The Winter school holidays are upon us again in Melbourne (running from Monday June 29th – Saturday July 11th) which can only mean the most magical, whimsical and entertaining annual festival has commenced – The Melbourne Magic Festival! This enchanting festival has its hub at Arrow on Swanston in the Melbourne CBD and the program is full to the brim of a top hat with shows for families, children, adults and magic seekers of all ages. For those unaware, the event is the LARGEST magic festival in the Southern Hemisphere and attracts performers of all kinds and genres from across Australia and around the world. In 2026 the Melbourne Magic Festival (MMF) features 320 performances of 59 different shows over two weeks – at theatres within the Arrow on Swanston hub and at satellite venues across Melbourne.

Those of you familiar with this blog and my reviews will know that magic is my favourite type of performance art – I find it thrilling, entertaining and captivating in equal measures when it’s performed well. Again this year I will be attending and reviewing a selection of shows at the festival, so stay tuned for festival reviews appearing on this blog very soon.

Before I head off to indulge in an assortment of magical moments for 2026, I wanted to write a little throwback to the MMF launch I was invited to in May, which was hosted at the Spiegel Haus venue in the Melbourne CBD (which is definitely worth checking out!) On a crisp May evening, a friend and I met at the Spiegel Haus in Melbourne for the exciting launch of the 2026 Melbourne Magic Festival. The evening started with some tasty drinks at the rooftop beer garden within Spiegel Haus and we were given some instructions – in order to witness some magic, we needed to approach performers wearing a special pin and remark to them “You’re a magician! Show us a trick”. This added to the magical atmosphere of the night as mini magic presentations were appearing all around us at any moment. The atmosphere was electric with anticipation, and the beer garden quickly filled with performers, festival supporters, guests and influencers. It was such an eclectic crowd – if you weren’t keeping an eye out for magic it was a top spot for people watching.

In no time it was our chance to head into the performance tent to be entertained by the 2026 MMF showcase – a cavalcade of short performances by magicians appearing at the festival. The first performer was the MMF director – Tim Ellis – who suspended himself from the ceiling of the tent for a straight jacket escape! What a way to commence a showcase – to gasps of surprise and a healthy round of applause from the audience. In no particular order, the MMF launch showcase also featured performances from:

– Davide (The Great Armando): who performed a mysterious card prediction with a slightly startled member of the audience.
– Nicholas J Johnson (Tricky Nick): a big hit with kids and families, performed a scene of what breakfast must look like in a surrealist house of magic.
– Josh Staley: multi award winner and excellent card manipulator, who had plenty of surprises in store for us all.
– The Quizzical Mr Jeff: performed a stunning array of contact juggling with crystal balls..think of the crystal ball juggling scene from the nostalgic film The Labyrinth….and then times that by 100! The crowd was so enthralled you could have heard a pin drop during the performance – it was definitely a highlight! Honestly could watch contact juggling every single day and not get bored of it.
– Anthony DeMasi: showed the audience why he’s one of the busiest and most sought after magicians in Melbourne, surprising the audience with doves randomly appearing, magical bubbles, a very mysterious paper bag and of course, his co stars – an adorable rabbit and guinea pig duo!

These showcase performances were sharp and quick, but just enough to give the audience a taste of what to expect during their festivals shows, which brings me to the showcase headliner – Duck Cameron. I was thrilled to see Duck Cameron in the lineup as it is rare to see him perform in public spaces on land – he’s an extremely sought after performer on cruise ships, for VIPs and for private events. To have the chance to witness his showcase performance was the absolute highlight of my night. Duck did not disappoint, performing an extremely polished set of magic set to a rocking soundtrack – energetic and entertaining, he’s a performer you don’t dare to take your eyes away from, in case you miss any magical moments. An absolutely captivating performer.

The magical adventures didn’t end there – post showcase, the launch event held an opportunity for audience members to gather in small groups and line up outside the mini venue “the Magic Box” to be ushered through mini stations hosted by different magicians, where close up magic happened in the blink of an eye and often in the palm of your hand. This area proved VERY popular – the line was fanging as no one wanted to miss out on their own magical moment. Post close up magic moments, the Magic Box turned into a live music venue, with fun magic performed in between music sets, which carried through late into the evening. Alas it was no late night for my friend and I – he had other plans to attend to (a usual karaoke haunt), and like the belle of the ball, I had to dash back home pronto.

Thank you to the MMF PR team for having me at this event, we had the best time.

The 2026 Melbourne Magic Festival runs from June 29 until July 11 with the hub at Arrow on Swanston – 488 Swanston St Carlton
Click here to be taken to the Melbourne Magic Festival website

Click here to learn more about the Spiegel Haus venue in Melbourne.

STAY TUNED for 2026 MMF show reviews appearing on this blog very soon!