10/02/2026
17 years ago - I learned the local magic club could no longer produce a magic convention they had produced for 80 years. (And was a yearly convention I ALWAYS looked forward to attending myself as a kid.)
At the club's final convention - they had a total of 24 attendees - half (12) were aged 20 or younger.
I saw myself in the eyes of those young magicians, and although I lived and performed nightly in Las Vegas at the time, I realized I would not have had the career I so enjoyed, had it not been for the inspiration I got from that annual magic convention in Des Moines, Iowa...
I told myself, "I need to keep a magic convention in Iowa going - to hopefully inspire other young magicians..."
And I did.
With the help of very dear friends and family - "AbraCORNdabra" was born.
Ben came up with the name.
My mom ran the registration desk with her sister, my Aunt Kathy and my mom's sister's wife, my Aunt Mary Ann.
Friends like the Carlocks jumped in to help - Mel (a sweetheart of a woman) was introduced to me by Sean Carlock and she has been a steady rock for us all these years, as has so many others...
Like a snowball rolling down a mountain - more and more folks "jumped on board" to help make AbraCORNdabra the "Midwest's PREMIER Magic Convention" (A title given to us by Christopher Carter) We have "volunteer staff" that travel from Austin & Dallas TX, Chicago IL, L.A.CA., Kansas City MO., Phillydelphia PA, etc.
Josh, Arlen, Art, Kerri, Sam, Anthony, Peter, Nathaniel, Ricky, Amanda, etc.
And they all do it with HUGE smiles on their faces and give 110%!
We have never made money producing the convention - and in fact, to date, have lost more than $145,000.00.
Why do we still do it?
................... those 12 young magicians from 17 years ago...
THAT'S why.
❤
My body is slowing down, and tells me daily, "nope, you are NOT "young" anymore."
One of the saddest things I have seen in my lifetime, is performers who are "past their prime", who still insist they are "young" (and their performances scream "NO YOU ARE NOT - GIT OFF THE STAGE!!!" (.....but they don't listen.) 🙁
This year's 2026 sold-out (200 attendees strong!) convention, I truly sat back and let go of the "baby" I, or rather *WE* , gave birth to 16 years ago...
I watched one of those young magicians from 17 years ago, take the reins of the convention and run it smoother than I ever had.
I basically threw Mikayla "into the pool" and said, "swim kiddo" ...
She not only swam - she won olympic gold medals!
I am SOOOO proud of her.
I am truly stepping away from AbraCORNdabra - I am not gone "yet" - I still have some creative things I am throwing in ("Giving up the baby is NOT easy...") LOL
But from this day forward, Mikayla will be the "face" of this amazingly fun "family reunion" of a magic convention WE have all created in "the cornfields of Iowa"....
I type all of this because of a very kind and thoughtful thank you note I recieved in the mail from an attendee from Omaha.
Why do we do this convention that never makes money and is truly a "labor of love" from ALL of us involved?
THIS NOTE says it all.
Thank you Tim.
(And yes, they ARE all fabulous!!!!)
❤
See you all NEXT year for our 17th Annual AbraCORNdabra Magic Convention - May 21 - 23, 2027 at the Airport Holiday Inn in Des Moines, Iowa.
