Despite obstacles, Magic Get-Together entertains local crowds

Jef Rietsma
·4 min read

There have been occasional bumps in the road in the previous 83 years of Abbott’s Magic Get-Together.

Few, however, will compare to the obstacle-filled, 2022 gathering that concluded Saturday.

More: Magicians gather in Colon for 'Get-Together'

“No matter what, the show must go on, and it did,” event organizer Greg Bordner said, managing to maintain an upbeat attitude shortly after Saturday night’s showcase event started at Colon High School. “But it wasn’t easy.”

Bordner detailed the numerous hurdles in the days leading up to and during the 84th Get-Together. Proverbial storm clouds started forming early last week.

“A guy who was going to help us in the dealers’ room fell and broke his neck two days before the start of the Get-Together … it could have been a lot worse and, luckily, he’ll recover,” Bordner said. “We had another guy come in from Puerto Rico and his luggage didn’t arrive in time for him to do his close-up show. By comparison, that wasn’t as serious, but he just did the close-up with what he could borrow from others and find around town.”

Another component of the 2022 Get-Together, a performer from England, was unable to secure his paperwork in time and, as a result, could not leave the country. Meanwhile, an act from Ohio tested positive for COVID.

“Other people came, they were here for a day, they tested positive, they went home,” he said. “Just a litany of situations that were unlike anything we’ve ever experienced.”

Also, many of the participants and performers in Colon last week had come directly from the industry’s world convention – FISM World Championship of Magic – which was held in Canada and is staged once every three years. There were, of course, some transportation issues.

“Nobody got out of the Quebec City airport on their first flight, no matter what country they were going to … it was just a horrible situation,” he said. “So, some people rented a car and drove here, some managed to get a flight out but not on their original itinerary, it was just a comedy of errors.”

Bordner said he is fortunate to have connections, the result of literally a lifetime in the industry. He said he appreciates the many people who stepped up to fill some holes and help keep the 2022 Get-Together on track despite the turbulence.

The 70-year-old Bordner said he tries not to impose on others, but when a situation reaches the level that it did last week, he was left with no other option but to ask for help. Fortunately for Bordner, in one case, industry giant Lance Burton responded.

“When Michael Carbonaro had to bow out earlier in the week, Lance stepped up and, even though he wasn’t here this week to perform, he agreed to fill in,” Bordner said. “Lance was the ultimate pinch hitter in this case, like having Babe Ruth come to bat for Lou Gehrig.”

Here’s another example.

“Then, we had Lucy Darling came in at the last minute, she flew in immediately from somewhere out west, I don’t even recall where,” Bordner said. “She did an incredible job and really added a lot to the show. A very lucky and fortunate situation for us”

He said the conclusion of the 84th Get-Together came with the usual sense of melancholy. Many guests and performers have been decades-long friends. Despite  myriad situations Bordner managed to navigate, last week’s Get-Together still was a memorable experience, he said.

“The end of the Get-Together is sort of like the final day of a family reunion that you enjoy being at, it’s also sad at the very beginning because people who aren’t here have passed away over the past year, and that happens,” he said. “But, Sunday we’ll begin putting everything back together, we’ll start at 7 in the morning, then we start working on next year.”

Bordner said the 2022 Get-Together would not have been a success also without the assistance of the local police and fire departments, Colon Community Schools and his wife, Deb.

The 2023 Get-Together is scheduled for Aug. 2-5.

A highlight of Saturday's showcase performance at Colon High School was juggler and comedian Michael Goudeau. He and five other performers capped the four-day Abbott's Magic Get-Together.
A highlight of Saturday's showcase performance at Colon High School was juggler and comedian Michael Goudeau. He and five other performers capped the four-day Abbott's Magic Get-Together.
Magician Hansel Kreutzberger dazzled the audience at Saturday's showcase performance at Colon High School, where he poured a quart of milk into a paper funnel. The milk, of course, disappeared and the newsprint was dry.
Magician Hansel Kreutzberger dazzled the audience at Saturday's showcase performance at Colon High School, where he poured a quart of milk into a paper funnel. The milk, of course, disappeared and the newsprint was dry.
Magician David Seebach gets help from Niles residents Libby and Ella Cornelius during a card trick at Saturday's showcase performance at Colon High School. The four-day Abbott's Magic Get-Together concluded Saturday.
Magician David Seebach gets help from Niles residents Libby and Ella Cornelius during a card trick at Saturday's showcase performance at Colon High School. The four-day Abbott's Magic Get-Together concluded Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Despite obstacles, Magic Get-Together entertains local crowds