The 45th Annual Winter Carnival of Magic takes place this year on Thursday, March 7 through Saturday, March 9 at Country Tonite Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The three-day convention consists of two evening shows, a stage competition, a close-up competition, several lectures, and a dealer’s room.
The Carnival attracts professional magicians from throughout the United States, who perform and lecture. This event is great to see some out-of-town talent passing through, and also for those who want to learn more about the art of magic itself, and improve their own skills.
Image courtesy of the Carnival of Magic
This year’s lineup includes Nick Lewin, Lucio Martinez, Losander, Michael Finney, Stuart MacDonald, Jay Mattioli, Jason Hudy, Ice McDonald, Glenn Strange, Erik Tait, Dan Harlan, Barry Mitchell, and Mike Hummer. Check out the schedule of events below.
Thursday, March 7
- 11:30 AM — Registration Opens.
- 12:00 PM — Dealer Room Blitz (open until 6:00 PM).
- 2:00 PM — Lecture by Mike Hummer.
- 3:30 PM — Lecture by Eric Tait.
- 7:30 PM — An Evening with Dan Harlan.
- 10:00 PM — “Sessioning” in the Ramada Lobby with Eric Tait.
Friday, March 8
- 8:30 AM — Close-up Contest.
- 9:00 AM — Dealers Open ( closes at 5:30 PM).
- 10:30 AM — Lecture by Barry Mitchell.
- 1:00 PM — Lecture by Ice McDonald.
- 2:30 PM — Magic-Cadabra Show with Nick Lewin, Stuart MacDonald, Jason Hudy, and more.
- 9:30 PM — Lecture by Losander.
Saturday, March 9
- 9:00 AM — Lecture by Stuart MacDonald.
- 9:00 AM — Dealers Open (close at 3:45 PM).
- 11:00 AM — Close-up Shows with Ice McDonald and Glenn Strange.
- 1:15 PM — Close-up Shows with Glenn Strange and Ice McDonald.
- 3:30 PM — Lecture by Nick Lewin.
- 7:30 PM — Contest Awards.
- 8:00 PM — Magic All Stars Show featuring Michael Finney, Lucio Martinez, Niels Duinker, Losander, and Jay Mattioli.
- 10:00 PM — Pizza Party for Registrants.
For more information see the Winter Carnival of Magic website and Facebook page.
Country Tonite Theater is a modern and comfortable venue with plush seating and state-of-the-art video, lighting, and sound systems.
To register for the convention, or to purchase tickets for any of public shows, contact the theater directly. Carnival attendees are also invited to enter either or both the stage competition and the close-up competition.
Along with the annual Winter Carnival of Magic, the towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge offer visitors a variety of world-class entertainment throughout the year, including of course, magic. See our guide to more Magic Shows in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
And no matter which town you choose for your entertainment, we have cabins across the whole area to suit your stay. Choose from our Pigeon Forge cabins, our Gatlinburg cabin rentals, and our Wears Valley cabins. Everywhere around here is pretty close to anywhere you want to be.
