National Harbor MD Magician & Mentalist for Conventions, Corporate Events & Weddings

Magic started for me at 11 years old in Washington. Today, with more than 25 years of shows behind me, I perform mentalism for conventions, corporate events and weddings at National Harbor. Mentalism means reading thoughts, predicting choices and making impossible things happen in your guests’ own hands, with no stage, no setup and no one put on the spot. Watch a sample in my WGN-TV Spotlight Chicago appearance.

Conference Receptions at the Gaylord National

The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center is one of the biggest meeting venues in the region, and the conferences it hosts have the same weak spots as conferences everywhere: a welcome reception where nobody knows anyone, and a closing dinner that needs a high point. Strolling mentalism solves the first, getting small groups of strangers talking within minutes. A 20 to 30 minute featured show solves the second. This guide covers where entertainment fits at a DC-area conference, and where it does not.

Sponsor Events, Hospitality Suites and Booth Traffic

Exhibitors and sponsors at National Harbor conventions are competing for the same attendees. A short, repeatable mind-reading demo at your booth stops people walking past and hands your sales team an easy opening line. In a hospitality suite or a sponsor dinner, a more personal set makes the invitation worth accepting. Here are seven ways to pull traffic to a trade show booth.

Corporate Dinners and Client Entertainment

Beyond the convention center, National Harbor’s hotels, MGM National Harbor’s event spaces and the waterfront restaurants host incentive trips, client dinners and leadership retreats. Those groups have usually seen the standard entertainment options. Mentalism feels new to them, and because it happens with their own thoughts and choices, it lands with executives, engineers and sales teams alike. See corporate event entertainment.

Waterfront Weddings

National Harbor is a popular wedding spot, with river views, hotel ballrooms and Old Town Alexandria right across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge for the rehearsal dinner. The cocktail hour is where mentalism helps most: guests from both families meet each other over a shared moment instead of waiting in line at the bar while the couple takes photos. Learn more about wedding entertainment and this post on Alexandria wedding cocktail hours.

Planning Your National Harbor Event

Convention venues check in vendors through their event services team, and most require a certificate of insurance and a set load-in window, so send me the venue contact early and I will handle the paperwork. Mentalism needs no equipment, which makes it easy to move between a reception in one space and a dinner in another. For strolling, allow about an hour for every 40 to 50 guests. Spring and fall convention seasons and December weekends book first. The FAQ covers setup, timing and pricing.

Check Your Date at National Harbor

Send your date, venue and approximate guest count, and I will reply within a day with availability and a quote. I also perform at events in Oxon Hill and Fort Washington, and in nearby Alexandria, Washington, DC and Arlington. Check availability.