It’s easy! Just send Presto the link to your Google Hangout, Zoom or other online virtual meeting and Presto will appear and the fun begins! After Presto’s performance, you’re free to do cake and blow out candles, sing Happy Birthday, open presents, or just hang out.  If you’re unfamiliar with Zoom or other online platforms, Presto is happy to help host the meeting for you!  Presto will send you a custom, password-protected link you can send out with your invitations that lets your friends join the party just by clicking on the link.

Presto’s online, virtual magic shows usually run 30-45 minutes.  Presto offers two options for virtual magic shows:

The BASIC package runs about 30 minutes and can include a combination of magic, teaching magic tricks, and games.

The DELUXE package includes 45 minutes (of magic, teaching magic tricks, and games), a magic birthday gift mailed to your home, PLUS (with a little help from you) a special magic trick where something vanishes on screen, and appears in your child’s bedroom!

Presto can either join YOUR hosted party, or create the event himself, using Zoom and send you the link to send out to your friends.

While Zoom had some issues with security when they first started, they’re now security focused, and we implement best practices for online security during the meetings we run.  Specifically:

– We have disabled file sharing between users in our Zoom meetings

– We use embedded passwords in our Zoom links to ensure only those we send the links to (parents of students) can enter our virtual party

– We have a second person live-monitoring/moderating each of our parties

– We can automatically record the entire party through Zoom (for everyone’s protection)

– We disabled screen sharing for everyone but the presenter

– File transfers are disabled to ensure no digital viruses are shared

– We disabled “Allow removed participants to rejoin.”

We always run the latest version of Zoom, ensuring all updates and security patches are installed.  If you have any recommendations of something we’re not doing, but could, please CONTACT US!

Response from Presto: “While a digital experience is obviously very different from a real-life experience, I do everything I can to help your child enjoy the time they’ll have together with their friends.  I understand they may be going through a difficult time secluded from their friends, and I do everything I can to keep them engaged and focused on fun.  I try to include everyone in the fun and call people by their names to make the experience unique and personal.  I use magic, comedy, music, and even games to engage the kids.  In short, I do what I can to make it a fun, unique, interactive, memorable experience for your child and their friends.”

Presto has performed several online parties and classes through Zoom and is familiar with the features and functions that will create the best experience for your party.  If you are hosting the zoom meeting, Presto requests that you designate him as CO-HOST, which does several things. First, this allows Presto to change the screen views from spotlight (when he’s performing) to gallery (when he’s looking for participation from his virtual audience members).  Secondly, it allows him to mute participants who may have loud noises in the background, preventing others from hearing what’s going on.  Presto can also act as a Host for your Zoom party, allowing him to use his preset safety settings, manage participants, monitor microphone and camera settings, etc.

The deluxe package includes a $25 gift card to Presto’s online magic shop (to pick out a birthday gift!), and runs longer, allowing for more games, more magic, and more teaching tricks!

Presto offers virtual, online birthday parties for kids as young as five and all the way up to adults!  For younger kids, the parties feature his unique comedy magic, music, and games.  For older kids, Presto performs as Kevin, and offers magic shows, as well as magic workshops, which are VERY popular for kids ages eight and up!  Kevin also offers live, online magic classes at Portland Magic Academy.