International Magicians Society presents Merlin Awards to Kirby VanBurch & Bambi VanBurch

(Westbury, New York - Wednesday, March 21, 2007) - Bambi VanBurch is awarded the coveted Merlin Award as Female Magician of the Year 2007 and Kirby VanBurch is awarded the coveted Merlin Award as The Entertainer of the Year 2007 by the International Magicians Society, the Largest Magic Organization in the World, as recorded in the Guinness World Records, with over 37,000 members worldwide.

Bambi and Kirby VanBurch join previous winners Penn and Teller, David Copperfield, Siegfried & Roy, Doug Henning, and Harry Blackstone as recipients of the most prestigious award given in the World of Magic.

Kirby VanBurch is no stranger to receiving awards. He has received the coveted Merlin Award as The Magician of the Year 2001 at the International Magicians Society's Gala Merlin Award Presentation at the Venetian in Las Vegas!

In the profession of magic, the Merlin Award is the equivalent of the Oscar for film, the Emmy for television, and the Tony for theater. It is presented only to those entertainers who have achieved the highest level in their craft on an International Global Consideration. The voting members begin with approximately one hundred names and narrow the list down to a select few. The criteria considered for a winner include talent, showmanship, originality, skills, and above all, the rare ability to entertain under any conditions. "All these attributes describe the VanBurch duo right down to the charisma and stage presence that makes them the world class entertainers that they are," said Tony Hassini, Chairman/CEO of the International Magicians Society.

The VanBurch duo received their Merlin Awards on Saturday evening, March 24, 2007, in Branson, Missouri at their own theater. The Merlin Award was presented by Mr. Hassini, who flew in from Las Vegas for the presentation.

For more info about the International Magicians Society, please go to http://www.magicims.com/.