Hey everyone! I hope this note finds you well! I wanted to take a moment to tell you about an exciting event that I'm planning for next year. **Introducing the Witchy Outdoor Potluck 2023!** 🎉🔮 As some of you may know, I have a love for all things witchy, magical, and mystical. And what better way to celebrate this passion than with a magical outdoor potluck? It's the perfect opportunity for all of us to come together, embrace our inner witches, and have a wonderful time surrounded by nature. The Witchy Outdoor Potluck will take place in the enchanting setting of [location]. The venue is nestled in the midst of lush greenery, providing us with the perfect backdrop for our mystical gathering. There will be ample space for us to set up our picnic blankets, share delicious food and drinks, and engage in captivating conversations.
Los eventos y programas de la biblioteca están abiertos al público y se brindan sin costo. Se pueden solicitar adaptaciones especiales utilizando nuestro formulario de solicitud de adaptaciones para personas con discapacidades (en inglés) hasta 15 días antes del evento.
Finally, while keeping the crayon behind your back in your left hand wave your fingers of your right hand in front of his her face, pretending to read his her mind but in reality sneak a peek at the color under your thumbnail. Most can make 100,000, no problem, especially if you re in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago and doing corporate events he says of professional magicians.
There will be ample space for us to set up our picnic blankets, share delicious food and drinks, and engage in captivating conversations. Now, let's talk about what to bring to this enchanting event. Since it's a potluck, we encourage each attendee to bring a dish that reflects their own interpretation of "witchy.
Down The Rabbit Hole: Inside The Lucrative Business of Local Magicians
There are three golden rules of magic that any magician, whether performing on the strip in Las Vegas or at an eight year old’s birthday party must follow:
These sacred rules of the art inspire not only the highest-paid magicians, but also the smaller ones. Afterall, most of those dealing in the magic trade aren’t playing casino residencies or hosting television series.
In fact, most aren’t even doing stage magic--or tricks meant for an audience of over 200--but walk-around or parlor magic, according to Tricky Henry, who manages the magic department at New York City’s Abracadabra, a costume and magic store that has been in existence for over three decades whose customers range from street performers in Times Square to large-scale magicians making people disappear in Yankee Stadium.
Shawn Farquhar, a two-time world champion of magic, makes a quarter of a million dollars in his good . [+] years. (Photo by Darko Šikman)
“What famous magicians do and what birthday party and local magicians do is, at the heart of it, the same thing,” he says. “The only difference is some have been discovered while the others haven’t.”
Just because these more minor gig mean less elaborate tricks and smaller audiences--whether for children at a school, private parties or corporate events--it can still mean money.
Take Shawn Farquhar, for example, the ex-president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians--a society of about 15,000 magicians, 20% of whom are professionals. He says that a magician's best-kept secret is usually his unexpectedly high earnings.
“Most can make $100,000, no problem, especially if you’re in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago and doing corporate events” he says of professional magicians. While this six figure salary may be a fraction of the $64 million made by David Copperfield (the world’s highest-paid magician), it is still quite a respectable salary.
In his best years, Farquhar makes about $250,000 mainly off of gigs in America and Asia. This explains the sign in front of his house in British Columbia, Canada that reads “the house that cards built.” (Farquhar has managed to fool Penn and Teller with his card tricks twice, which led Penn to call him a rat bastard on national television. “I was very flattered,” Farquhar says.)
Magician Gary Ferrar's trick to a six-figure salary is playing to kids and adults, which often means . [+] back to back parties. (Courtesy of Gary Ferrar)
Max Darwin (stage name Amazing Max), too, makes a comfortable six figures, with an annual salary of about $200,000. Darwin is a New York City-based magician whose audiences range from a dozen children at a birthday party to 200 people at his weekly off-Broadway show to 1,000 audience members during his annual cross-country tour.
“It’s changed over the years,” he says. ”When I was younger I would work 300 events a year, slugging it out, working my fingers to the bone. The more successful you are, your rates go up, and you are able to work less and make just as much money.”
Darwin is happy with his spot in the market, as he is able to perform the family-oriented magic he loves—his favorite trick is making an unexpecting child levitate--without the exhausting schedule of the birthday party circuit.
“It’s exciting to have a bigger reach,” he says, although the larger audiences may make keeping rule three a little more difficult. “And it’s a special thing when I am able to entertain a whole theater-full of engaged audience-members. It’s much more gratifying than a corporate event or a birthday party, where you have parents not paying attention.”
But Gary Ferrar, another Manhattan based magician who is a trained actor and started doing magic about seven or eight years ago, much prefers the intimacy of smaller, private events.
“Once you’re at the level of Criss Angel or David Copperfield, performance is a monologue and the audience is just there watching,” he says. “I love to open up that dialogue and have the audience participate. I never do the same exact show twice.”
But working at a small scale means hustling to make a six-figure salary. His trick? The ability to play to both kids and adults.
“I can do double the amount of work,” he says. “A lot of corporate is weekday evenings or weddings on weekend evenings and kids is weekends during the day.”
That means the average Saturday can include a goofy trick involving a growing McDonald’s straw in the morning and a more nuanced parlor show based on small scale mentalism in the evening.
For a corporate event, he can make between $700 and $1,500 per hour, and for a high-end kids party, the rate is usually closer to $500 per hour. Of course, this can change depending on the people in the room.
