Center for Inquiry presents Houdini’s Centennial Seance

YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT AT THE LINK BELOW: https://cfiwny.org/houdiniseance2026/

Celebrate Halloween with a full day of magic, mystery, and skepticism at the Center for Inquiry! On the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death, we’ll explore the world of the legendary escape artist and his lifelong campaign against fraudulent mediums and paranormal claims.

This family-friendly event runs from 10 AM–3 PM, so you can enjoy the festivities and still get home in time for trick-or-treating. The day will feature a performance by award-winning mentalist Dustin Dean, a fascinating look at Houdini’s history of exposing fraudulent psychics with Kenny Biddle, a skeptical scavenger hunt through CFI headquarters and libraries, DIY ghost photography, a costume contest, and lunch for attendees.

And then, as the afternoon draws to a close, we’ll dim the lights and transform the lecture room into a séance parlor for a historic performance of a Houdini séance. Drawing on the original séance held after Houdini’s death, we’ll use recordings from that event, period séance practices, and a suitably eerie atmosphere to recreate the experience of attempting to contact the legendary escape artist from beyond the grave. As the séance unfolds, you’ll encounter some of the mysterious phenomena that captivated audiences a century ago and get a glimpse into the strange and fascinating world of Spiritualism that Houdini spent so much of his life investigating.

Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime Halloween event!