Holy City Magic

The 97th Annual Official Houdini Séance will be held on October 31st, 2023 at the downtown Charleston venue Holy City Magic. Every Halloween, the séance has been hosted in a different city around the globe and this year is Charleston’s turn. October 31st marks the anniversary of the 1926 death of famous magician Harry Houdini. Each year since his death, a tribute in the form of a séance has been conducted. The first ten séances were arranged by his wife, Bess, as a tribute and test to challenge crooked mediums and psychics who claimed to contact the dead. Houdini famously said if he, “the greatest escape artist of all time, could not escape from the beyond and return, no one could.” After ten years, Houdini’s wife passed on the legacy and séance tradition to Houdini biographer, friend, and writer Walter B. Gibson. The official séance is now conducted by “The Inner Circle” a group of Houdini enthusiasts and collectors. The event will start with a cocktail hour, followed by a brief presentation about Houdini and the history of the official séance. Charleston Mentalist Howard Blackwell (see video below) will perform a 30-minute show featuring tributes to Houdini followed by the official séance conducted by a renowned psychic medium. A very limited number of tickets will be available to the general public. Guests will receive a commemorative program and souvenir keepsake. Tickets are available now at www.holycitymagic.com. Ticket prices are $90 plus taxes and fees.