Tannen Magic Jubilee

The Tannen Magic Jubilee began in 1960 as a family gathering by Louis Tannen.

The first conclave was held on June 17th to 19th at the Eldorado Hotel in Fallsburg, New York (a two-hour drive from New York City). Over three hundred Magicians and their families came.

The Friday evening headliner show was emcee'd by Jay Marshall and was opened with the manipulation skills of Paul Draylin. Some of the highlights were Dai Vernon doing the Linking Rings, Doc Weiss performng a straitjacket escape, Senator Crandall lecturing on the Cups and Balls. Jay Marshall performing Troublewit and George Sands performing his ropes.

The early Jubilees became basically over-sized parties, limiting its attendance to a few hundred due to the size of the hotel.

In 1967, '68 and '69, Tannen's Magic suspended the Jubilee convention and instead produced an annual evening show of magicians named Miracles of Magic, presented at the Barbizon Plaza Hotel in New York City, which ran for two nights each year.

After the Eldorado burned down, they first moved to the Waldemere, then the Nemerson, before settling in for a 19-year stay at the Brown's Resort Hotel. Starting in 1990, it was held at Kutsher's Country Club.

The 40th Jubilee held at the Swan Lake Resorts Hotel in 2002 featured Michael Ammar.

The 42nd Annual Tannen's Magic Jubilee, which was to have been held in 2004 was cancelled by owner Steve Brown.

Louie Awards

In 1982, Tony Spina, who as the producer for the shows, implemented the "Louie Award", named after Louis Tannen who had passed away in March of that year. The award recognized those who achieved excellence in their particular field of magic. Recipients have been:

• Slydini (1982)
• Dai Vernon (1983)
• Frances and Jay Marshall (1984)
• Harry Blackstone Jr. (1985)
• Siegfried and Roy (1986)
• Jeff McBride (1987)
• Carl Ballantine (1988)
• The Pendragons (1989)
• Paul Daniels (1990)
• Channing Pollock (1991)
• Tony Binarelli (1992)
• Harry Anderson (1993)
• Silvan (1994)
• ? (1995)
• Dick Cavett (1996)
• Harry Lorayne (1997)
• Herb Zarrow (1998)
• Bob Elliott (1999)
• Johnny Thompson (2000)
• Shimada (2001)
• Michael Ammar (2002)
• Andre Kole (2003)
• Criss Angel (2004)
• Doug Edwards (2007)