Festival weekend will be magical once more

Organised by the Blackpool Magicians’ Club, the three-day Blackpool Festival Of Magic at the Winter Gardens brings 3,500 to the resort with the sell-out celebration.

It will get underway on Friday with comedy magician Mel Mellers running the show, followed on Saturday and Sunday with international lectures, the British Children’s Entertainers National Championships and the world’s largest magic dealer display, selling all the latest tricks.

Festival chairman Derek Lever has been a professional magician for 58 years, also performing fire eating and lecturing around the world - as well as working on the festival for more than 25 years, as part of the team which brings more than 50 artistes from as many as 15 countries to the weekend.

Derek said: “This year the festival is 64 years old and we will celebrate this with three international gala shows.

“The Friday night gala is compered by star comedy magician Mel Mellers who spends most of his life performing on cruise ships, and features Pat Fallon and Gill from Ireland, former Tower Circus ringmaster Norman Barrett with his famous budgerigars and Stephanie Delvaine with her exciting UV act, among others.

Saturday’s gala is compered by the hilarious Greg Wilson, and stars Jean Garin from France with his electronic screen, Strange Comedy with visual comedy antics, Ian Rowland the Mindreader Supreme, Xaubertrixxer from Germany which boasts 20 performers - mainly girl cheerleaders - in the act.”

Rounding up the weekend, Wayne Dobson presents his own show during the afternoon, and the finale gala where Blackpool Magicians’ Club honorary life president Ken Dodd presents his award to the best up and coming comedy magician, plus stars Dion with a magical tango, Chris Torrente and his invisible dog, and the Jidinis presenting magic from the circus, compered by Liverpool star comedian John Martin.