Thiruvananthapuram, April 11 (IANS) Over 1,000 magicians from across the country and abroad will participate at a four-day magic festival here from May 1. The mammoth festival, called Vismayam 2008, is being held under the joint auspices of the Department of Tourism and the Magic Academy of veteran magician Gopinath Muthukad.

Speaking to reporters here Friday, Tourism Secretary V. Venu said that more than five stages are being set up for exhibitions of magic, culminating in a record-setting mass magic show for world peace.

Foreign magicians who will attend the festival include Fukai Masahiro and Kiyoka Fukai from Japan, Jorge Blass from Spain, Mirko Callacy from Argentina, Kenrick McDonald from the US and Marcel Oudejans from South Africa.

“Vismayam 2008 will be inaugurated by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan at the University Senate Hall. There will be a magic show by Fukai Masahiro and Jorge Blass,” said Venu.

On May 2 and 3, there will be special classes for magicians only and 42 shops of major magic material manufacturers will be set up.

At a special contest for magicians, The Leela Kempinski Hotel in Kovalam will offer an ornate shield and a cash award of Rs.100,000 for the “Grand Champion of Magic”.

Another highlight of the festival will be a show by traditional street magicians from northern India.

At the mass magical demonstration for world peace, “magicians will produce pigeons from thin air and set them free in the sky. Soon after this, 20 buses carrying these magicians will form a magical road-train proceeding to Kanyakumari through the National Highway No.47. At Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu Tourism Department will organise a valedictory ceremony,” said Muthukad.

The closing ceremony will take place at Kanyakumari.

“There will be magic shows with the setting sun as the backdrop. On a big display board mounted on the shore, magicians will put their signatures, symbolizing their unity beyond all borders.”