Hiring a magician? Here's everything you need to know

Hiring a professional magician will make your event unforgettable. Magic is an engaging and universal form of entertainment. Your guests will be talking about it for days, months and maybe even years to come!

If this is your first time booking a magician, or an entertainer, the process can seem a bit daunting. For this reason, we’ve compiled all the information you need to hire a magician.

1. Which events are best suited for hiring a magician?
2. What will be the format of the magician’s show?
3. Choosing the right magician for your event
4. Hiring a magician — FAQ
5. Hiring a magician on PartyWizz

Which events are best suited for hiring a magician?

Magic is a versatile form of entertainment. It doesn’t need heavy set-ups or large amounts of space.  It transcends age and language barriers.

This flexibility means magicians can be hired to entertain at almost any event! At PartyWizz, we’ve grouped magicians into 4 main performance categories:

1. Kid magicians & Family Events

When most people think of hiring magic entertainment, kids’ magicians are usually top of mind. This is for a good reason as they bring fun and laughter to every party.

Typically, kid’s magicians are hired to perform at birthday parties, first communions, bar mitzvahs, family get together and more.

On PartyWizz, we provide family shows and kid shows. These are slightly different: Kid shows are designed to entertain kids specifically. While family shows are designed to entertain kids and parents alike.

You can browse and compare some of the best kids' magicians in your area, on our kids' magician page.

2. Weddings Magicians

Hiring a magician for your wedding will truly make your day unique (dare we say magical?). It’s a great opportunity to entertain your guests, break the ice, and get great photos of them reacting to the magic.

 

Browse and compare some of the best wedding magicians in the country. 

3. Private Parties & Events

Magic as entertainment is equally suited for entertaining adults. Magicians can be hired to perform at anniversaries, birthday parties, house parties, retirement parties, bachelor parties, hen parties and more.

Private parties come in all shapes and sizes and their formats can vary widely: They can be indoors or outdoors; formal or informal; have as little as 20 people or as many as a 150…. Magicians can easily cater to all these scenarios.

You can find some of the best magicians, for private events on our private party magician page.

4. Corporate magicians

Corporate events are very broad. Magicians can be hired to perform at: trade shows, Christmas parties, university events, incentive events, executive retreats, conferences, seminars, team-building activities and more. Generally, different magicians will cater to different events.

You can browse and compare some of the best corporate magicians in your area.

4. Virtual Magic Shows & Online Parties

Magicians can also be hired to perform at online events. These can be zoom parties for kids, online private parties for adults or corporate virtual events. It’s fun, interactive and brings something new to the table.

You can browse and compare some of the best online magic shows directly on PartyWizz.

What will be the format of the magician’s show?

When booking a magician for an event, it’s important to understand how they will fit it.  Different magicians will provide different services.

On PartyWizz, you can view the show format that the magician provides on their profile page.

Generally, magicians can be hired to perform in 4 main situations:

1. Cocktails & Receptions

You can book a magician to perform magic up-close for your guests. They will walk among your guests and perform mini-miracles right before their eyes.

This is known as walk-around magic, strolling magic or mix-and-mingle magic. The beauty is that there is no stage required!

The entertainer will walk among your guests, performing close-up miracles for them. It’s a more intimate setting and is a unique chance to see magic up close. This is a great way to kick off a party and give your event an initial spike of energy.

This show format is regularly applied to weddings, private parties, corporate events and family shows.

2. Dinner Magic

You can hire a magician to move about in a restaurant, private dinner, nightclub… and perform for people at various tables between dishes and after dessert. It’s a great way to kill downtime between dishes and after dinner.

This form of magic is also known as table-hopping as the magician will go from table to table, leaving your guest laughing and applauding.

Dinner magic is often performed at weddings, private parties and corporate events.

3. Magic Stage Shows & Cabaret shows

Magicians can be hired to perform a formal show. This is magic as you see it on television! You can book a show that lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to 60 minutes or more.

It’s suitable whether you have a small audience of 40 people or a large crowd of over 500.  All you need is a stage and the magician will do the rest!

This is perfect for dinner entertainment, festivals or conferences. You don’t need high-tech stages for these shows. In fact, most magicians are able to adapt their show to the environment.

This format is perfect for kids' shows, family shows, weddings, private parties and corporate events.

4. A magician stand or private room

You can hire magicians to hold a stand during your event. This allows the entertainer to give a mini formal show in a close-up intimate setting.

This is known as parlor magic, club magic or cabaret magic. It’s a formal show, performed to an intimate group of people.

Depending on the performer, some might require as little as a table while others want their own separate room to make the mini-shows “exclusive”. Guests can then form groups and attend the magic experience.

This format is perfect for kids' shows, family shows, weddings, private parties and corporate events.

 

Tips for hiring a magician

1. Understand your audience

Who will be in your audience? Is it mostly adults, families or kids? Will they enjoy a serious performance or perhaps a comedy one? This will inform you as to which form of entertainment is suitable for you which will influence whom you hire.

It’s also important to consider how many guests do you have. As a rule of thumb, if you’re booking a magician for mix and mingle magic, they will perform to 100 guests in 2 hours. If you have more guests, book the magician.

Pro-tip: If in doubt, book a magician for a predominantly adult audience! the entertainer will be able to cater to your younger guests.

2. What show are you looking for?

Stage, close up, kids magic at an adult event…  The nature of the show will influence whom you hire. If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to ask the contact us directly. We’re always happy to help.

