Welcome to the Capital District's magic club. Members of our club include illusionists, close-up magicians, kids show magicians, clowns, magic collectors and magic enthusiasts who simply enjoy the performance. We meet at 7:00 pm on the second Tuesday of every month at The S W Pitts Hose Company of Latham, 226 Old Loudon Rd, Latham, NY. Member Dues are only $20 a year for 12 nights of fun, food and information plus a one time $10 initiation fee for new membership or renewal of lapsed membership. Active members also receive significant discounts on our assembly events such as: lectures, our annual banquet, our annual picnic, as well as other club sponsored programs.
The purpose of our organization is to promote the art of magic by learning to perform it well, to preserve its history and to assemble collections of past magicians and paraphernalia.
Assembly #24 is one of the oldest Assembly's within the Society of American Magicians which is the world's oldest magic organization. It is named after Past President Jay A. Gorham. Jay was a Professor and Mathematics Chair at Hudson Valley Community College. He is an active magician and magic collector. After moving from this area to Arizona, Jay became the National President of the Society of American Magicians in 2004.
THE CAPITAL MAGIC CONNECTION NEWS
The fire station in Latham has invited us back so IBM Ring 186 and SAM Assembly 24 are planning to meet at that facility. Both groups will start their meetings at 7:00 pm. SAM on the second Tuesday of the month & IBM on the fourth Tuesday of the month. We will continue to have one zoom meeting on the third Tuesday of the month, and the Morning Magic Group will meet on the first Tuesday of the month.
THE CAPITAL MAGIC CONNECTION
July 26, 2025
OUR ANNUAL IBM - SAM PICNIC ON AUGUST 10
This year’s picnic will be held on Sunday, August 10, at Ken Beckley’s place on Lake George starting at 1:00 pm. It is open to all paid members of either IBM Ring 186 or SAM Assembly 24 and one guest per paid member. There will be no charge for members or their one guest. Extra guests and non-members will be charged $5.00 per person. People attending are expected to bring their own beverages and one dish to share. Hamburgers, hot dogs, condiments, and paper products will be provided.
If you are planning to come, please complete Dave Lieberman’s online, sign-up-sheet as early as possible at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CR5JCSF
Tell us how many people you will be bringing and the type of dish you will be sharing (appetizer, salad, dessert, side dish, etc.)
We would like to know how many will be coming so we can plan accordingly. We would also like to have a good variety of food dishes. We don’t want to have everybody bringing the same kind of dish: too many desserts or too many salads. PLEASE RESPOND TO DAVE BEFORE TUESDAY, JULY 31.
Hopefully the weather will be good. If it should rain, there is space to get everyone inside. After the meal we will have an open-mike magic show, so come prepared to do some magic
MORNING MAGIC GROUP
The next meeting of the morning group will be on Tuesday morning, August 5, at 8:30 am at the Ugly Rooster off exit 12 of the Northway. Everyone interested in magic is welcome.
If you need more information or directions, call Cliff Bruce, Dave McClements, or Ken Marcinowski.
AUGUST MEETING OF THE SAM ASSEMBLY 24
SAM Assembly 24 will meet on Tuesday, August 12, at 7:00 at S. W. Pitts Hose Company, 226 Old Loudon Road, in Latham, NY. Let’s call this meeting “double-header night.” I’m going to suggest performers do two tricks which go well together. This doubles your opportunity to mystify your fellow magicians, and it also doubles your chances of screwing up. Good luck!
Cliff and Jean Bruce have signed up to bring the refreshments for this meeting.
It appears that no one has signed up to bring refreshments for the October, November, or December meetings. If anyone would like to bring refreshments for one of these meetings, talk with Dave and get your name on the list.
AUGUST ZOOM MAGIC MEETING
The magicians of the New York Capital region will host a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, August 19, at 7:00. Everyone interested in magic is welcome to join us by logging into this meeting at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88548490202.
The meeting ID is: 88548490202
AUGUST MEETING OF IBM RING 186
IBM Ring 186 will be meeting on Tuesday, August 26, at 7:00 at S. W. Pitts Hose Company, 226 Old Loudon Road, in Latham. Everyone is encouraged bring some magic to share. Whatever you would like to share will be appreciated.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE UPCOMING SHOWS AND EVENTS
Sunday August 10: Our annual picnic at Ken and Sara Beckley’s place on Lake George. Details above.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
If you know of a magic related event or show which might be of interest to capital area magicians, send that information to me in time for it to be announced in our next newsletter.
Also, if you would like to contribute an original article, trick or review of a book, DVD, trick or internet site, send it to me for inclusion in this newsletter. PLEASE DON’T COPY WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS WRITTEN UNLESS YOU DOCUMENT THE SOURCE AND HAVE PERMISSION TO SHARE IT.
SAM Assembly #24 Member Directory: Fellow Assembly Member contact information is listed in the MEMBERS ONLY SECTION and can only be accessed by current active members with the password information provided on your membership card.