LAS VEGAS, Nevada, USA, June 16, 2026 — Mystify Magic Festival, the women-centric magic and variety arts gathering that debuted in 2025 as the first festival dedicated to women and underrepresented voices in magic, has opened registration for its second edition. The festival returns to the Santa Fe Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, from Monday, March 1, through Wednesday, March 3, 2027.
Founded and produced by Leah Orleans, a touring variety entertainer with deep roots in the magic community, the three-day gathering has always paired magic with the broader variety arts, putting magicians alongside circus, juggling, and drag artists in shared programming. For 2027 it carries the theme Something Different.
The inaugural festival was a clear success. The 2025 edition sold out its full registration and filled its stages and lecture rooms with women performers including Juliana Chen, Rachel Wax, Joan Dukore, Alexandra Duvivier, Lucy Darling, and Alyx Hilshey, and awarded 30 scholarships to youth and adults worldwide.
Mystify, Orleans told Conjurly, is “not just a convention” but a transformative gathering where magicians of all ages and backgrounds connect, exchange knowledge, and grow stronger in their craft. She frames the festival as a platform for women to present, perform, share knowledge, and elevate the art while dismantling the barriers that have historically limited their reach and visibility. She also describes it as a safe space for in-person connection among like-minded people of all genders and identities.
Joan Dukore, a 2025 Mystify performer known for charming audiences in Las Vegas and around the world with her glamorous and elegant magic presented with a wry twist, pointed to that openness as the festival’s defining quality. “The cool thing about Mystify is the inclusivity. Even though the focus is women, everyone is invited and included,” she told Conjurly. “It was such an amazing experience the first time. I am hoping I will be able to participate again in 2027.”
The biggest change this cycle is at the entry point. Attendees under 21 now register for free, with a ticket that covers one youth registration and one chaperone registration; hotel and travel are purchased separately. “In addition to our scholarship program, we are excited to make free registration available to attendees under 21 and their chaperone for 2027,” Orleans said. The move replaces the paid youth tier offered in 2025.
The impact of Mystify is tangible. Storm Velez brought a desire to become a performer to the 2025 festival, and left with the inspiration that has since seen her become a rising star in the Southern California magic scene. “Before attending Mystify in 2025, I was hesitant to step onto a stage. As a woman of color, I wasn’t sure there would be a place for me in the magic community. Mystify changed that. Today, I am a performing magician and in 2027 I’ll be joining the Mystify Magic Festival team to help others find the same encouragement, confidence, and sense of belonging that helped me pursue my dream,” Velez told Conjurly.
Orleans described programming built around three threads. Educational sessions trace the history of women in entertainment, the progress made, and the work that remains. Immersive sessions move beyond passive lectures toward formats built for active creation and connection. A future-focused track pairs the next generation of women magicians with industry pioneers for mentorship and guidance.
Paid options remain for adults. Full Registration is $385 and includes all programming, lectures, show tickets, and goodies, but not hotel, travel, or food. Evening Registration is $175 and grants access each day after 5 p.m., including the Monday night gala, Tuesday’s Something Different Cabaret, the Wednesday gala, and the dealer’s room after performances; it does not cover daytime lectures or Tuesday’s close-up show, which runs in four seatings.
Hotel rooms must be booked separately through the festival’s room block, and organizers suggest staying through Thursday, March 4, for an unofficial post-convention day.
The scholarship effort Orleans referenced continues through the festival’s fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas, a 501(c)(3) charity, and now includes the Valerie Swadling Memorial Scholarship, established by The Magic Studio in Orlando in memory of the FISM award–winning performer who died in March 2026.
Alyx Hilshey, a nationally touring corporate and private event magician who performed and lectured at Mystify in 2025, expects the momentum to carry into next year. “Leah and her team created more than a magic convention. Mystify feels like a movement, and the whole industry is taking notice. Last year was literally epic, and I feel like 2027 is going to be even more awesome,” Hilshey told Conjurly. She added her advice to anyone considering registration for Mystify Magic Festival 2027: “Don’t miss it.”
The team has increased capacity for 2027, but Orleans expects demand to outrun it again. “Even with expanded capacity by booking additional meeting room space at Santa Fe Station, we expect another sell-out,” she said.
Registration for Mystify Magic Festival 2027 is open now at mystifymagicfestival.com.
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