David Copperfield will bring his Grand Illusion to the Tampa Bay area in January.

Performances will be Sunday, Jan. 18, 5:30 and 8:30 p.m., at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa; and Thursday and Friday, Jan. 22 and 23, 6 and 9 p.m., at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota.

True to its title, David Copperfield: An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion is the logical and incredible evolution of this conjurer’s art. Copperfield’s goal in Grand Illusion is to take one’s dreams (and maybe a few nightmares) and make them become reality using his state-of-the-art wizardry.

As Copperfield explains in a press release describing the performance, magic can only be relevant if is able to keep up with, or even surpass, the best film and theater.

“I want to base my work on what people really dream about,” Copperfield said in the press release. “Most of us don’t dream of pulling a rabbit out of a hat. But what affects people is realizing personal dreams, dreams almost everyone shares, that they thought were impossible.”

The Grand Illusion was inspired, in part, by an unfulfilled wish of Copperfield’s grandfather to win the lottery. One of the highlights of the performance, The Lottery is an epic of brain-busters in which Copperfield engages the entire audience and shares his secret technique for predicting the winning numbers of the lottery.

Other show highlights include:

• Killer – Copperfield performs sleight-of-hand with a lethal African scorpion
• Squeezebox – Copperfield gets squeezed into a bite-sized piece that could fit into a shoebox
• Man v. Steel – The illusionist floats through solid steel
• Thirteen – Thirteen audience members chosen at random vanish and reappear, instantly, in the most surprising of places.

The show also will feature a death-defying feat as Copperfield attempts to walk through the rotating blades of a giant industrial fan. The press release points out, though, that the illusion lineup is subject to change without notice.

In the latest chapter of the water shortage crisis facing the Tampa Bay area, the Southwest Florida Water Management District has issued a water shortage emergency order for the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority to protect the drinking water supply for more than 250,000 residents.

The executive order will allow the authority to use its two existing aquifer storage and recovery wellfields to pump groundwater once the treated water being stored in the wellfields is depleted. According to a press release from Southwest Florida Water Management, the authority reported a total of 609 million gallons of water in storage, of which 427 million gallons is being stored in the ASR wellfields. While 609 million gallons may sound impressive, the authority's total storage capacity is nearly 8 billion gallons. Based on current consumption rates, the authority predicts that the ASR wellfield storage will be depleted by late January.

The emergency order allows the authority to pump a maximum of 17 million gallons of water a day from the ASR wellfields until July 1, 2009. Should an alternate water source, or combination of water sources, be found which can meet current demand prior to that date, the authority must stop pumping ground water from the ASR wellfields.

The Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority’s service area includes the city of North Port as well as portions of Charlotte, DeSoto, Sarasota and Manatee counties (Manatee County currently does not receive water from the authority.) The Peace River is the authority’s primary source to meet the drinking water needs of its customers. During periods of high river flows, the authority typically stores untreated water in its reservoir and stores treated water in its ASR wellfields for later use during the dry season or whenever river withdrawals are not sufficient to meet drinking water demands.

The Hernando Historical Museum Association Inc. will once again partner with the North Pinellas County Sertoma Club to present the annual Brooksville Raid Festival from Friday through Sunday, Jan. 16 through 18, at the Sand Hill Boy Scout Camp on State Road 50 about 10 miles west of Brooksville, or 2 miles east of U.S. 19 in Hernando County.

Admission is $6 adults, $3 children ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and younger and children in Scout uniform will be admitted free.

The festival features a re-creation of a Civil War battle that took place in Hernando County in July 1864 as Union soldiers were trying to eliminate Confederate supply lines. Last year, more than 3,000 re-enactors participated in the battle which included 32 cannons and 80 horses.

Attendees will be able to tour authentic Union and Confederate camps and discover how the soldiers actually lived. Around 60 sutlers (vendors) will be selling Civil War items as well as kettle corn, old time root beer and fry bread. The Pinellas Vintage Baseball Team will present an 1860s baseball game on Saturday, noon. There also will be a Ladies’ Tea on Saturday, 11 a.m. and a Blue and Gray Ball on Saturday, 8 p.m.

Call 352-799-0129.

The Tampa Bay History Center will open its doors on Saturday, Jan. 17, 11 a.m., kicking off a day-long celebration that will include music, flamenco dancing, cigar-rolling and historic re-enactments.

Located in the Channelside district of Tampa, the new 60,000-square-foot center features an illuminating walk through 12,000 years of area history. Visitors will be able to follow in the footsteps of the first native inhabitants, Spanish conquistadors, pioneers, presidents, sports legends and railroad tycoons. Strolling through a 1920s-era cigar store, guests will discover maps and exhibits of the places and people who inspired generations.

The four-floor center boasts an atrium, interactive exhibits, theaters, map gallery, research center, event hall, museum store and the Columbia Café.

Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, youth and college students and $7 for children ages 4 to 12.