5 Mistakes Parents Make When Booking a Birthday Party Magician in Chicago (and How to Avoid Them)

Edd Fairman, Chicago's go to birthday party magician, brings laughs and wonder to kids' parties.

Throwing a birthday party in Chicago is already a circus. You’ve got kids bouncing off the walls, a playlist that somehow ended up stuck on “Baby Shark,” and cake frosting on the dog. The magician should be the one part that’s actually magical, not another headache.

Here’s where things often go wrong—and how to make sure your magician doesn’t disappear on you (figuratively, not literally).

1. Waiting Too Long to Book

What parents think:

“We’ll just see who’s available next week.”

What actually happens:

You check the calendar. You panic. Every decent magician within 20 miles is booked. The only one left doesn’t have a website and wants to be paid in cash or cheeseburgers.

What to do:

Book early. If your party falls on a Saturday between 1 and 4 p.m., you’re in the Thunderdome of birthday bookings. Chicago parents are fast. Don’t wait.

2. Assuming One-Size-Fits-All Works for Kids

The trap:

You figure all magicians know how to perform for kids.

The truth:

Some performers are amazing with preschoolers but flop with second graders. Others talk so fast or use jokes so subtle that no one under twelve laughs once. Awkward silence. Maybe a rogue balloon squeak.

The fix:

Ask if the show is tailored to your child’s age group. A six-year-old’s party has different energy than a ten-year-old’s, and a real pro adjusts accordingly.

3. Shopping by Price and Nothing Else

The logic:

“How different can they really be? Let’s go with the cheapest.”

The problem:

You might save fifty bucks and end up with a guy who shows up late, brings a plastic bag full of props, and calls every kid “champ.”

The smarter move:

Don’t just ask what the show costs. Ask what’s included, how many years of experience they have, and whether they’ve performed for kids the same age. If they can’t answer that confidently, move on.

4. Forgetting About Setup

What goes wrong:

You assume the magician will just pop in and start. Easy.

Reality check:

They show up with speakers, tables, banners, doves, who knows what else—and now they’re blocking the kitchen entrance while trying to untangle a power cord.

The pro tip:

Ask what the performer needs before the day of the party. I personally bring everything—sound system, backdrop, the whole deal—but I always love knowing whether I’m performing in a living room or next to the bouncy castle. It makes a difference.

5. Letting the Birthday Kid Blend into the Crowd

What’s missing:

A lot of shows forget who the party is actually for.

Why it matters:

When the magician barely acknowledges the birthday kid, they’re not the star. They’re just one more kid in the audience, watching someone else be amazing.

How to do it right:

Book someone who builds the whole show around your child. I make sure the birthday kid gets all the laughs, the biggest reactions, and a moment that feels one hundred percent theirs.

Hiring a magician isn’t just about filling 30 minutes. You’re shaping the memory your child will have of this birthday for years. Book someone who treats that like it matters. Someone who shows up ready, knows how to handle a group of energetic Chicago kids, and actually makes the magic feel... well, magical.

Want to see if I’m available? Here’s where you check: https://www.magicshowschicago.com/birthday-party-magician-chicago