New Year's Eve magician

It's one of the busiest nights of the year for entertainers, so this page comes with a warning. Book early.

Where magic fits on the night

The best slot is usually from about nine until eleven. Dinner's done, the band or DJ hasn't hit full volume yet, and people are mingling. A close-up magician moving between groups gives that part of the night a lift.

If you're hosting a dinner, table magic between courses works just as well as it does at Christmas. Then the magician can carry on through the bar area afterwards.

Some hosts like to time it so the magician finishes with a little moment for the whole room shortly before midnight. Others prefer the magic to wrap up earlier, leaving the last hour for dancing. Both work. Tell us what kind of night you're planning and we'll suggest an act and a slot that fits.

A magician who's done the big ones

Jamie Docherty has worked New Year's Eve at The Shard, and he's a regular at the Royal Variety After Show Party. He's very funny, which suits the mood on the 31st. A Magic Circle member with well over ten years behind him.

For a London venue, Francis the Magician mixes magic, mind reading and some classy hypnosis. Further north, Chris the Magician brings magic and mind reading to events across Lancashire, Manchester, Cheshire and Cumbria.

House parties and private events

Not every New Year's Eve party is in a hotel. If you're hosting thirty friends at home or in a hired room, a magician makes it feel like more of an event. They don't need a stage or any equipment, and they'll happily work the kitchen if that's where everyone ends up.

Hotels and restaurants running ticketed New Year's Eve nights book magicians too, as something extra for paying guests. If that's you, get in touch in the autumn.

A magician also helps when guests don't all know each other. New Year's Eve parties often mix friends, partners, neighbours and a cousin's plus-one. A few tricks later, everyone's talking.

It also gives the people who don't fancy the dance floor something to enjoy. Not everyone wants to spend four hours shouting over a DJ, and a magician working the quieter end of the room keeps them part of the party.

Why you need to book early

There's only one 31st of December, and every venue, hotel and private party wants someone. The good magicians get snapped up early for it. If you know you want magic, enquire as soon as your plans are set.

Prices for the 31st can be higher than for an ordinary December night, so it's worth getting a proper quote early rather than relying on a ballpark.

If New Year's Eve is fully booked, think about the days around it. A party on the 30th, or a New Year's Day lunch, is far easier to staff and still has that end-of-year feeling.