From Nova Scotia to Hollywood: A World Record Magician’s October on the Road

Apparently, October was a good month to own a suitcase

October 2026 was a particularly busy month in my life as a professional magician. I travelled from my home base in Nova Scotia to Frankfurt, Germany; Manchester and Blackpool, England; Toronto, Ontario; and Los Angeles, California, for live performances and events.

Some people collect postcards. I seem to collect boarding passes, hotel key cards and the occasional strange look from airport security when they ask what I do for a living.

I've been fortunate enough to perform magic and variety entertainment in 15 countries, for audiences of all sizes. Even after more than 3,500 shows, it's still a pretty unusual way to make a living. And I wouldn't trade it for a normal job. Mostly because I'm not sure I'm qualified for one.

Frankfurt, Germany: the magic goes overseas

Germany was one of the stops on my October calendar, with travel through Frankfurt. I've had the opportunity to bring my particular brand of magic, comedy and questionable decision-making to audiences around the world, and international trips are always a reminder that a good magic trick doesn't need a translation.

The airline announcements, on the other hand, sometimes do.

Manchester and Blackpool: magic in England

England was a new country on my performing map this October, bringing my career total to 15 countries. After landing in Manchester, I headed to Blackpool, a seaside town with a long tradition of live entertainment, theatres and variety acts.

It's a pretty good place for a magician to spend a few days. I got to share my unusual mix of magic, comedy and audience participation with an English audience. And, as usual, my luggage was considerably more interesting than my clothes.

Performing in a new country is always a treat. The accents change, the scenery changes, but people everywhere seem to enjoy watching something impossible happen right in front of them.

Toronto: Canadian shows, international schedule

October also took me to Toronto. Although my travels sometimes involve crossing oceans, I continue to perform across Canada for corporate events, theatres, festivals, special events and private functions.

I'm based in Nova Scotia, but the show travels. That's one of the nice things about being a magician: the audience doesn't have to be in the same province as my driveway.

Los Angeles: live magic and a little Ghostbusters history

Los Angeles was another stop on the October tour, with more magic, more travelling and a chance to explore a little of Hollywood's history between performances. I suppose there are worse places to go to work.

While in LA, I stayed at the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. It's one of those old Hollywood hotels with grand architecture, ornate ceilings and enough history that you almost expect a movie crew to come around the corner.

And in fact, plenty of movie crews have been there. The hotel was used as a filming location for the original Ghostbusters movie in 1984. The photograph above shows me standing in the room where they filmed a scene for that movie.

As someone whose job involves making impossible things happen, standing in a room connected to a movie about people chasing ghosts seemed pretty appropriate. Fortunately, I didn't encounter any ghosts during my stay. At least none that were willing to pay for a show.

And then there was Halloween...

Somewhere in between the flights and live performances, there was also a Halloween show. As you can see from the photo below, things got a little messy.

One of the fun things about being a magician and variety entertainer is that no two performances are quite the same. One day I'm in a historic theatre in England. Another day I'm at a Hollywood hotel. And on another, I look like I've had a serious disagreement with a lawnmower.

From Nova Scotia to audiences around the world

I've spent my adult life working as a professional magician, and the travel is a big part of what makes this career interesting. Over the years I've earned 24 Guinness World Records and performed more than 3,500 shows, from community events in Atlantic Canada to theatres and stages around the world.

My shows are built around interactive magic, comedy, mind reading, audience participation and some rather unusual world-record skills. Depending on the audience and event, you might also see juggling or a chainsaw make an appearance. It's a magician-first show, but I've never been particularly good at limiting myself to one hobby.

And while October involved Germany, England, Ontario and California, I still love performing right here at home in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Whether it's a corporate banquet in Halifax, a theatre in Toronto or an event in Los Angeles, the job is essentially the same: give the audience a great time and leave them wondering how on earth that happened.

Here's hoping November involves slightly fewer airports. Although, knowing me, probably not.