Photos from Abbott's Day 4

The final day continued with excellent weather most of the day until the evening show when storms threatened but held at bay allowing a nearly full house of over 1,400 people to attend. In the picture below, you can play a little game of "Where's Waldo" with a rabbit. 

After the final show, most of the registrants went over to the elementary school where awards were given to the performers such as the Bill Baird Manipulation Award, the Clark Crandall Comedy Award and more. The picture below shows Gay Blackstone on stage receiving an honorary award.

The picture below shows Adele Friel Rhindress sandwiched between Jessica and Michael Blanco ("The Rhythym of Magic") who closed the Saturday night show. It is great to see an assistant from the Blackstone, Sr. show recognizing the new generation. For more information on booking The Rhythm of Magic, please visit: http://www.therhythmofmagicproductions.com/The_Rhythm_of_Magic_Official_Websi...

The convention went out in style with people continuing to enjoy camaraderie into the early hours of Sunday morning.

Photos from Abbott's Days 0 & 1

It is time for the 75th annual Get Together and the weather is expected to be a beautiful, sunny week. That's great news since many of the convention activities happen outdoors like some of the dealers who display their wares under tents and there are street buskers and people walk all around the little village from bar to restaurant to shop.

I think I have heard most of the jokes about Colon, Michigan ("Is it between 'semi' and 'oscopy'? and "What do you call speed bumps in Colon? Polyps." and "The sports teams say that Colon is number two," and others I can't share here). But durinhg this year's Get Together, a friend gave me this refrigerator magnet.

Before the 75th Get Together began, David Seebach (http://www.davidseebach.com/) hosted a "night before" party on Blackstone Island. Here he stands before the Okito Checker Cabinet built by Norm Neilsen. This is on sale for $2,500 and the nightclub table it sits on is going for $500, or the pair for $2,800.

At the party, I had a chance to chat with Adele Friel Rhindress, one of Blackstone's assistants in the late 1940's. She is a wonderful, charismatic lady who is very fascinating and has the most wonderful stories. More on The Elusive Moth at: http://www.elusivemoth.com/Elusive_Moth_Reviews.html

Al the Only aka Al Oha (http://www.tricky1.com/), and I chatted about the annual Open Colon golf tournament plus the tours of the cemetery he conducts.

The 23rd Annual Open Colon golf tournament had a record number of over 30 golfers including Mac King, Michael Finney, Bill Smith, Obie O'Brien and many others notable magicians. David Merry took top honors this year for his second time. Other two time winners include Brad Jacobs and Al the Only.

See who you can name in the photo above.

058: Abbott's Get Together Day 0 - 2012

It was a bright, cheerful sunny day as I arrived in Colon, Michigan for the 75th annual Abbott's Get Together. After checking in at the motel in nearby Sturgis (there are no motels in Colon), I traveled to "Blackstone Island" where I had been invited to a little "night before" party hosted by David Seebach. Among the guests, I had a chance to visit with Adele Friel Rhindress, perhaps better known as the woman who was the "Elusive Moth" in Blackstone's famous illusion. She traveled with the Blackstone show for the last two seasons. I found it interesting that she had not returned to this idyllic spot since 1948, nearly 65 years ago.

I also had a short chat with the owner of Abbott's Magic Factory and organizer of the Get Together, Greg Bordner. And of course we talked with our host for the evening, David Seebach.

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