Louisville Magic Club is bringing one of its own back home for a milestone night of tricks, escapes, and comedy. The club's 37th annual “It's Magic” fundraiser lands at Clifton Center Friday, September 4, with doors opening at 6 p.m. and the show starting at 7 p.m., headlined by world-famous illusionist Lance Burton.
The family-friendly fundraiser, held at 2117 Payne St. in Louisville, supports outreach and training for the club's younger members, according to WDRB. Tickets are available at the door or online, with adult admission priced at $15 and admission for ages 12 and under set at $10. Before the main show, Louisville Magic Club members will perform strolling magic in the lobby.
A Homecoming for a Vegas Legend
Burton's presence on the bill carries deep local roots. According to the Adair County Community Voice, Burton was first inspired to pursue magic at age 5, when Louisville magician Harry Collins pulled a coin from his ear — an encounter that led Collins to become Burton's longtime mentor during his youth in the city. Collins later served as Frito-Lay's official corporate magician, and a life-sized bronze statue of him in a tuxedo now marks his grave at Cave Hill Cemetery, a tribute to his legacy as “Mr. Magic” documented by Atlas Obscura.
Mac King holds the record for the longest-running solo show in Las Vegas history, per his Wikipedia entry. Alongside Burton's appearance, King's record underscores why this year's anniversary carries extra weight for the club.
Eighty Years of Dual Charters
Founded in July 1946, Louisville Magic Club holds dual charters as International Brotherhood of Magicians Ring 64, named for Okito and Burton, and Society of American Magicians Assembly 215, named for King. That dual affiliation makes it one of the few magic clubs in the world tied to both major international magic organizations, and 2026 marks its 80th anniversary. The club received its International Brotherhood of Magicians charter in 1948 and its Society of American Magicians charter in 1986.
The show's lineup mixes national names with working Louisville performers who carry on that mentorship tradition. Cody Clark, a Louisville-based magician and autistic self-advocate diagnosed at 15 months, incorporates his experiences with neurodiversity into his magic and public speaking routines. Clark earned degrees from the University of Louisville and studied at the Jeff McBride Magic and Mystery School, according to background shared on the IDD Health Matters Podcast.
Mentorship Passed Down Through Generations
David Garrard, a magician of more than 50 years and a retired children's minister, also joins the bill. Garrard volunteered for nearly 20 years with Louisville's annual WHAS Crusade for Children telethon and received the inaugural Harry Collins Mentorship Award from Louisville Magic Club in 2024, recognizing his role in carrying forward Collins's legacy of mentoring younger magicians.
Also featured are Dinky Gowen and escape artist Adrienne Phoenix. Gowen has more than 40 years of magic experience and serves as the full-time resident magician and entertainment producer at Beech Bend Amusement Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with a production that includes illusions, live animals, and escape acts, according to Dinky Gowen Magic. The lineup also includes Sidney Lee.
Rounding out the bill is Stephen Bargatze, who will perform.
A Repurposed Parish School Sets the Stage
The venue itself has a history of transformation. Clifton Center, located in a former parish school building that once served St. Frances of Rome Catholic Parish, closed its original independent nonprofit operations at the end of 2017. The space was later set to be leased to Holy Trinity Church on July 1, according to WDRB.
Louisville Magic Club invited both magic legends and local performers to take part in this year's show, framing “It's Magic” as a comedy and illusion event built for the whole family. With an 80th anniversary to mark and a lineup spanning Las Vegas headliners to hometown mentors, next Friday's gathering doubles as a celebration of a local artistic heritage that has quietly shaped magic on a much bigger stage.
