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Aaron Fasel Magician
- Elmwood Park, IL
- Children’s Party Magician
- Travels up to 2.5 hours
- $250 and up
Overview
A children's book author, a former teacher, and part owner of Austin's Fantastic Magic Camp, Aaron is unashamedly a children's entertainer. The tricks are great, but the SHOW is exactly what your kids will want.
42 Reviews
Aaron was so wonderful to work with. Not only was he communicative and informative before his performance, he was captivating and all around perfection when it came time for the main event. We hired him to entertain Elementary school children as a prize for our Fall Fundraiser. Such a great experience for everyone!! We will DEFINITELY be using Aaron and his magic/balloon twisting skills in the near future. BRAVO.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
Loren, your enthusiasm was a big part of the success. You set up a fun environment, and the added element of surprise was perfect for this crowd. I look forward to next time!
Also, excellent title! :-)
We booked Aaron at the last minute, just a few days before our party. We had a bit of an unusual setup for him, with it being an adult part with a live band in the main room, but several kids who we wanted to entertain, as well as adults who were outside on the patio. Aaron basically said, "Sure, no problem", and it wasn't. He kept the kids thoroughly engaged, and drew the adults in as well. He was brilliant at handling kids (and adults) who weren't being entirely cooperative with humor and consideration.
Towards the end of the party, he was doing more adult tricks, and for his last trick, I could tell what the trick was going to be, I knew in my mind the only possible way the trick could be done, I watched him like a hawk, and I STILL didn't see it. Mind-blowing moment for everyone watching.
Well done, and I highly recommend Aaron for any event, any age group. In the span of 3 hours, he showed off his range of skills with both magic and people of all ages.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
Thank you for such kind comments Jayne (and Scott! :-)
Reviews and comments so often heap on praise about my engagement with the kids, crowd control, flexibility, and so on (that was some flex, eh?) that it especially means a lot to me that you took the time to talk about a magic trick. Because the thing is . . . that's what I do! I'm not just an entertainer at large, I do come crazy awesome feats of magic! It's an amazing art, not to "fool" people, but to engage them on a level tapped into all too rarely.
So I'm tickled that you enjoyed it enough to describe it here. I agree, especially with that group of people, it was really fun!
Aaron is AMAZING! Absolutely fantastic. He is not only an amazing magician, he is a wizard with the kids as well!! He keeps them enthralled from babies to big kids you don’t want to blink. He uses crowd participation too and our group couldn’t wait to volunteer. He is funny, smooth, and crowd appropriate. BOOK THIS GUY!! it is worth it. He is great.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
What a neat party! It’s my first, and hopefully not last, show in an ACTUAL CASTLE!
Thanks for your hospitality; each and every person there was incredibly kind, thoughtful, and generous; but thanks especially for the cool Batman style dutch angle photos. They’re awesome!
Aaron was a hit with the children and the adults! He’s very engaging and has lots of energy for the kids despite it being over 90 degrees.
Balloon Twister
Aaron entertained a group of 40+ kids at our seven year old’s outdoor birthday party. He was communicative, prompt, and a total pro with the kids. He did some close up magic before the show and was mobbed by kids, and again afterwards for balloon twisting. He was very tuned into what our kiddo would like. The show was fun and funny for kids and grown ups alike. A nice touch- he “magically” got the kids into formation for the next activity (piñata mayhem). Highly recommend!
Children’s Party Magician, Balloon Twister
Aaron was a fabulous entertainer. He used many members of the audience to compliment his magic show. The kids were very engaged in all of the tricks and loved his sense of humor. So happy to have Aaron at our event.
Children’s Party Magician
Aaron helped me with a last minute request. His specialty is magic, but he agreed to be our balloon twister when the one we had hired suddenly couldn’t make it. Despite the quick turnaround, he was professional, on time, prepared, and fantastic with the kiddos. I would def recommend and will have him back to perform magic next time we need someone.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment
Sarin did a great job at our event, everyone loved him and the kids were extremely excited for their balloons! I strongly recommend him to anyone who is looking to entertain children and adults alike. He communicates very well and arrived way before the time he was scheduled to get started! Thank you Aaron!
