Liverpool knows how to throw a party, and it's got the venues for it: neoclassical halls, a cathedral and converted dockside warehouses. Tell us what you're planning and we'll come back with who's free and a quote.
The big civic halls
Some of the city's most impressive event spaces are its civic buildings. St George's Hall, opposite Lime Street station, hosts weddings, conferences and dinners in rooms from the Great Hall down to the smaller Concert Room. Liverpool Town Hall, Grade I listed and Georgian, is licensed for ceremonies and has an ornate ballroom for the reception.
Big, echoey rooms can make it hard for people to mix. A close-up magician gives little groups something to huddle round. That's especially handy in the gap between the ceremony and the wedding breakfast, when guests don't know half the room.
These buildings book up well ahead for Saturdays in summer and December, so if you've got your venue, it's worth sorting the entertainment soon after. The good magicians go quickly too.
Docks and cathedral
The waterfront has a style all of its own. The Titanic Hotel at Stanley Dock uses its Rum Warehouse and West Bay spaces for weddings and corporate dinners, all exposed brick and industrial character. Liverpool Cathedral hires out its enormous main space for receptions and gala dinners.
In a building that size, one act on a stage can feel a long way off from the back. Table-hopping magic between courses takes the entertainment to everyone. And if you want a stage set as well, do it once the plates are cleared.
Milestone birthdays and family parties
It's not all big venues. A lot of our Liverpool bookings are 18ths, 40ths, 60ths and family get-togethers in function rooms, restaurants and social clubs across the city. Close-up magic suits those perfectly, because the magician can go round every table in an hour or two.
If the birthday girl or boy is up for it, the magician can make them part of a routine. Nothing embarrassing, just a moment where something impossible happens in their hands. It tends to be the photo everyone shares the next day.
Booking a Liverpool magician for Christmas and work events
From late November the city's hotels and halls are packed with office parties. A magician at the welcome drinks is a cracking icebreaker, especially when people from different departments barely know each other. It works just as well in a private room as on a shared party night.
For conferences and awards evenings, magic at the reception or the tables keeps the energy up before the formal bit. A mind reading or comedy stage set can kick off the after-dinner entertainment too.
Practical bits, and picking your magician
Parking near the waterfront and Lime Street is mostly multi-storeys, so we check with the venue where a performer can unload. Home match days at Anfield or Goodison and Grand National weekend make the roads busy, and we allow for it.
Close-up magicians carry everything in their pockets or a small case. Nothing for the venue to set up, no plug sockets needed.
Styles vary a lot. Some magicians are quiet and elegant, which suits a formal dinner in a Georgian hall. Others are loud, quick and cheeky, which goes down a treat at a Christmas party where everyone's had a drink.
So tell us about your crowd when you get in touch. Age range, how formal it is, whether there'll be kids about. We'll send magicians who fit, with details of each, so you can choose with confidence.
