January

Bar Betchas, Brainteasers, and Bamboozlers: Tricks, swindles, brainteasers, and other stunts that you might use to fool a friend, wrangle a free drink, or simply get an appreciative groan from the gang at the bar!

Soeren Loeffler - Theme Winner

February

Frankly, My Dear: Perform a magic routine either inspired by or alluding to a film or television couple.

Eric Schuster - Theme Winner

March

793.8: Magic you learned from a book you’d find in a public library.

Ari Slomka - Theme Winner

April

Everyone Please Take a Seat: Magic designed to be performed while seated.

Matt Baker - Theme Winner

May

Photographic Magic: May is National Photo Month - demonstrate a trick that uses a photograph, camera, or is related to photography.

Joe M. Turner - Theme Winner

June

I’m Just Wild About Harry: Magic tied to any famous magical Harry. Which one? Your choice!

Mike Dunagan - Theme Winner

July

Extra! Extra!: Magic using paper: newspaper, typing paper, tissue paper, receipts, etc.

Steve Langston - Theme Winner

August

FASDIU: From a Shuffled Deck in Use - non-gaffed, non-gimmicked, non-memorized card magic.

Chris Hanowell - Theme Winner

September

Mental Mania: Telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis…pick a mentalism phenomenon and show us your extra-sensory prowess!

Steve Greenfield - Theme Winner

October

Annual Auction

November

Tag, You’re It!: Come ready to perform literally anything in your repertoire. When the trick is over, that person tags someone else to perform. Be ready!

Clark Kjorlaug - Theme Winner

December

Vintage Props. Perform something using one of the oldest props you own.

Ken Scott - Theme Winner

2024 Themes & Winners

2023 Themes & Winners

Past Themes

2022 Themes & Winners

2018 Themes & Winners

January

I Learned It from The Linking Ring: Any year, any issue, but it needs to have been in The Linking Ring. So discover the Goldmine!

Matt Baker - Theme Winner

February

DIY Magic: Magic using a prop, gaff or gimmick made with your own two hands.

West Evans & Steve Langston (Tie) - Theme Winners

March

Street Magic: Channel your inner David Blaine, Gazzo, Kozmo, Dynamo, (you get the idea) for a little indoor street magic.

Merritt Ambrose - Theme Winner

April

I Learned It from Henry Hay’s Amateur Magician’s Handbook: A book packed with fantastic magic, mentalism and advice. A great excuse to spend time with a classic.

Ken Scott - Theme Winner

May

Mental Mysteries: Time to bust out your office supplies for a night of mentalism miracles, mysteries and mind-blowing marvels.

Steve Greenfield - Theme Winner

June

Sponges: Any size, shape or color, just make sure it’s magic with a sponge.

Mike Dunagan - Theme Winner

July

I Learned It from Tarbell (1 – 8): Come on, you have 8 volumes to work with here. Find something new to you and have fun!

Joe M. Turner - Theme Winner

August

Back to School: Magic focused on, or based on, school experiences or topics.

Debbie Leifer - Theme Winner

September

Halloween: Since the Auction is always in October, we’ll start early. From scary to bizarre, tricks that go bump in the night.

Jim Magus - Theme Winner

October

Annual Auction

November

I Learned it from Bill Tarr’s Now You See It, Now You Don’t (1 or 2): Another classic with lots of great tricks to choose from.

Howie Slomka - Theme Winner

December

Color Changing…Anything. Doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it deals with something changing colors.

Dan Garrett - Theme Winner

2017 Themes & Winners

January

New Year, New Tricks: Perform something you got for the holidays or have never performed before

Mike Dunagan - Theme Winner

February

Your True Love Trick: Perform your all-time favorite, go-to, can’t miss, “I love this trick” routine

Merritt Ambrose - Theme Winner

March

Great Escapes: Channel your inner Houdini (it’s his birthday month) as you entertain with your best rope, chain, handcuff, straight jacket, etc. escape routine

Joe M. Turner - Theme Winner

April

Magic Mayhem: In celebration of April Fool’s Day, perform your favorite sucker trick

Ari Slomka - Theme Winner

May

I Can ACAAN: Show us your favorite version, variation or reinterpretation of this classic of card magic

West Evans - Theme Winner

June

Mental Miracles: From predications to prophecies to paranormal, it’s all fair game as we enjoy a night of mentalism and mysteries

Richard Rubin - Theme Winner

July

Paddle Puzzlers: The paddle move is one of the oldest sleights in magic, now it’s time to amaze us with your favorite paddle performance

Isenberg - Theme Winner

August

Tricks You Can Bet On: Gambling routines, bar bets, scams and cons – if it’s a trick that involves winners and losers, it’s fair game tonight

Steve Langston - Theme Winner

September

Junk Drawer Diving: What better way to get ready for next month’s auction than to dig through your junk magic drawer!

Howie Marmer - Theme Winner

October

Annual Auction

November

Gimmicks and Gaffs: It’s no-sleight night at Ring 9. Perform a routine that requires or is achieved by using a gimmick or gaff of some kind

Joe Morrison - Theme Winner

December

Holiday Magic: You choose the holiday, we’ll enjoy the magic. We don’t care what celebration you use, but your performance must have a “holiday” connection

Ken Scott - Theme Winner

Here is an archive of all the past themes and winners since we started recording. Enjoy!

Past Themes

January: Stempendous!

Demonstrate a magical routine that leverages science, technology, engineering, or math principles in a fun way!

February: Green Thumb

St. Patrick’s Day is next month, so here’s a combination theme! Your thumb (or a close facsimile thereof) and the color green should play a part in your magical presentation!

March: Cancelled

Due to Covid-19, we had to cancel this meeting

April: Video Voodoo

This theme is an opportunity for us to take some first steps into performing online. Please prepare something you'd like to share with the group via webcam.

May: Photographic Magic

May is National Photo Month - demonstrate a trick that uses a photograph, camera, or is related to photography.

June: Evening at Pops

In honor of Dad, show us a magic trick that relates to something your father (or a father-figure) taught you when you were growing up.

July: Beachy Keen

Summertime is upon us, so show us magic with a vacation theme. Could be sun and sand, or it could be something else – take us on a magical vacation!

August: Raiders of the Lost Magic Drawer

Open that magic drawer and dig in deep to find that trick you haven't used in a long time!

September: Try to Remember

Try to remember the kind of September when you were a tender and callow magi, and show us one of the first tricks you ever learned!

October: Psi-Fi

Psychological projections, psi-force demonstrations – this is a month for mentalism specifically about influencing others or influencing physical objects.