Allan Slaight is a remarkable man who, while building up the largest, privately-owned network of radio stations in Canada, has loved magic his entire life! He has toured throughout Western Canada as a performer, written a number of magic books, co-hosts an annual magic convention and also supports the magic world with his enormous generosity.
The Allan Slaight Awards were conceived to recognise 'outstanding achievement in the pursuit of the impossible'. Awarded annually since 2015, I'm truly honoured to have received this year's International Rising Star Award. Having found out while I was on tour with Champions of Magic back in March, I was sworn to secrecy and I think it's the hardest secret I've ever kept!
Receiving the award from Julie Eng, Magicana Executive Director.
In between two legends at the Illusions exhibition!
It felt like a dream then and to be honest, it still does! The awards were presented during the Magic Collectors Weekend in Montreal, organised by Magicana. The conference featured so many fascinating talks about great magicians of the past, although the highlight for me was seeing the 'Illusions' exhibition at the McCord Museum. Showcasing the 'Allan Slaight Collection', it features beautiful, huge magic posters (including some too large to be displayed on the museum walls!) as well as many priceless artefacts, including a set of handcuffs Houdini once escaped from.
The final event was the gala show. I opened the show, which was more than a little nerve-racking as there were so many magic legends present, both in the audience and in the wings! The awards followed and so I was finally able to break the news, of course first to my Mum at 4am in the morning her time!
Read more about the other awards and past winners here.
I'm so grateful to everyone at Magicana and the Slaight Family Foundation for their generosity and for making me feel so welcome.