Washington, DC
Magician in Washington
More national associations are based here than anywhere, and each one holds an annual dinner
Washington runs on meetings. Trade associations, federal contractors, universities, embassies and nonprofits all keep event calendars, and most of them are booking a reception rather than a party.
That suits what I do. Close-up magic works in a room where people are standing, holding a drink and trying to talk to each other, because it gives them a reason to stop somewhere together. I fly in from Milwaukee, and travel is either built into the package or itemised on the quote, agreed before anything is booked.
What gets booked in Washington
More national associations are headquartered here than anywhere else, and their board dinners, member receptions and annual meetings are the steadiest source of work. Contractors and consultancies book holiday parties and team events, and gala season, in the spring and again in the autumn, brings fundraisers that want entertainment during the cocktail hour rather than a set on the main stage.
The calendar tracks Congress. August and the back half of December go quiet. The weeks either side of them get crowded.
Where these shows happen in Washington
Association work lands in the big downtown hotel ballrooms, around Dupont, Downtown and the Convention Center, and at the museums and event venues that get rented for galas. Contractor and consultancy events drift across the river to Arlington, Crystal City and Tysons, or out to National Harbor when the group is large enough to need a block of rooms.
What these rooms have in common is that they are receptions, not theaters. People are standing, the room is loud, and there is no stage. That is the format close-up magic was built for. It is played to six or eight people at a time, so a loud room is not a problem, and it needs nothing from the venue at all.
Where there is a stage, usually an awards dinner or an annual meeting, the hotel already has the microphone and lighting, and I will confirm what I need in writing before you book anything.
Getting there
A fly-in date from Milwaukee. Flights and time on the ground are either built into the package or shown as a separate line on your quote, agreed before anything is booked and never added afterwards.
Also covered nearby: Arlington, Alexandria, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Tysons, Rockville.
Booking a fly-in act, if you have not before
If you have not flown an entertainer in before, this is how it runs.
I fly in the day before rather than the morning of. A delayed connection is not a risk worth handing to you, and arriving early means I see the room before your guests are standing in it. I stay over and fly home the next day.
Strolling close-up needs nothing from you. No stage, no sound, no lighting, no setup window, no change to your run of show. I walk in at the time we agreed and start. A stage show needs a microphone and somewhere to stand, and you will have that list before you sign.
Travel is its own line on the quote. Flights, one hotel night, ground transport, agreed up front and never added afterward. If you have a second date that week in Northern Virginia or on the Maryland side, mention it, because one trip across two bookings costs both of you less than two trips.
In Washington
The kinds of events I work
Corporate events
Client hospitality, customer nights and company celebrations in Washington.
Conferences & trade shows
Booth magic that stops aisle traffic, and hospitality suites that people stay in.
Private parties & weddings
Cocktail hours, receptions and birthdays, without touching your timeline.
Holiday parties
December books early in Washington. Strolling magic between courses works best.
Team building
A shared experience your Washington team actually talks about afterwards.
Straight answers
Booking a magician in Washington
You are based in Milwaukee. Why book you for a Washington event?
Because for a reception you are booking an act, not a neighbor. I fly in the night before, I bring everything the show needs, and travel is priced on the quote before you commit. What you get for it is a performer who works association receptions and corporate hospitality as his regular week, rather than somebody local who mostly does birthday parties.
What does a magician cost for a Washington corporate event?
It depends on the format, the length and the size of the room, and travel is quoted as a separate line so you can see exactly what it adds. Send the date, the venue and a rough headcount and you will normally have a real figure back the same day.
Our event is an association reception. What actually works?
Strolling close-up. Association receptions are the hardest room in the business, full of people who half know each other and are trying to network on an empty stomach. Close-up magic gives strangers a reason to stand in the same place and talk, which is the thing your reception is supposed to do anyway.
Can you do a clean, comedy-driven set for a mixed professional audience?
That is the standard set. It is clean, it is funny, and it does not single people out or make anyone look foolish in front of colleagues. That last part matters more in Washington than almost anywhere, because the person at the table is frequently somebody's client, board member or member of Congress.
August and late December are quiet for us. Are you available then?
Usually yes, and that is worth knowing. The Washington calendar tracks Congress, so August and the back half of December empty out while the weeks either side get impossible. If your event falls in a quiet window, availability is better and the date is easier to hold.
Do you do private parties in DC as well as corporate work?
Yes. Birthdays, anniversaries and home entertaining all work, and the format is the same strolling close-up that suits a reception. For a private party the room is smaller and the magic sits closer, which most people find is the better version anyway.
How much notice do you need?
For gala season, spring and fall, book as early as you can hold the date. Outside those, a few weeks is often enough. Flights at short notice are more workable than people expect, so if your date is close it is still worth asking rather than assuming.
Nearby
Other places I perform
Dates go fast
Bringing magic to Washington
Tell me the date, the venue and roughly how many guests, and I will come back with a straight answer and a price.
Not ready to pick a date? Request info instead →
Washington · Arlington · Alexandria · Bethesda · Silver Spring · and the rest of District of Columbia