………………………………………………………….. $40 each.
Joseph Gabriel (2024)…………………………………………………………………$30 each.