FISM 2009 - INTRODUCTION

Saturday, July 25, 2009


(By Tim Ellis)

It's the day before FISM officially begins, but there are already a lot of magicians buzzing around the two main hotels (the Intercontinental and the Grand) and lingering in the Convention Centre.

We received our FISM Goody Bags today. They are absolutely top quality computer bags that will be used proudly by all the registrants for a long time to come. For the curious, here’s what they contained:

• Name Badge and Lanyard.
• Envelope of tickets with seating to all events.
• FISM 2009 pen.
• FISM 2009 fan.
• FISM 2009 lapel pin.
• Bicycle rider back deck of cards.
• Ace brand deck of cards.
• Deck of cards with Beijing scenes.
• FISM 2009 ruled notebook.
• Northstar Property Investment spiral bound address book.
• Northstar Property Investment advertising folio.
• Large FISM 2009 envelope containing a folder of FISM 2009 commemorative stamps.
• Regular DL FISM 2009 envelope with FISM 2009 stamp on it.
• Coupon from Hanky Panky Magic to redeem for a FISM 2009 baseball cap.
• FISM 2009 T-Shirt (pink).
• Elegantly produced FISM 90 page Programme.

The FISM venue itself, The China National Convention Centre, is so new that we are the first conference it has hosted.

Of the two main hotels, only The Intercontinental has a walkway connecting it to the Centre. The walkway from the Grand has not yet been completed.

The Centre looks very professional, but with a slightly cold atmosphere. Lots of bare walls and concrete. Once filled with magicians however, I'm sure the atmosphere will warm up.

They say over 2,500 magicians have registered which is a great success for China.

Only 100 competitors though, which is disappointing, but hopefully the lack of quantity will reflect a higher than normal quality.