Magicians New York: Planning a December Party
Magicians New York: Planning a December Party
New York in December compresses a year of demand into four weeks. Every organization in the city wants the same fifteen evenings, venues know it, and the process of arranging a party runs entirely differently from how it would in March.
Knowing the sequence helps considerably. I'm Magical Katrina, an award winning magician and mentalist, and I want to set out how December works in this city, where magicians New York organizers book fit into it, and what to do if you've left it late.
The Good Dates Go in Summer
Start with the timeline, since it surprises people every year. Prime December dates, meaning the second and third weeks on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, are being confirmed by large organizations in the summer.
By October the good venues are committed for those evenings, and by November you're choosing from what remains rather than what you wanted. If your party is an annual fixture, the correct time to book next year's is as soon as this year's happens, which sounds excessive and is simply how this city operates.
Prices Rise Across the Board
Worth budgeting for rather than being surprised by. Venue hire, catering minimums, and staffing all increase for December, and the same room costs meaningfully more on a December Thursday than on a January one.
That affects what's left for everything else, including entertainment, which is frequently the line that absorbs the difference. Worth deciding early what proportion of your budget goes where, since discovering the venue cost in October and cutting everything else is how December parties end up as an expensive room with nothing happening in it.
Understand Minimum Spends
Practically important in this city. Many venues quote a minimum spend rather than a hire fee, which means you're committing to a food and drink total rather than paying for the room.
That's frequently better value than it looks and occasionally considerably worse, depending on your headcount and how much your group actually drinks. Do the arithmetic per head before agreeing, and ask what happens if you don't reach the minimum, since the answer varies and isn't always what you'd assume.
Your Guests Will Leave Early
The New York specific problem, and it's sharper in December. A substantial proportion of your guests commute, winter weather makes that slower, and the last train home is a consideration from about nine o'clock onwards.
That means a party scheduled from seven to eleven has a real audience from seven thirty to nine thirty. Front load anything that matters, don't save your best element for late, and be realistic about how long the room will genuinely be full. Among things December organizers get wrong here, planning for a four hour evening that lasts two is the most common.
Office Parties Are the Common Fallback
Worth planning for properly rather than treating as a defeat. When venues are gone, plenty of New York companies hold the party in their own space, which saves the venue cost and creates a different problem.
An office has hard acoustics, no stage, no sound system, and a floor that must function normally the next morning. Entertainment needing no installation and no removal is the only kind that genuinely fits, which is why magicians New York companies book for office parties tend to be performing close up rather than anything requiring a setup.
Weeknights and Lunches Are Available
The practical answer if you're late. A Monday or Tuesday in December has availability that a Thursday doesn't, and a lunch or afternoon event has considerably more.
Neither is a downgrade if you frame it properly. A December lunch is cheaper, better attended, includes people who can't do evenings, and finishes at a reasonable hour, which a substantial proportion of your staff privately prefers. If your dates are flexible at all, that flexibility is worth more in December than any amount of negotiation.
Book Entertainment Alongside the Venue
Worth doing in the right order. Organizers routinely secure a venue, arrange catering, and then look for entertainment in late November, by which point the performers who work regularly in this city are committed.
Enquire as soon as your date is confirmed, even if you haven't finalized the format. A held date is straightforward to adjust and an unavailable performer isn't. That's particularly true for the contested evenings, where good options are gone considerably earlier than organizers expect.
If You're Reading This in November
The realistic advice. Enquire widely rather than sequentially, since waiting two days between approaches costs you the remaining time.
Be flexible on day and time, since a Tuesday or an earlier start frequently has availability. Consider performers who travel into the city, since they work from a different calendar than locals during the busiest weeks. And say your date and budget plainly in the first message, since December enquiries get answered fast or not at all and a clear one gets a clear answer.
A Note on "Local vs. Traveling In"
Worth knowing: performers who travel to New York work from a different calendar than those based there, which matters most in December when local performers are heavily committed. Travel is discussed openly and factored into the quote. I'm based in the Los Angeles area and travel to New York for corporate events including December.
Why Book Magical Katrina
If you're planning December here, here's my case. I'm a member of the Magic Circle in London and the Academy of Magical Arts in Hollywood, I've earned multiple magic awards, and I've performed for companies including Formula 1, the Olympics, Porsche, Prada, Zapier, and the Ritz Carlton, with appearances on Penn & Teller: Fool Us and Masters of Illusion. I need no stage, power, or setup, so an office floor works as readily as a venue, I work from the first arrivals rather than a full room, and I'll tell you quickly whether your date is free.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should we book?
Far earlier than feels reasonable, since prime December dates in the second and third weeks are confirmed by large organizations in the summer, and by October the good venues are committed. If your party is an annual fixture, book next year's as soon as this year's happens, which is simply how this city operates.
Why is everything more expensive?
Because venue hire, catering minimums, and staffing all increase for December, and the same room costs meaningfully more on a December Thursday than a January one. That affects what's left for everything else, so decide early what proportion of your budget goes where rather than cutting everything after the venue quote.
What's a minimum spend?
A commitment to a food and drink total rather than a hire fee, which is frequently better value than it looks and occasionally worse depending on headcount and how much your group drinks. Do the arithmetic per head before agreeing, and ask what happens if you don't reach it, since the answer varies.
How long will our party actually last?
Shorter than scheduled, since a substantial proportion of guests commute, winter makes that slower, and the last train is a consideration from about nine. A party running seven to eleven has a real audience from seven thirty to nine thirty, so front load anything that matters rather than saving it for late.
We can't find a venue. Is an office party workable?
Yes, and it's the common fallback, though an office has hard acoustics, no stage, no sound system, and a floor that must function the next morning. Entertainment needing no installation and no removal is the only kind that genuinely fits, which is why close up work is what most office parties book.
What if our dates are flexible?
That flexibility is worth more in December than any negotiation, since a Monday or Tuesday has availability a Thursday doesn't, and a lunch or afternoon event has considerably more. A December lunch is cheaper, better attended, and finishes at a reasonable hour, which a lot of staff privately prefer.
When should we book entertainment relative to the venue?
As soon as your date is confirmed, even before finalizing the format, since organizers routinely arrange the venue and catering then look for entertainment in late November when the performers who work regularly here are committed. A held date is easy to adjust and an unavailable performer isn't.
It's already November. What should we do?
Enquire widely rather than sequentially, be flexible on day and time, consider performers who travel in since they work from a different calendar during the busiest weeks, and say your date and budget plainly in the first message, since December enquiries get answered fast or not at all.
Work Backwards From the Date
December in New York rewards organizers who started in July and punishes everybody else, which means the useful advice depends entirely on when you're reading this. If it's still summer, book the date, the venue, and the entertainment together and stop thinking about it.
If it's November, be flexible on the day, look at lunches and weeknights, enquire widely in a single afternoon, and consider magicians New York organizers book who travel in, since their December looks different from a local performer's. And plan for a party that empties by ten, because it will.
Reach out with your date, and I'll tell you quickly whether I'm free.