Center for Inquiry presents Houdini’s Centennial Seance

Throughout the day, you’ll have opportunities to experience some of the techniques, tricks, and traditions that made the world of spiritualism so compelling. Award winning professional mentalist Dustin Dean will perform, demonstrating how easily our perceptions and expectations can be manipulated. Kenny Biddle will take us into the history of Houdini’s investigations and his efforts to expose fraudulent claims of communication with the dead.

We’ll also have a skeptical scavenger hunt, DIY ghost photography, a costume contest, and plenty of Halloween fun. Lunch is included, so come spend the day with us.

As the final event of the day, we’ll darken the room, recreate the atmosphere, and present a historic performance of a Houdini séance. The winner of the costume contest and one randomly selected scavenger hunt finisher will be invited on stage! We’ll incorporate recordings from the original séance and theatrical recreations of the kinds of phenomena that captivated audiences during the Spiritualist era.

You’ll see mysterious objects move, hear unexplained sounds, and encounter some of the classic techniques associated with séances and stage magic.