MagicValongo

MagicValongo is an organization and international festival of illusion, which takes place in Portugal (Valongo), and has been conducted continuously since 1992.

Festival

It has often been the scene of performances, as guests, of several world champions in various types of magic and, moreover, it has been an important element of dissemination of magic, magicians and Iberian congregation and also as a privileged site of discovery , launch and promotion of new talents. It is held annually in September and includes various aspects, including contests, galas with guests, conferences, magic shows, street shows.

The MagicValongo takes place in the town of Valongo, and several of its parishes, Ermesinde in particular, which is located a few kilometers from Porto and also a few kilometers from the internationally airport.

On 17, 18 and 19 September 2010, they held the 19th edition of this event with a world champion, Soma.

Organization

It is held by an association of the same name, MagicValongo, that is a FISM (International Federation of Magic Societies) member, and with the support of the Municipality of Valongo, and is organized by an experienced and qualified commission headed by António Cardinal and also composed by Fernando Castro, Salazar Ribeiro and Manuel Alves counting still with a set of several collaborators.

Members of the organizing committee have devoted decades to the art of magic, such as being magicians but also in the qualities of lecturers, association leaders in magic, members of boards and specialty authors. Some members have previously been linked to organizations like MagicPorto, Festival of Saint John Bosco and the International Festival of Figueira da Foz.

History, importance and participants

It is an event with a life close to two decades and it has been conducted continuously since 1992 and has enjoyed every year with approximately two hundred participants, which, as already seen, come from a multitude of countries from almost every continent.

Besides being the oldest magical event in its country, it presents itself as the reference event in Portugal, and has increasingly assumed a major role in the international magic with its merits being praise on several industry publications and blogs.

The MagicValongo has relied on the qualities of the guest speakers and competitors from Spain, USA, China, France, Argentina, Germany, Macau, Netherlands, Brazil, Sweden, Japan, East Timor, Belgium, among many more. They have also participated in the annual magic show booths representing dozens of houses from different magical places in Europe, Asia and the Americas. There is also the usual share of foreign associations accredited by FISM, and also including the official participation of several senior leaders of that world federation of magic.

In its 19 years it has been having many guests that are FISM winners, including several Grand Prix winners and world champions. For example, Henry Evans, Pilou (Grand Prix), Soma (Grand Prix), Vic & Fabrini, Marc Oberon, Mathieu Bich, David Stone, Hugo Valenzuela, Rocco, Norbert Ferré (Grand Prix), Jason Latimer( Grand Prix), Kenji Minemura, Simon Pierro, Mirco Callaci, MagoMigue, Hélder Guimarães, David Sousa Mask, Manuel Muerte, Yunke, Junge Junge, Boris Wild, Peter Marvey, Topas,Juan Mayoral, John Carney, Roberto Giobbi, Enric Magoo, Tom Voss, The Cantervilles, Tommy Wonder, Cha’peau, Peki, Jay Scott Berry, Pavel, Michael Ammar, Tony Cachadina, Camilo, Finn Jon.

In an official newsletter (November 2005), the FISM said MagicValongo was symbolically considered 'the wonderfull small scale convention'.

Several of those who were awarded in the MagicValongo competitions came later to be honored with important titles, such as for example, FISM world champions (Helder), or vice champion (David Sousa) or national champions, for example from Spain (Rubiales).

References

• Site oficial - http://www.magicvalongo.org
• http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6169215/FISM-NEWSLETTER-Nr-November-To-all-Presidents-of-the
• http://www.cm-valongo.pt/maicvalongo-2010
• http://iporto.amp.pt/eventos/magic-valongo-2009?theme=/tematicas/festivais
• http://magomarco-porartedemagia.blogspot.com/2007/10/magc-valongo.html
• http://forums.tibiabr.com/showthread.php?t=305986