3. What atmosphere do you want at your event?

What type of party atmosphere do you have in mind? Choose a magician & a show package accordingly.

4. Consider the venue itself

What’s the layout of the venue (which might be your house)? Will there be a lot of space or will the audience be tight?

If the magician requires a stage, will the stage be empty or busy? For example, if you’re also booking a music band, make sure each act can transition on and off stage easily.

5. Does the magician require specific equipment?

This only really applies if you’re booking a stage show. Is the room set-up with audiovisual equipment?

6. Look for pictures and videos

Before booking a magician, it’s nice to see them perform in person! However, this is often not possible. Photos and videos are your second-best option. At PartyWizz, you can find pictures and videos of the entertainers on each of their profiles.

7. Look for testimonials and reviews

Look for testimonials and reviews. On PartyWizz, you can see reviews for all the entertainers on their profile page. Also, don’t hesitate to ask around and feedback from someone you know.

As a last resort check for Facebook reviews google reviews and independent platform reviews. Just keep in mind that these reviews can be tampered with.

8. Check for a quality vetting system

If possible, check for a quality vetting system. This isn’t a requirement but is an additional guarantee.

At PartyWizz, we have a strict vetting system in order to only form partnerships with only top-quality performers.

You can also check if they are a member of a prestigious organisation, such as The Magic Circle in the UK or the Society of Irish Magicians in Ireland.

9. Check how long have they been performing professionally for

Make sure the magician you’re booking is experienced. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hire a younger entertainer, but make sure they have a few shows under their belt before approaching them.

At PartyWizz, we handpick our entertainers so that we know they are able to consistently deliver what they promise.

10. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Don’t be afraid to reach out to us and ask questions. At PartyWizz, we do our best to reply to every email within 1 working day.

 

Hiring a magician — FAQ 

How much does it cost to hire a magician?

Prices will vary range from 150 euros for a kid’s show to 800+ euros for a large corporate event. It all depends on the type of event, the number of guests and the duration of the performance.

At PartyWizz, we operate with transparent pricing. You can view the packages on the profiles of the individual entertainers.

Does the magician fee include VAT?

Each magician chooses whether or not they want to operate with VAT. On PartyWizz, prices are all-inclusive. No hidden or extra fees. If a performer is registered for VAT, it’s included in the price.

Can the magician brand his services to match the event?

Generally Yes. However, this is something that needs to be discussed with the individual performer.

If this is something you’re interested in, make your booking in advance as the magician will need additional time to prepare. Depending on the amount of customisation required, they may also choose to add an additional fee.

Can a magician offer a custom package?

If your event has unique needs, contact us directly. We’d be happy to discuss the options. Most of the magicians we partner with are happy to tailor their packages to our clients.

Does the magician have private liability?

Most performers on PartyWizz have private liability. If they do, it’s indicated on their profiles. However, this is not a requirement to become one of the partners. If this is required by your venue, get in touch with the entertainer.

What kind of magical effects can we expect the magician to perform?

Each magician will have his own unique set of illusion. Some performers will baffle you with impossible multiplying money tricks while others eat swords. It all depends on the performer. However, you can be guaranteed you’ll see some magic with cards, coins, phones and more.

On PartyWizz, you can view a description of each performs show on their profiles.

Where can we see a performance video of the magician?

On PartyWizz, you can view performance videos of each individual performer on their profiles.

Can the magician do anything special for the guest of honour?

This will depend on the entertainer and what is possible at the venue. However, in most cases this can be done.

Can the magicians provide references?

You can view testimonials on PartyWizz, which act as references, on the profile of each individual performer. We also operate strict quality vetting in order to only partner with the best in the business.

Is there a maximum number of guests a magician can entertain?

If you are booking a stage show, there is no maximum capacity. If you have a very large room, you might want a screen for the people at back. Performers will know when this is required.

For close-up shows, it will depend on the tables, the layout of the venue and the amount of time the magician is booked for. As a rule of thumb, a magician will spend 10 minutes at a table or group.

How many kids should be at an event?

For a birthday party, the average is around 15 to 20 kids. Joint parties and communions are often bigger. The maximum (or minimum) number of kids depends entirely on the individual magician.

For kids, what is a suitable age for magic?

Generally, 4+ is when kids can start enjoying the magic. For a more precise breakdown, you can read our article on entertainment by age groups.

Can you make the invoice disappear?

Unfortunately, money laundering is illegal…

If you have questions concerning entertainers in general, view our PartyWizz FAQ pages.

 

Hiring a magician on PartyWizz

At PartyWizz, we pride ourselves in working with the best entertainers in the business. All of our partners have been handpicked and quality vetted.

You can hire a magician, for no additional cost, through our online platform. The booking process takes seconds and uses secure payment.

We currently cater events in the following areas: Dublin City, Dublin County, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. 

If you're interested in hiring a magician, take a look at our location-specific pages.

• Dublin Magicians
• Kildare Magicians
• Meath Magicians
• Wicklow Magicians

How to book a magician on PartyWizz:

1. Select the appropriate category: Kid Shows, Weddings, Corporate events or Private parties
2. Select the day of the event
3. Select magician as the party theme
4. Browser performers
5. Compare show packages
6. Book the show. If you’re hosting a kid's show, you can add party bags to your cart.
7. Fill in the form & pay 15%. The rest will be paid on the day of the show.