”If it’s the right 10 people, you can still make crazy amounts of money,” he says. “I have performed for Michael Bloomberg, Robert De Niro, Ralph Lauren, and they keep feeding on each other.”
Liam Malanaphy, right, performing as a middle school student in the 1970s in Time Square. (Courtesy . [+] of Liam Malanaphy)
Farquhar, too, has learned the benefit of a well-off client. “For a number of years I worked for just one client who owned a software company; he kept me very happy,” he says, adding that some of his friends have celebrity clients like David Foster or Middle East magnates that easily make in the mid six-figures, if not more, each year.
With a large (and occasionally rich and famous) network, magicians like Farquhar and Ferrar feel like they have the luxury to say no to gigs.
Of course, not every magicians or magician-hopeful you see at local birthday parties is making a quarter of a million dollars a year. Many slide by with less or resort to having it be a side gig to provide supplemental income or an outlet for their passions.
Farquhar call these “semi-professional” magicians, though he is quick to say it can be quite a lucrative weekend business.
“I always encourage people to monetize their hobby, play a few birthday parties,” he says, adding that this can mean $10,000 or more in supplemental income.
Liam Malanaphy is a lawyer by weekday and a magician by weekend afternoon (and on Thursday afternoons, when he teaches a magic class at a Brooklyn elementary school). Ever since he was in middle school, Malanaphy loved magic; in the late 70s, he would perform on the street in Times Square.
“ When I was in college, I performed and worked my way through graduate and law school,” he says. “But it was never my aspiration to be a magician professionally.”
Those degrees that magic paid for included a bachelors of arts in philosophy from Brooklyn College, a masters in Psychology from Harvard (his thesis was on how children react to magic) and a law degree from Boston University. With that, he went on to work for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and as a judge for the New York Department of Finance. In 2005, he opened his own criminal practice; being his own boss means time for a side hustle, though for him, it’s always been more of a passion project.
“I don’t think of it as a business, really,” he says. “It creates a balance that I really cherish. I love being a criminal defense lawyer in Manhattan, but performing at a five year old’s birthday party is the perfect antidote.”
Still, he can make a pretty penny despite not focusing on the money (he charges a modest $250 per show and hasn’t increased prices in years). His yearly earnings from magic vary greatly, as he doesn’t advertise and often turns down gig, but in his best years, he can earn in the five figures.
But whether full-time, part-time or amateur, Henry is quick to say that every kind of magic is both an art and real career, requiring study (there are schools devoted to learning magic) and practice.
“It may look easy, but people practice hours, days, months, to show you a trick that lasts no more than five seconds,” he says. And as the teacher of those tricks, or as he would say, a magician’s magician, he would know.
The hard work can pay off in more ways than a nice salary. “Whether you’re a famous magician or not, you’re job is to bring joy,” Henry says. “And that magician is bringing just as much joy to a 9-year-old birthday girl as someone paying big money to see Penn and Teller in Vegas.”
Liam Malanaphy, right, performing as a middle school student in the 1970s in Time Square. (Courtesy . [+] of Liam Malanaphy)
" Whether it's a bewitching appetizer, a spellbinding main course, or a magical dessert, let your creativity flow and showcase your culinary skills! Don't forget to label your dish with any relevant dietary restrictions or ingredients, just so everyone can enjoy the offerings safely. Of course, no witchy gathering would be complete without some bewitching activities. We're planning to have a few surprises up our sleeves, such as tarot card readings, potion-making demonstrations, and even a small altar for those who'd like to make an offering or seek guidance. Feel free to bring any witchy tools or divination materials that speak to your soul. **So mark your calendars: Witchy Outdoor Potluck 2023 is happening on [date] from [time] at [location].** To ensure we have enough space and resources, please RSVP by [RSVP date] with the number of guests you'll be bringing. Feel free to invite others who might be interested in joining our magical gathering. I am so excited about this event and can't wait to see all of you in your witchy finery. It's going to be an evening filled with good food, good company, and of course, a touch of magic. If you have any questions or need further details, feel free to reach out to me. Let's make this Witchy Outdoor Potluck an unforgettable gathering of kindred spirits! Blessed be, [Your Name].
Reviews for "Experience the witchy delights of outdoor dining at the Witchy Outdoor Potluck 2023"
- Emily - 2 stars - I was really excited to attend the Witchy outdoor potluck 2023, but I was quite disappointed with the event. First of all, the organization was very chaotic, with long lines and a lack of clear instructions. The food options were also quite limited and not as diverse as I expected for a potluck. Additionally, the event was overcrowded, making it difficult to have a pleasant experience. Overall, I felt that the Witchy outdoor potluck 2023 did not meet my expectations and I would not recommend it to others.
- Jason - 1 star - I attended the Witchy outdoor potluck 2023 and it was a complete disaster. The organizers clearly did not plan properly as there were not enough tables and seating arrangements for everyone. The atmosphere was also very disorganized, with people bumping into each other and struggling to find a place to sit and enjoy their food. The food itself was subpar and lacked variety. Overall, I was extremely disappointed with this event and would not attend another one in the future.
- Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for the Witchy outdoor potluck 2023, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The venue was not well-maintained and there were not enough designated areas for each witch to showcase their dishes. The lack of proper signage and information made it difficult to navigate through the event. Additionally, the quality of the food that was brought by attendees was inconsistent and not very appealing. I was hoping for a magical experience but left feeling underwhelmed.