February 2026 Meeting

 

IBM RING 216 Silicon Valley Magic Meeting

February 11, 2026, Wednesday, we will have our RING 216 Silicon Valley Magic meeting! Guests (beginners and advanced practitioners of the magical arts) seeking a magic community are welcome to join us. The location is the usual 588 North 4th Street, San Jose, CA.
 

Our Agenda includes the following:

1) 7:00-7:45pm: Mini-Swap Meet. Back by popular demand! Bring a few like-new items to trade or sell. Remember, this is not a full blown flea market/auction so please do not bring more than a few items. Qualifications to participate? Pay your $25 annual membership fees at PAYMENT@RING216.ORG

 

2)7:45-7:55pm: Competition Awards Ceremony

 

3)7:55-8:25pm: Mini-Lectures! It was well received in January. So this month we are bringing you different mini-lectures with more variety per your request! Note: the purpose of the mini-lectures is to provide performances and high level explanations from members who have original or customized material. It is not meant as a deep dive workshop. In the future, we will provide "Station Rotation" Deeper Dive workshops with the mini-lecture materials based on your feedback.

 

4)8:25-8:35: Short Break

 

5) 8:35-9:45: Open Performance Night! Sign up now by messaging President Cal Tong or sign up when you arrive on February 11th.

 

January 2026 Meeting

We have something special and different planned for our first meeting on Jan 14th, 2026.

Before the meeting, 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm: We are having a MINI-SWAP MEET! 

If you have a few "like-new" magic tricks or books that you would like to trade or sell at an affordable price, feel free to bring them and plant yourself at one of the tables at no charge.

FAQs
- How many items can you bring? Please just bring a few items. If you have more than a few items, then do not bring more than what can fit in a small shoe box.
- Please note, this is not meant to be a large flea market auction as THAT event is planned for this summer. 
- Who can participate? Anyone who has paid their 2026 membership fees or anyone who intends to pay their annual fees before the February RING 216 Meeting (Jon Armstrong Live Lecture).

 

Then the meeting proper beings.

 

 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm: Original Mini-lectures by your RING 216 experts of prestidigitation.
- David Martinez on using 3D prototyping, Syd Kashima on his personalized sleight-of-hand card control technique, Yitian Liang teaches his opener for strolling/close up, Rishabh shares his take on routine by Harry Lorayne, & Calvin Lou Tong shares his redesigned version of "Business Cardiographic" 

8:30 pm to 9:45 pm: Open Performance Night

To pay your 2026 Annual membership dues, you can pay at the meeting or use Paypal to sent $25 to payment@ring216.org

November 12 Meeting: Elections, Open Performance, Free Magic Raffle Prizes

Don't miss our November 12th meeting! The night's agenda includes:
 

Elections: 7:30pm-7:40pm.  Come support the RING by voting for your 2026 officers.

Open Performance Night: Perform your latest routines, effects, and sleights.  If you have. not performed for your membership requirements, this will be the last night to complete this activity since the December meeting will be the Stage Competition.

Free Raffle Prizes: Every member who attends will have a chance to win free magic raffle prizes!  

Close-Up Magic Competition To Be Held October 8, 2025

 On Oct. 08, (Wednesday) 2025, Ring 216 will host its annual "Live" Close-Up Magic Competition from 7:30PM-9:45PM.

Mark your calendars and plan to come out to support your fellow magicians as they present their best material in a formal close-up setting.

And since magic is always better when there are more people to enjoy it, bring your friends and family!

We'll be at our usual location at Yu-Ai Kai Senior Center, 588 North 4th Street, San Jose, CA.

We are currently at the limit for the maximum number of competitors. If you would like to be placed on stand-by as a competitor, contact your RING216 President at CALVINLOUTONG@YAHOO.COM.

Michael O'Brien Lecture: September 10, 2025

Join us for a rare, wide-ranging evening with Michael O'Brien. Michael is known for his unique approach which is designed to invoke a sense of wonder, fun, nostalgia, and excitement like no other!  He has been creating and teaching magic since 2014, was a performer on "Penn and Teller Fool Us", and has lectured for Penguin Magic and Blackpool Magic Convention.  When Michael is not performing at these venues, he spends his time teaching as a Professor of Magic at the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.  

Michael O'Brien's Magic Lecture Content (7:30PM-9:45pm):
Lecture fee for paid members of RING216: Free
Lecture fee for nonmembers: $30/person

Have You Seen My Purse? - Michael's spongeball opener he performs at every gig!

Triple Bottle Production - A fun way to produce multiple bottles and even gift one out to a guest without breaking the bank!

Progressive Oil & Water - An oil and water routine that gets progressively more impossible by adding more and more cards into the mix. At the same time, the magician handles the cards less and less ending with a final phase that is done completely by the spectators.

Final Destination - A travel themed confabulation type effect that works right on your phone or Tablet!

Toxic-Less - An iOS18 friendly solution to the TOXIC calculator force plot. Predict any number you want using your iPhone calculator.

PokéMonte - A modern twist on the classic “Color Monte” type routine using Pokémon cards.

Ninja+ by Matthew Garrett - The act I performed on Fool Us. A high energy linking ring routine that allows you to join multiple different objects and allow the spectators to carefully examine impossible objects as closely as they like! 

Special Pre-Meeting Workshop (5pm-7pm)
Workshop fee for members/nonmembers: $40/person

A Lesson In Misdirection - A wild ride of a card effect that is extremely modular and always leaves you 1 step ahead of your spectators. We will focus on card controls, misdirection, and  modular routine structuring.

Unique Card Techniques - Michael will teach his personal sleight-of hand card techniques that have been fine-tuned over the years including the "Point and Shoot" control and a fun pocket utility switch.

Uisce Beatha Coins to Glass - A 4 coins to glass routine where everything gets more and more fair with each passing coin! Will work on coin techniques and learn about method cancellation.

Strolling Chop Cup - A 3 phase in the hands chop cup routine that allows the spectator to control the action. No table? No problem! Learn audience management as well as how to structure an act that flows seamlessly from phase to phase.