MagicFest contacted with the following details. It is always an excellent celebration of magic events for those who can attend in December:
Unleash your inner magic – MagicFest, Edinburgh’s annual avalanche of illusion, sleight of hand, mystery and laughter.
And this year it celebrates reaching sweet 16 with two highly innovative world premieres, plus Kevin Quantum’s ever-popular Christmas Show and performances by some of the country’s very best stage magicians.
Tickets are now on sale for shows taking place across the city from 17 to 30 December.
This year’s Christmas Show special guests will be magic and variety duo Taylor and Rebecca with their high-energy blend of visual magic, illusions, and circus artistry.
The delightful “Four Magicians” will make the trip down from Aberdeen with their trademark genial mix of family-friendly fun.
Then there will be a whole outpouring of local excellence with Jamie Leonard, who honed his craft through the MagicFest mentorship programme “Future Magicians”, and the Insane Magic trio Cameron Gibson, Elliot Bibby and Luke Osey. All were massive hits at this year’s Fringe.
Audiences are also invited to step inside The Secret Room to uncover unsolved mysteries of the fascinating Lauriston Castle — and to witnessThe Most Uninteresting Card Trick, experiencing the psychology of boredom first-hand with psychologist, magician, and bestselling author Professor Richard Wiseman.
And for 2025 MagicFest will also present two world premiere shows. Shape Shifters and Magic Awareness Society.
MagicFest highlights include
- Christmas Special: Kevin Quantum and guests in a riotous full-evening magic show on the big stage, with spectacular illusions and oodles of family-friendly fun.
- Shape Shifters: A joyful magical dance adventure for children aged 3+ and their grown-ups, celebrating identity, difference, and the friendships we build when we find the courage to be ourselves.
- The Magic Awareness Society: Step into a dystopian world where magic is forbidden and wonder is prosecuted… This immersive experience blends theatre and astonishing feats of close-up magic from master magicians mere inches from your eyes.
- Insane Magic: After Edinburgh Fringe sell-outs Insane Magic (Cameron Gibson, Elliot Bibby and Luke Osey) return with their biggest show yet – an hour of mind-blowing magic, with fan-favourite classics sprinkled into the mix.
- Four Magicians: Heading to Edinburgh from Aberdeen, four guys with one great magic show. A fab family show.AUDIENCE WARNING: Expect Dad jokes.
- Wonder Boy: Jamie Leonard’s most exciting show yet – a high-energy, laugh-out-loud hour of magic packed with slick sleight of hand, unexpected twists and genuine moments of wonder.
- Edinburgh Magic: Join Kevin Quantum at the Caledonian Hotel as he unlocks hidden Edinburgh and presents the magic that’s fooled the greatest minds associated with the city, from Harry Houdini to King Charles. Objects float before your eyes, money multiplies, time stands still.
- Tricky Ricky: Laugh your Christmas socks off with Scotland’s “Children’s Entertainer of the year” Tricky Ricky in this funny, punny magic show.
- Richard Wiseman, The World’s Most Boring Card Trick: Can you stay the course? Master magician Professor Richard Wiseman dares you to try to sit through the most boring card trick ever performed.
- Making Magic Workshop with Tim Licata: In this exciting hands-on workshop, young people aged 12+ will explore the world of card magic — not just the techniques, but the theatre behind it.
- The Secret Room at Lauriston Castle:Set against the castle’s breathtaking Edwardian interiors, this spellbinding event invites you to experience history, magic and mystery.
Full line up and tickets here www.magicfest.co.uk.
Bookings
- Online www.magicfest.co.uk
- Phone 0131 226 0006
Booking lines are open till 21st December, Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm. During the holidays, please emailboxoffice@magicfest.co.uk
In person: Tickets can be purchased on the day from the Festival venues, subject to availability.
Booking Fees: A booking fee of £1 per ticket is applied to all bookings, up to a maximum of £3 per transaction.
Electronic Tickets: MagicFest is an e-ticketed event.
Concessions are available for:
- Full-time students
- Senior citizens (65 and over)
- Under 16s (unless a child ticket is available)
- Disabled patrons (companions go free).
If you require wheelchair access or a complimentary companion ticket, please call our box office to book over the phone on 0131 226 0006.
Group Discounts: Available for groups of ten or more people. Please phone 0131 226 0006 for more information.
Please note the festival has a no refund or exchange policy, other than in the event of a cancellation. Booking fees are a cost incurred for processing the tickets and are non-refundable. Latecomers may only be admitted at the discretion of staff and only during a suitable break in the performance. ALL SEATING IS UNRESERVED except for the events at the Church Hill Theatre.
