What do monsters, magicians and bagpipes have in common? They are all in my top memories from 2022.
Unforgettable Moments from 2022
'Tis the season for reflection. A lot can happen in fifty-two weeks.
This year had some stand-out moments and projects I was thrilled to be a part of— an eclectic mixture of a magician, a producer and a content creator.
What's most challenging to wrap my head around is that these past two years have been the most extended break from travel and performing since high school.
Parts of it were glorious-- most notably not being in airports (have you seen the news lately, ugh.)
I wanted to list a few special memories from this humble magician's year and present them to you.
Jump to a section:
Let's take a look at some highlights from 2022.
1. "Olympics of Magic" comes to Canada
For Canadian magicians, 2022 was a historic year.
Similar to sports, magicians have a world championship. It's the largest magician convention in the world.
In its seventy-seven-year history, FISM (Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques) has NEVER appeared in Canada or elsewhere west of the United Kingdom.
After almost a decade of hard work from a few of my dearest friends, I was pleased to be part of a massive team that welcomed thousands of magicians to Quebec City for the FISM World Championship of Magic.
FISM was six days this Ontario magician won't ever forget.
A few photos from the FISM World Championship of Magic in Quebec City, Canada
Please read my full write-up and see exclusive photos of FISM Quebec 2022 on the Canadian Association of Magicians blog.
2. A festival that delivers wonder.
This year we celebrated our fourth annual Ontario OWOW Magic Festival.
I was thrilled and beyond thankful to sell out the Fergus Grand Theatre for our afternoon matinee, and we almost sold out our evening magic show.
The reviews from friends and guests were overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who came out to our events.
Photo from the stage: A packed house at the Ontario OWOW Magic Festival:
Selfishly, the magic festival is an excellent excuse for me to hang out with some dear friends and Ontario magicians I rarely see.
The magicians who headlined this year's festival are true stars -- Nicholas Wallace, Magic Mike Segal, Dick Joiner, and The Sentimentalists.
It was two incredible shows! I hope you'll subscribe for updates and come next year!
3. Returning to Cruising and the Travel Lifestyle
In late November, I also returned to cruising and travel.
I flew out to Tampa, Florida, to join the Celebrity Constellation for a quick six-day trip that ended in Cartagena, Colombia.
This was my first cruise ship in almost two full years. It was a great return, and I missed the energy of being on stage for thousands of people.
I can't deny it-- it is part of my soul.
There were a few notable changes to the industry. I noticed three significant changes to cruising after a two-year hiatus.
4. Bagpipes and Scots
I love my hometown of Fergus, Ontario.
My community is home to several world-renowned festivals and events, and I've been pleased to be part of the Fergus Scottish Festival & Highland Games for the past three years.
It's the second-largest Scottish festival in the world, and this year was the biggest yet, drawing over 26,000 people.
The annual event has taken place every year since 1946.
During the pandemic, I first started helping film and produce their content.
I captured this video the first year, when everything was shut down, and despite having only a few thousand views, it's one of the videos I'm most proud of.
Here's a touching tribute I captured at the Fergus Scottish Festival that was presented to honour the lives lost during the pandemic:
Learn more about the Fergus Scottish Festival & Highland Games.
5. A month of monsters
Elora, Ontario, is a village with too many alluring qualities to mention. As a photographer at heart-- there are great photo opportunities all year long.
But in October, the village is swarming with monsters.
It's a month-long festival called Monster Month, and it's become one of the largest festivals in Centre Wellington.
I've been volunteering with Monster Month for a few years now and every year make it out to capture the monsters at their best--- err, most dreadful.
Between the incredible weather and the efforts of Sensational Elora, this was their best year yet-- attracting tens of thousands of visitors to see all the ghouls and goblins.
Here's my favourite Monster Month photo from an early morning in October.
Summary
This year was filled with many memories that I'll not soon forget. From being part of the FISM World Championship of Magic team, returning to live events, and our fourth annual Ontario OWOW Magic Festival-- this year was full of magic.
Hit the ❤️ to let me know you were here and share a comment below.
I hope you have an amazing 2023!