Announcing the Ring 216 Auction and Flea Market

Got magic stuff you want to get rid of? Is there anything you have your eye on? Bring your magical friends and join us at our next meeting on Wednesday, June 13, beginning at 7:00 PM to shop the collections of your fellow magicians — and/or sell the stuff you don't use anymore.

Flea Market
Tables for the flea market are available now on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserve your table today using our easy online form. The costs are:

• Full table: $15 for members, $20 for non-members
• Half table: $10 for members, $15 for non-members

You can view a layout of the tables when you reserve, and you can make a request for a particular table (although requests are not guaranteed). The earlier you reserve, the more likely you will be to get your preferred location.

Auction
There will also be an auction of magical goods. If you're interested in the auction, just show up. Anybody can sell at auction. The club takes a 10% fee for auction sales, but no fee for table sales.

Make a Donation
If you have some unwanted stuff, consider donating it to the club. We'll auction it off that night, and the proceeds will go to Ring 216.

Evening Agenda
6:30 PM: Sellers may arrive to set up their tables for the flea market.
7:00 PM: The doors open to buyers.
8:15 PM: The auction begins.
9:30 PM (approximately): All sales end and it's time to pack up.

Want more details about the auction? Read our FAQ.

So bring your friends and your stuff — and your cash.

Meeting Update: May 2018

Music and Magic

The May 2018 meeting featuring a great mini-lecture from Peter Apel about magic and music. He has created a handout help you with adding music to your performances. Download it now>

David Gerard Lecture

We also announced an July lecture from San Francisco's own David Gerard. David would like your thoughts and ideas of what to cover during the meeting, and he has set up an online survey to hear from people who are planning to attend the lecture. Take the survey now>

Meeting Report: May 9, 2018 - Appel and Ackerly Music Lecture and More

It was the busiest Ring 216 night of the year in terms of scheduled magical events. It all started with music.

Musician, composer and kid show magician Pete Appel walked out for his mini-lecture to some rousing opening music – then left and walked out again without the music. He asked, see the difference? He drew on his experiences to demonstrate the effectiveness of music in magical performances. “Music can transport people to another place or time,” he pointed out. Music can be used to change emotion, or to attract attention, or as a mnemonic device – one must select music to match your intentions. He covered many practical aspects about using music at the performance site, such as carrying converter plugs and how to work with the sound guy. Stepping in to provide his own experience, well-known and very busy area magician Phil Ackerly emphasized that music takes your show to a whole different level – it makes the show more exciting. Phil gave tips on where to obtain royalty-free music. And if you have no music, use your voice – da da da!

This lecture alone could have filled the entire night, but there was more. Two teach-in workshops followed, with Calvin Tong teaching fine points of a particular coin sleight, and Gary Goldberg leading a discussion on a particular card sleight (names of sleights withheld from this public web site).

The night was capped by a set of open performances. Kim Silverman three times predicted a spectator’s card – once at a freely chosen number, once by cut, once based on a name – and each time it is the same card. Gene Johansson showed a clever presentation of a rope so cheap it had no ends. Yichen Ling pulls a spectator’s selected card out of the card box in the spectator’s pocket. With a musical performance that harkened back to the opening lecture Phil Ackerly, illustrated a family life lesson using a piece of thread torn to fragments. “Fear keeps us from doing what we love.” The thread is magically restored. “But if you have courage your life would be long, magical and fun.”