Balloon Twister
Aaron is not a "basic" balloon animal artist. He could have stuck to some quick and basic designs like swords and dogs but instead he went above and beyond, creating very intricate designs in the shapes of hats, wearable wings, and hand-held displays of dragons, flowers, etc. He took the time to chat with each child as he was creating their wishes in colorful and captivating balloons works of art.
Balloon Twister
He entertained all ages 3-10 yrs old. Very interactive. The kids had a blast! Thank you Aaron!
Balloon Twister, Comedy Magician
We booked Aaron once again for our event because he's trustworthy, punctual and great at what he does. He worked so well with the children, they all left grinning and excited. Thank you, Aaron! We look forward to working with you again!
Balloon Twister, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Aaron was able to hold the attention of all the kids for the entire show, we had kids in all different age groups from 2 year old to 14 year olds and they all had a blast! Parents enjoyed the show too!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Before we booked Aaron, he was very communicative and detailed. When booked, he gladly answered any questions and was so easy to work with. He arrived and instantly warmed everyone up - adults and children. He was very professional and fun! You can tell he has a lot of experience and expertise.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Children’s Party Magician
Aaron kept the kids involved and entertained. Lots of interaction and lots of fun! Thanks
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
I have to say, you have a great group of athletes there! And clearly well trained in the courtesy arts. I had a LOT of fun!
Aaron was absolutely the PERFECT addition to our event. SO personable - Aaron had a wonderful rapport with both kids and adults. Big smiles all around. Everyone had a blast! Would absolutely hire him again!
Aaron did a great job at my 4 year olds birthday. kids and adults thoroughly enjoyed his performance. Everyone came up to us letting us know he did a great job keeping the kids engaged and involved throughout. The kids loved his balloons as well. Aaron was very friendly and respectful, he was very accommodating of our schedule. I would highly recommend him!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
Thanks Mini!
As we discussed before, this age group can sometimes get a little restless before the end of my typically lengthed show. In this case, we got pretty close to the usual 45 minutes! The kids were terrific, and I appreciated the parental involvement in helping redirect the youngest kiddos.
The best part is that since I did end up wrapping up the show a bit early, we had extra time to do even more balloon twisting!
Aaron Delighted our customers. His creativity had everyone amazed and laughing. The kids left with a variety of colorful dinosaur crowns, tails, or balloons tucked under their arms. It was great. Thank you.
Balloon Twister
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
I really had a blast! I love libraries, schools, and museums! They're always such happy places, and I like that I can add even more joy to that! I hope to see you at your next event(s).
professional, on time and very friendly
Balloon Twister
This is the second time we hired Aaron for our event. He was great, interactive, and have a great personality! Everyone enjoyed their custom made balloons 🙌 Def will hire again for our next show. Thanks Aaron!
Balloon Twister
The kids enjoyed his performance- lots of laughs and happiness. The twisted balloons were a hit!! Even the adults enjoyed him
The kids had a blast. We requested Aaron to only do balloon twisting for an hour. We are very happy with the services provided. He is a very amiable person which makes all the difference in a kid's party.
We had a 6 year old birthday party and he held the majority of all the ages in the audience. He was funny, did magic tricks the kids could not figure out and were very wowed by, and bonded with all the kids before and after the show. Worth every penny! He was GREAT!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Children’s Party Magician
Everyone loved it!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Aaron is energetic, spontaneous, funny and very friendly with kids.
It was fun having him for my Son's 8th birthday party, I will definitely going to invite him again for future events.
Balloon Twister, Comedy Magician
I felt good about Aaron after he reached out on gigsalad. His communication was excellent, he answered all questions, and he seemed just as excited as me. The party was just as promised except better! He showed up on time, worked the room and had them ready for the show, and performed spectacularly! The balloon twisting was a major hit as well. Our party guests were delighted the entire time!
