Magicians will be entertaining at St George's Theatre

A new magic festival will be appearing in Great Yarmouth this month.

Magicians who have entertained and bewildered millions of TV viewers are among the stars of a new family fun magic festival in the heart of Yarmouth.

There will be a range of acts from children's magicians and close up conjurors to balloon modellers and circus style performers.

The festival of magic will be at St George's Theatre later on this month on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 22 and 23.

The aim of the festival is to combine family entertainment with raising funds and awareness for organising magic clubs, The Gathering and Anglian Magic Society.

One of the acts, Jeffery Drayton from Hopton reached the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent two years ago firing his partner from a cannon. They will be recreating the moment live at the festival.

Jeffery said: 'People love magic, the mystery, inventiveness, ingenuity, and play acting that surrounds it.

'The festival is a real innovation. Kids and adults love magic and here is the opportunity for them to see close up without any special effects.

'Laughter and magic are the key motives of this festival and visitors will get a good helping of both.'

He is hoping that visitors might even want to pick up a wand themselves to take up magic as a hobby or career.

Entry is free to daytime shows with the majority taking place on the plaza outside the theatre from 11am to 3pm. For the daily shows at 4pm, admission is £3.

Fellow semi-finalist, Stevie Pink, from Lowestoft will also be at the new magic festival. He said television appearances boosted magicians' careers, including his own which spanned 35 years.

But he hoped the new festival would also promote performers to people thinking of hiring acts for local events as well as two days of mostly free family entertainment.

Theatre director at St George's, Debbie Thompson said: 'We are thrilled to be hosting this new event which will bring a full hat of live magical entertainment into the middle of Great Yarmouth.

St George's is keen to be a hub for community events and one certainly does the trick, with a liberal sprinkling of magic dust.

For more information visit www.magicfestival.co.uk, www.stgeorgestheatre.com