For many Seattle and Puget Sound parents, it’s a tough juggling act…

Your child’s birthday lands awfully close to the Christmas holiday.  So what do you do for that child?   How do you honor your traditions while still making sure that child has a party that makes them feel special and loved?

Buy a bunch of presents for both events?  Well, that can work but it can also blur the line between what’s being given based on Christmas and what’s being provided based on a birthday celebration.

So here’s a thought… why  not make the Birthday Party an "experience" to remember, rather than a bunch of gifts.  Invite close friends over for food, fun, games, and just a great time.  Make sure to let the child know that THIS is his/her day… and everyone has gathered for them.

Of course, one great idea to make it really special would be to invite Seattle’s #1 Birthday Party specialist, Turk the Magic Genie!

Just a thought on making this year’s celebration unforgettable.

–Jack  

Here’s a video from a birthday party magic show I did a little while back. Dad passed the Youtube link on to me, so I’m putting it here for your enjoyment as well.

I’ve been doing birthday party magic shows since the mid 1980s all across the United States.

I will admit, my first birthday party shows weren’t all that wonderful. But, I provided tons of magic. Lots of laughs And got by primarily on my sparkling personality and charm. 

And the children loved it then. And they love it now.

I’m better at birthday parties now and I love doing magic all across the Seattle area.

–Jack Turk

A smattering of what my life onstage looks like:

Where did "Turk the Magic Genie" come from?

I’ve been doing birthday parties and magic shows for over 30 years now, all over the US.  For my early shows, I went by "Turk The Great!" 

Well, to be truthful, I wasn’t really all that great back then… but I was funny and pleasant to everyone, which actually counts for a lot as a birthday party magician.  I don’t use "Turk the Great" anymore, even though I’m probably a lot better nowadays.

"Turk the Magic Genie" was actually the idea of a friend I met in San Antonio, Texas, back in the mid-1980s.  Larry Birdsell – a.k.a., "HighPockets The Clown" – was an ex Ringling Brothers clown and he taught me a lot of neat little tricks about how to become a more effective performer. 

And one of the things he said was you had to have a character.  So, given my last name, we came up with "Turk the Magic Genie." 

Ever since, Turk the Genie has been making birthdays, scouting events, picnics, festivals, and many other family celebrations amazing, fun, and unforgettable.

I just love to help.  So give me a call….

–Jack Turk

I get asked this question a lot:

"We want to have a birthday party here in Seattle but we don’t know where to have it? Do you have any ideas?"

There are really a lot of options.  I’ve done birthday parties all over the Seattle area and I’ve found that most people hold parties in the following places:

– Their home.  This is number one. Incredibly enough, you don’t need a lot of space for most birthday parties.  The typical number of kids is usually around a dozen, and most homes can handle this for a couple hours.  (And of course, if you hire me, you don’t need much room at because I’m extremely space-efficient.)

– Public Parks.  When the weather’s nice, this is always a great option. (And our summer’s here are just amazing.)  Lot’s of families choose their local park for the party.  And when the weather’s not so good, many parks have shelters or even buildings you can rent — I’ve done a lot of magic shows indoors at local area parks, from Seattle to the Eastside and all over.

– Pizza Places.  Sound crazy?  Not really, many pizza parlors include a party room where you and your friends can gather.

– Party Establishments.  Finally, there are lots of businesses all over the area especially set up for kids parties.  Just last weekend I did a show at a sports-themed facility just off I90 in Preston called "Field of Champions."  It was great.

So there are a lot of options for holding a birthday party in the greater Seattle area.  And of course, no matter where you hold that party, make sure to include some fantastic magical entertainment from yours truly .

–Jack Turk

Yesterday I received two requests for last minute birthday party gigs this weekend.  One I was able to squeeze in, the other just didn’t work.

It’s so interesting the differences between how different families plan birthday parties. Some plan every last detail out months in advance. Others wait until the very last minute.

And frankly, either path is fine with me.  There’s no right or wrong answer.  How you celebrate your child’s birthday is totally up to you.  I like spontaneity myself… so a last minute, "Hey, let’s bring in a magician!" is not a bad thing at all.

The challenge and risk, of course, is that weekends especially tend to fill up very fast with shows.  So if you wait until the very last minute, you may miss out.

But if the idea hits that you’d like to have some very fun, very funny, magical entertainment at your next party — then definitely give me a call!   Depending on when and where, I just may be able to find a way to make that event amazing, fun, and unforgettable.

That’s why I’m here.

–Jack Turk

After doing birthday parties for so many years, I get asked all the time:  "What’s the best way to structure a party?"

Here’s my advice — and it works great particularly if you’re looking to bring in a professional birthday party entertainer / magician like yours truly.  Let’s say you want to start your party at 1:00 PM on a Saturday afternoon.  (Pretty much prime time for Seattle birthday parties!)

1:00 to 1:30  Start with games, maybe a craft, as the kids and families straggle in.

1:30 to 2:30  Magic Show with comedy, magic, juggling, puppets and balloon animals!

2:30 to 3:00  End with cake, ice cream, and presents

A two hour block of time that’s easy to plan and makes your next birthday party a huge success!

–Jack Turk

After I finish doing a birthday party show, while I’m packing for the next one, I get this question a lot:

"You were great! Where did they find you?"

Well, people typically hear about me in three different ways:

1. A friend hired me and referred me when someone asked "do you know anyone who can help with a birthday party magic show?"
2. Their child saw me at another birthday party (not unusual, because I do about 300 shows a year here in the greater Seattle area), and the child said that they wanted Turk the Genie at their party.
3. People find me on the Internet when looking up search phrases like "Seattle Magician," or "Birthday Party Magician," or "Seattle Birthday Party" or something like that.

Of the three, numbers 1 and 2 are the most common … and frankly, they’re the best methods for anyone looking for some birthday party entertainment.  Hearing from a friend or your child that "Turk the Genie" is great — or for that matter, any other Birthday Party Professional is great — provides reassurance that when you have me at your party, everyone there will have an unforgettably fun experience.

– Jack Turk

I get asked this a lot… "What’s your favorite magic trick?"

That’s a really hard question.  Especially since I’ve been doing magic shows for birthday parties and other family events for many years now, all across the United States.

The easiest way to answer this question is to tell the truth — every trick I do is a favorite.   Here’s why…

Some of these routines I’ve had in my show for over 20 years, leastways in one form or another. Others have been added recently, but they get such a great response at birthday parties that I had to put them in the magic act along with all the rest.

I guess the real answer is this — my favorite magic trick is the one I’m doing at the moment.  When I’m doing a trick routine, at that point in time, it is absolutely the most fun thing ever for me.  And then when it finishes, the next trick becomes my favorite.

It’s all in the doing.  And I think that’s the perfect answer.

– Jack Turk