This was for our son’s 6th birthday and our little guests ranged from 6-9, but parents and grandparents were just as mesmerized by Aaron’s show. We were wowed by the magic and his humor was appropriate for the group. There was lots of laughter. He was extremely patient with the kids and let them show him some magic, and even let my son go up on stage and do his own magic trick which was kind of a disaster but Aaron added the wow factor to it. Haha.
My son is usually quiet in a group and gets shy (he’s actually a non-stop talker), but he was engaged and very comfortable with Aaron the entire time. I asked him this morning what his favorite part was about his part yesterday and without hesitation he said it was the magician.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
I was so tickled by this review. Thank you! I remember that he got so excited during the show that he invited himself on stage to perform and I was more than happy to let him step into the spotlight. Even though I laughed out loud at your retelling, I want to add that, to the best of my knowledge, your son had a moment of boosted self esteem; just the kind that got me onto magic in the first place. So in that regard, not only was it not a disaster, but it was an enormous success.
We had an open house at my school and Aaron did a fantastic job interacting with the children. He made the children laugh and smile and have a great time.
Balloon Twister
The children and adults enjoyed his humor, magic and interaction. We love him at the Library!
Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
Hi Kelley! Thank you for the kind words. The Oceans Of Possibilities tour this summer was a giant success, and not only were your three libraries a TON of fun, but your referral to another library in a nearby town really helped the momentum.
Next year's summer reading program motto/theme will be "All Together Now!" and I hope we can collaborate on that in the months to come.
We had a park reservation with a splash pad and less than a week from the party I was told the splash pad was closed for repairs. Aaron quickly responded and was a hit! I should have just booked him to begin with! The kids and parents all loved him. Highly recommend!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
The kids were wonderful! I think your oldest could have a future in magic!
I wanted to make a special thank you to all in attendance: all adults present were tremendously polite, thoughtful, and kind toward me. With an eclectic ensemble of ages, their participation in crowd control was invaluable, as well.
He showed up on time! Great attitude and demeanor. The kids loved him!! Highly recommended!
Balloon Twister
Performed a show for our school assembly. Students really enjoyed it.
Children’s Party Entertainment
Aaron was a great! He came out on time and set up by himself and clean up the area when he left. He also made a bunch of different fitness related balloons for all the little kiddos we had at the event. Definite will hire him again!
Balloon Twister
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
Thanks Esther! I enjoyed learning how to make a dumbbell balloon, especially. When possible, I try to learn some new and thematically appropriate balloons for special events. If you have any special requests for next time, let me know!
Aaron could not only do balloon twisting, but could please a crowd of kids.. handled them very well, and gave us adults some time to socialize!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment
Great with kids and a great show!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Aaron did a wonderful job with a large group of 11-12 year olds. Grab their attention and had us all laughing. Made some wonderful balloon creations after the magic show. Highly recommend!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
For anyone who reads my replies, I want to point something out about your party in particular that can be valuable to any parent throwing a party for their kids.
“Tweens” can be a hard group to corral, but as long as they don’t think they’re being talked down to it’s usually pretty easy to get them on your side. That’s consistent with my general philosophy with children, but it is especially true for this age group.
One activity you had for the kids was to decorate (a “kids” activity) what appeared to me to be high quality water bottles, which struck me as a great way to acknowledge that they’re not little kids who just drink from plastic bottles. But they still like to color like they did when they were in kindergarten.
As of 2022 I’m a father of a tween myself, and so I commend you for an excellent choice of entertainment, not just the magician (obvs!) but the tonal balance of activities that are commonly considered either kids or grownup activities.
Aaron was so easy to work with and he made the whole event super low-stress for a parent. The kids and grown-ups all loved the performance and the balloon animals were a total bonus at the end! Highly recommend Aaron!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Great communication. Punctual. Amazing with kids.
Balloon Twister
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
This was a great group of young men. Congrats to the newly minted Boy Scouts! I was honored to be invited.
