John talked on his experiences with trade shows. It was a fascinating hour filled with invaluable advice and tips and even some tricks.

John showed his trade show set incorporating his Chop Cup routine and his version of Ken Brookes Card and the Cash both were scripted to sell the benefits of the company he was working for.

John talked about how he got trade show work and what to do when on the stand in terms of lead generation and attracting a crowd of people.

John showed his sponge ball routine that he used as a demonstration when he met the client for the first time. Lastly John talked about giveaways and how he used the old three card monte to sell to the company customised to them.

This was a true masterclass in trade show work from someone who doesnt often lecture or appear at conventions and a great insight into this area of magic.

Chris Cross was in the Junior Section of the Northern, and is now a successful full-time professional, performing at festivals and corporate events all over the world.

He was suitably edgy in his patter, and started off with three warm up things that he can do with his arms and shoulders, popping them in and out of their sockets and joints, which got squeals and gasps from the audience. This was an excellent build up to the finale of a straight jacket escape and a great end to an excellent first day.

Darran Bonas aka Mr Twister filled in time for the judges to deliberate, with balloon modelling, the Axtell Human Baby and Kevin James Snowstorm. Then it was time for the presentations. The York Cup for the Juniors was presented to James Orr, and the Swanbrook Trophy went to Jack Clarke. The Cliff Lount trophy for the dealers went to Razmatazz and the Eric Bland trophy for the best Northern Lights article to Paul Guy.

The Close-up Competition results were: 2nd - Alan Mylecraine and 1st - Allan Clarke.

The Junior Stage Competition results: The Comedy Trophy - Toby Davis, 3rd - Toby Davis, 2nd - James Orr and 1st - Ben Pruce.

The Junior Stage Competition was of an excellent standard, and all competitors did exceptionally well.

Phil Jobling was on first, with Appearing Parasols, a Ghost Tube production, Mutilated Parasol, 20 Century Silks, Card Manipulation, Torn and Restored Tissue and finally a Snowstorm.

James Orr was the second competitor, he started off with a quite serious silent act, with a Candle Vanish, Silk Productions, Ribbon Fountain, Cut and Restored Rope and then he moved into some funny patter to go along with an hilarious escape from a duvet cover sack, with him chained up in metres of chain, made even funnier by the fact that when he pulled the sack off his trousers unintentionally came with it, leaving him stood in his boxer shorts, I think James is planning to keep this in the act, as it got one of the biggest laughs of the night!

Ben Pruce had a very polished, slick silent act, incorporating Multiplying Parasols, Ball Manipulations, Cut and Restored Rope, D’Lites, Linking Rings, a Blendo and finally multiple Parasol Productions. A very well structured act, which shows a lot of promise.

Leah Mae assisted by Sara Jade performed a charming flamenco style double act, their act includes Linking Ribbons, Dove Pan with Ribbon Fountain, Fan Productions and finishes by magically producing a ribbon picture of a Flamenco Dancer.

Jack Clarke was the first of the proper patter acts, he was very confident, with some great ad-libs and some strong material. He started with a Dyed Silk routine, an Unequal Rope trick incorporated a cut and restored sequence. His rendition of Sidewalk Shuffle was handled well, and he finished with a Linking Ring routine.

The final competitor was Toby Davis, again a comedy patter act. He started with a disappearing iPhone, a Pound Coin was borrowed and signed, and it vanished only to reappear in a nest of boxes. He continued with a linking and unlinking rope sequence, a very quick version of the Invisible Deck, and finally a very funny version of the Thumb Tie, with hoops and a chair used to good effect.

The first session of the close-up gala opened with the fast pace magic of Chris Priest.

Chris opened with his Master Coin routine, which incorporates a coins across sequence, coins vanish and reappear and it culminates in the production of a giant coin from mid-air.

Chris’s Proton routine is sponge-balls with a kick, sponges appear and disappear along with a visual d’lite sequence. Finally Chris finished with a multiple selection card routine.

Nathan Kranzo was on next, he had a card selected and then did one turn round, and when he turned back he had his keys, mobile, money and the selection all without using his hands, a very visual opener. Nathan finished with two card routines, a card at any number, and a triumph routine where he shook the cards up in a bag and showed they had turned all the right way apart from the selection.

Marc Paul showed us his prowess with a deck of cards, starting with a sequence of card changes, and then moved into mind-reading, with a thought of card revelation, and another, very direct, card at any number. His slick presentation of Steve Ehlers Three Card Revelation was followed by a strong revelation of a chosen symbol and name.

Kostya Kimlat was the final act for this first close-up gala session. He opened with his variation of Band Slam which ends with a four-of-a-kind revelation. His new version of the Culligula Triumph using two selections was very strong, and finally he finished with a Jumbo Card version of the murder mystery story effect he had recently published in MAGIC magazine.

Thom Peterson’s lecture was very practical and enjoyable, highly entertaining, all good magic that can be made up with readly available everyday objects.

Thom opened with his Ring in Kinder Egg trick, followed up with some excellent routines including Chappy a torn card in Chapstick with some good work on the torn corner principle and Don’s Card Stab based on a Don Alan idea.