Magic Tricks

My review for Penguin Magic’s MAXX convention

In 2015 penguin magic introduced the penguin live expo. A 1 day event (more of a dealer hall) with mini workshops and pro tip sessions. It was a chance to see many of your favorite creators.

In 2018 they Introduced MAXX. A 2 day mini convention that’s up close and personal with your favorite people. They opened with a show featuring the best performers. Dan Harlan, chad long, Michael Weber, losander, and more. There were many technical difficulties with lights, sound, and video, but overall, it was awesome to see them perform in person. They had a few full lectures, and a few pro tip sessions. The pro tip sessions felt more like dealer demos than actual tip sessions.


On day 2 they opened the dealer hall and it was a bit crowded and cramped. You had to wait several minutes to get to the front to see anything. I think In the future they should have a bigger space and be more spread out.

The full lectures were great.. chad long sure seemed to live up to his name. He defiantly went on a bit too long, and it didn’t leave much time Between events to go eat.

The final event was the jam session hosted by Daniel Garcia. It stared off with a q&a and kicked off with multiple tables in the back for the pros to come and jam.

Some of the best parts, as with every convention, is the jam sessions that just naturally happen. You meet some of the greatest people.

My favorite part was the access to the creators. Nicholas Lawrence was by far the easiest person to talk to. He is super friendly and loves the art.

The 2 negatives I can give would be that on the future the pro tip sessions be less dealer demo, and more real world tips.

And finally. The “goodie bag” with $60 of value. My fears were confirmed when I got my bag. There was an x deck, a marked deck, penguin sampler, Tarbell sampler, penguin magazine and a $10 voucher.

Most of us are subscribed to penguin live and Tarbell, we order more than $50 a month so we get the magazine anyway. So really all we got was a green x deck, marked deck, and a $10 voucher. Not bad, I just would like them to give things that most people want. I don’t think
Many people want Tarbell or penguin sampler. And I guarantee you we already have 10 of the magazines.

Overall I would rate the experience 8/10. It’s a great way to get up close with the stars of magic and show them things you have been working on. Defiantly consider going to one if you have the chance.