Don't be fooled when you see Port Coquitlam's mayor at the first annual Magic Festival on Sunday.
Greg Moore will not only cut the ribbon for the inaugural event at Leigh Square Community Arts Village, he'll also saw a woman in half.
"It'll be my wife," Maple Ridge resident and festival organizer Shawn Farquhar said. "It's all in good fun."
Moore will take to the stage at 2 p.m. on June 23 and will be followed by a free family magic show by the Vancouver Magic Circle, Canada's largest magic group headed up by PoCo's Alex Seaman.
The president of the Canadian Association of Magicians and a two-time world champion, Farquhar said he's been dreaming about starting a magic fest locally for years, as many of his peers have done in their respective cities.
For most of his month, Farquhar travels out of the country to practice his craft. Korea, Italy, Spain and Scotland regularly host magic festivals that are not only sold out but financially supported by the government and corporations.
In the past four years, Farquhar has performed in 32 countries and has studied large-scale productions, be it for magic or fringe fests. "I decided if it's going to happen in this country, I better get it going," Farquhar said.
He approached magic communities locally and around the world to help get the PoCo festival off the ground.
And the response he received floored him.
Among the international performers volunteering during the 10 days will be Kenrick "Ice" McDonald of Los Angeles, Andrew Eland from South Africa and members of the Society of American Magicians.
Also showcasing his talent will be PoCo's Tony Chris, who last year clinched the title of Mentalist of the Year at the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians in Seattle.
Farquhar - who has performed for royalty, appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show and won the British reality TV series Penn and Teller's Fool Us - said he picked magicians that would offer audiences a good mix of styles such as modern, comedic, dramatic, family-friendly and for adults only.
His aim was also to make the events affordable. Some shows are free while others cost up to $15.
Farquhar said his goal is to open magic up to every one, not just a select few who have been able to see a show in Las Vegas.
Magic is tends to be passed over by the arts community as not a serious form; as a result, it can be hard to rent venues, he said.
Farquhar hopes his MAGIC festival - that is, Magical Arts Gathering in Canada - will entice crowds to keep watching illusionists at work.
"Magic is that one art form that really transcends," he said.
The first annual Magic Festival runs June 23 to 29 in Port Coquitlam. For tickets, visit www.themagicfestival.com.
THE LINE-UP
June 23: Opening ceremonies with the Vancouver Magic Circle (2 p.m. at Leigh Square, free)
June 24: Fraser Valley Magic Circle (7 and 9 p.m. at Second Storey Theatre, $5)
June 25: Showcasing Youth Talent with Billy Hsueh and Brianna Carlson (7 p.m. at Second Storey Theatre, $10)
June 25: Tony Chris (9 p.m. at Second Storey Theatre, $10)
June 26 and 27: Ryan Pilling (7 p.m. at Second Storey Theatre, $15)
June 26: Ice McDonald (9 p.m. at Second Storey Theatre, $15)
June 27: Vancouver Magic Circle (4 to 6 p.m., PoCo Farmers' Market, free)
June 27: Shawn Farquhar, Andrew Eland and Antony Keith (9 p.m. at Second Storey Theatre, $15, must be 18 years of age or older)
June 28 and 29: Billy Hsueh, Steve Dickson, Shawn Farquhar and Alex Seaman (7:30 p.m. at the Terry Fox Theatre, $10 with proceeds to the Share food bank)
June 29: The Purple Pirate (11 a.m. at Elks Hall, $8/$5), The Vancouver Magic Circle (1 p.m. at Elks Hall, $8/$5), The Society of American Magicians (3 p.m. at Elks Hall, $8/$5)