I had hired a magician for my son's birthday two months in advance but when he quit returning my emails and never sent a contract, I had less than 3 weeks to find a replacement. Aaron came through for us and fit us into his busy Saturday. The kids were immediately crowded around him ready to see his show. He was funny, interactive and made them all so happy with his very fun balloon animals. Great magician, comedian, entertainer and extremely reliable!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
I’ll tell ya, rushing to your place from the opposite side of town during rush hour was TOTALLY worth the reaction I got from the crowd, especially your son.
Thanks for your hospitality. You guys can put on a terrific backyard party!
We had a fun event and all the kids loved Aaron. We had a magic show and some balloon twisting.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Magician
He was wonderful!
He was very professional, responded any questions in timely manner, and came on time. All the kids and adults had so much fun! He was very funny and handled kids who were not listening very well. He knew what he was doing and made sure that all the kids had fun! Most of the kids got several balloons :)
I highly recommend him for any parties you are thinking to have!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
Ayako, your comments are really nice and thank you for the review. This was among my favorite gigs because the adults were also very engaged with the show, creating no distractions for the kiddos. One of your guests almost injured himself raising his hand enthusiastically to volunteer. And he was one of the parents!
Aaron exceeded our expectations in every way! He performed a magic show and balloon twisting for a group of children ranging in age from 2-11 at our outdoor Halloween Party. He was able to keep everyone engaged despite the broad range of ages and personalities. His energy was contagious and there was a lot of laughter. The adults enjoyed the show just as much as the kids did. Reflecting his level of talent and professionalism, Aaron proactively managed several moments of disruptive high energy from an excited audience member with grace and kindness in a way that didn't interfere with the show. We've never hosted such a stress free party and we 100% credit that to Aaron. Our party was last night and the first thing our three kids were talking about this morning was when Aaron can come back. Hands down worth the investment; we couldn't be more pleased and I have not doubt we will be inviting Aaron back again in the future.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
What humbling comments, thank you. Disruptive audience members can happen. In my experience it’s because they are excited and enjoying the show, not because they’re bad kids. When I keep that in mind, having to redirect them is just a sign that I’m doing well so far. My background as a third grade teacher helps too!
This man really knows how the the pull the attention of crowd. We brought in Aaron for our baby 1st birthday to entertain kids, who turned up into our party and he had the attention of everyone kid around. We hired him for Balloon Twist and Comedy Magic show. He is very good at playing along the crowd and paused his event when were hosting the cake celebration and resumed. Aaron was very flexible and all our guests really enjoyed his show. I highly recommend Aaron Fasel to make you event lively.
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Comedy Magician, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
That is so very kind. Thank you AND you’re welcome! What a great crowd that night!
I even booked, the next day, another event with one of your guests from that party. That’s always my favorite sort of endorsement, and it’s all thanks to you!
Aaron was a GREAT addition to our 4 yr old daughter’s birthday party at Little Land in Bee Cave. I was amazed at how well he captivated an audience of 4-6 year olds for more than 15-20 minutes. (He altered his performance time to be the most appropriate for the age of the party goers.) He was a delight for the kids AND adults alike and his sense of humor was spot on. Aaron made balloon animals for the guests which was a huge hit. I had an inside tip that the cutest balloon animal he makes is a snail but the frog he made rivals the cuteness of the snail! Don’t miss out — he’s a gem!
Balloon Twister, Children’s Party Entertainment, Children’s Party Magician
Response from Aaron Fasel Magician:
Thanks Liz! I hope the Unicorn Balloons were a hit, too! You (or your kiddo, I imagine) chose a great theme.
Booking Info
Price Range: $250 and up
Gig Length: 120 - 120 minutes
Languages: English
What to Expect
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.
About
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
Additional Booking Notes
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.
Setup Requirements
I'm totally self contained, meaning that I do not need a table or anything of that nature.
I rarely use, nor do I request that I be provided, a microphone. My voice carries unusually well, including, for example, an entire school auditorium. With that said, I do have sound equipment I may use for larger venues.