Aaron Fasel Magician

I can accommodate most any event with various kinds of magic shows and/or and balloon twisting, however, if you're unsure of the best way to format your birthday party, I recommend the following:

Having been the featured magician at hundreds of birthday parties and events, by far the most successful are the ones where the kids get to meet me as they arrive; then enjoy a hilarious magic show, followed by cake, games, and balloon twisting; and best of all, you and the other parents can relax and enjoy. I recommend keeping the party at around two hours long.

PARTY START TIME - Consider whether you want to feed the guests lunch. If not, you’ll typically want a start time between 1:00pm and 5:00pm.

GUEST ARRIVAL - No matter what time you tell people to arrive, you can assume that not everyone will be there until a half hour later. I will arrive at the party start time, during which time I will set up my equipment and do “crowd work,” as the kids arrive. This warms them up for an especially fun show.

SHOW STARTS - If everyone gets there before the half hour mark, I can start early. But either way, I will begin the performance by then, and you and the other parents can take a crack at the adult beverages. As the parent, sit back and relax. I’ll gather the kids, introduce myself, and wrap them all around my little finger for the next 45 minutes.

FOOD BREAK - Even if you’re not serving lunch, you’ll probably have a birthday cake and you’ll DEFINITELY want to sing the Birthday Song. When the show wraps up, I’ll direct the kids to follow your directions so that they may eat in the dining room/kitchen/back yard/etc.

PLAY TIME AND BALLOONS!

There are a few things you can be sure of:

1. Some kids eat fast and some eat slowly
2. The kids love to watch me make balloons animals (and swords and hats, etc.) . . . for about 5 minutes
3. The kids want to enjoy each others’ company

So for the first few minutes after the show, I’ll pack up my equipment and set up the balloon station. Then the kids can come to me any time they want. I generally discourage the kids from standing in line, and instead encourage them to approach me when there are only one or two kids getting a balloon made. I’m “on” the entire time, so you can expect more entertainment, e.g., magic, “dad jokes,” and occasionally some surprises.

During this period, concurrent with my making the balloons, the kids can have structured or free play time. I encourage parents to opt for free play. Not only do kids tend to prefer this, but it’s a lot easier on you. Less planning, fewer things to have to buy (e.g., a piñata, etc.).

SEE YA NEXT TIME! - Two hours after my initial arrival, the party’s over. The parents leave with their kids, and you get to bask in the glory of having a party better than the other parents.

You'll be pleased to know these:

• Started learning Magic when I was 5
• First paid birthday party show was in 1990
• Co-owner of Fantastic Magic Camp
• Former Kindergarten/3rd Grade teacher, with current teaching certification
• Member (and critique group leader) for The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
• Producer/Judge/Emcee for the famous O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships
• Producer/Host for the podcast Pun Intensive
• Married, father of one

But these are the fun ones:

• Trek. Totally Trek.
• Owner of about a dozen "number 42" tee shirts.
• If you haven't seen "Sports Night," do yourself a favor and check it out. It's a top-five "TV shows of all time."
• Recently binged "Supernatural" with my wife almost every night for over a year. Fifteen seasons! It was worth it.
• My children's books are as of yet unpublished, though I have a learn magic book online and I have been published in a parenting magazine.
• My brother invented something you almost certainly use.
• My dad was a Middle School principal
• I grew up admiring David Copperfield (the magician) and as such he's my fave
• The more I learn about Penn & Teller the more I love them, and as such they're my fave
• The first magician I ever saw live was Dr. Kitt in the late 70's, and as such he's my fave
• I was once a contestant on "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me"

And something important:

Thanks to
Peter The Adequate for encouraging me to become a magician and teaching me a lot of my favorite tricks
Black Bert (Bertil Fredstrom) for teaching me to responsibly run a business financially
Kent Cummins for teaching me to run a business ethically and professionally
My wife Julia, for believing in me much more than I realized that I deserved

Magic Shows tend to be more fully enjoyed if the kids are able to sit on the floor in front of me while I perform. This includes schools, libraries, and living rooms. That said, if you want or need to have the kids sit in chairs, that is totally cool.