São Paulo – The government of the state of Santa Catarina is going to promote in Florianópolis, in October, a magic festival with the help of Morocco. The event is going to be similar to the Festival International de La Magie, held annually in Marrakech, in the Arab country, and which receives the largest audience in the world. The secretary for International Articulation of Santa Catarina, Vinícius Lummertz, will be in Morocco from the 19th until the 22nd this month in order to attend the festival and define what is going to be imported from the Moroccan model to Brazil.
Lummertz is going to travel with a team, and besides getting to know the idiosyncrasies of the Moroccan festival, they are going to check the possibility of bringing to Brazil some of the same magicians that are going to perform in Marrakech. According to the secretary, magicians are going to come mostly from Europe, but also from the East and the United States. Magicians from Brazil itself should perform as well. By the way, the festival is going to include a magic competition. The government is also going to seek award-winning magicians to perform in Florianópolis.
The possibility of promoting the festival came up, according to Lummertz, based on a strategy of the government of Santa Catarina that aims to encourage local tourism all year round. Due to its natural attractions, such as the beaches, the hotels usually remain full during summer and empty in the remaining seasons. It was during a mission from the state to Morocco last year that the idea arose of promoting a magic festival, similar to the one held in the Arab country, so as to attract tourists. The government representatives were put in touch with the magician and organiser of the Moroccan festival, Baby Dahan.
In late February, Dahan visited Brazil to talk to officials of the government of the state about the promotion of the festival. The Moroccan is going to help organise the international magic festival in Santa Catarina. “Florianópolis, which is already known as the magical island, is now also going to be the magic island,” says Lummertz. The secretary is already planning some details pertaining to the event, such as performances by magicians in various spaces, including streets, restaurants and public squares. Performances will also take place in theatres.
The festival is going to be promoted by the government of the state, with support from the Florianópolis City Hall. In Morocco, the magic festival receives approximately 200,000 people and lasts four days. During Dahan’s stay in Brazil, the governor of Santa Catarina, Luiz Henrique, signed a protocol of intentions for the promotion of the event, along with the mayor of Florianópolis, Dário Berger, and Lummertz.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
