Phil was wonderful, easy payment /reservation terms, great personality, funny, and had a very positive and entertaining show for our Cub Scout Pack. Both the kids & parents enjoyed his show very much. Highly recommend! Can't go wrong with Phil for your family entertainment. https://photos.app.goo.gl/g4LNWC8b7s4ZdjNB7 https://photos.app.goo.gl/cNNYntG7xuR8wYPw7 read more

Amazing, simply Amazing!! Ackerly Entertainment was at a friends son's birthday party and he did not disappoint. The crowd was engaged the whole time and Phil did a great job of keeping the kids focused on his act. He had funny jokes, great use of props and he used the audience multiple times throughout the show to do a trick. He actually called me up on stage to help with a part and it was great. He gave me one tip, "follow my lead" and I did. We did this funny act where we performed a skit in normal speed and then did it in super slow mo, the crowd was roaring in laughter and applause. Phil is a true showman and gentlemen and if you're looking for entertainment at any gathering or party you are hosting give him a shout, you won't be disappointed!! read more

If you have kids, this is the show for you! I'm easy to please but with my younger family members I am very protective. Phil is professional yet kid friendly at the same time. Phil made my party and the kids love him. He gauges the audience and makes the appropriate tricks/magic based on that. I was surprised how he was able to get the kids attention in an orderly fashion. He also has goody/gift bags which add as a nice combo. I would hire him again! He is worth x2 his rate. the value you get from him is priceless. Thank you again Phil. We are still talking about the show! If you want to have a memorable experience you will not forgot. You will be happy you hired him and not regret it! read more

Ackerly Entertainment - Just missed taking a photo of Phil!!! - Performing Arts Near Me

Phil did a show at my son's school this last Thursday night. It was a room full of about 100 or so kindergartners to 4th grade age kids and parents. Great crowd control. Funny jokes, definitely geared towards kids. He was great. I was sitting back with the parents, but kept watching my son participate by raising his hand, shouting with Phil asked them to shout, etc. The next morning, my son woke up and said he dreamed about "doing real magic." He's great. He's good with kids and I'd happily recommend him. read more

I got tickets to Phil's Ackerly's "Home Edition Show" that he does on Zoom. It was great! My wife and i had a terrific time. Phil and two other guest magicians performed. There was magic tricks and mind reading that was done with the audience participants who were watching on Zoom! It blew us away. A great way to spend a Saturday night. Highly recommended. read more

Phil was great! We hired him for a family holiday party and he kept all guests young and older highly entertained. Communicating and scheduling with Phil was easy and he was very accommodating to our needs. I highly recommend Phil and we will likely book him again in the future. read more

Phil Ackerly is an incredible magician! I feel honored that our family was able to see his show in our own home! We hired him for my son's 9th birthday party. Not only were the kids engaged throughout the show, the adults enjoyed it too. Phil made my son feel special by involving him in the show, which is saying something because my son can easily become anxious in front of an audience. The final magic trick with the bunny was also a big hit and the kids were able to pet it at the end. I also payed an extra fee for the goodie bags, which was well worth the money, not to mention the time it would have taken for me to find such great magic tricks. Phil also showed the kids how to do the magic tricks at the end of the show, which was my son's favorite part. My little nine-year-old has been practicing magic tricks for days now, since his birthday party. I should also say that Phil was really wonderful with the kids. I'm a teacher, so I know a lot about how to manage children in a kind way. Phil is clearly an expert. I'm sure he's been around many kids over the years and his experience really shines! I know there were other magicians available who charge less for their shows, but Phil Ackerly is top notch and well worth what I paid him! I would do it again in a heartbeat and now our friends want to hire him too! read more

We attended a birthday party for my son's best buddy and Phil was awesome! Captivating to both kids and adults alike, he had a great set of tricks that kept us enthralled and laughing. His charming personality and sense of humor left us with smiles on our faces. Recommended!! read more

Phil is a fantastic performer and host! His show is a regular in my house and I would highly recommend watching his stuff. The show is super family-friendly and always has high-quality performers. Thanks, Phil! read more

Ackerly Entertainment - April 24th's show! - Performing Arts Near Me

We booked Phil at embarrassingly short notice for my wife's birthday party. It was a tough environment - small room, small audience and and age range from 2 to 86! Phil was fantastic. Funny, engaging and polished. All the tricks were really good and there were some real "How on earth did he do that?" moments. Strongly recommended. read more

Phil is very professional, punctual and easy to communicate to. I've hired him for my 50th birthday, and I was not disappointed, he was very funny and entertaining even for people who don't understand English ( I had some Germans), but understanding is better, he tells a lot of jocks. All the guests, ages 12-78 liked him and the show. He is not a side show, even though I was imagining that some guest will not like to watch a magic show and will just be doing something else, actually 99% did end up watching it. I would highly recommend Phil and I will hire him again. read more

Phil is absolutely fantastic and I highly highly recommend him as your entertainer! We had him over for a 45-min magic show for my 8-year-old daughter's birthday party. Phil even went over 45 min at no additional charge because the kids enjoyed it so much, and he clearly loves what he does. The highlight of the show was a bunny, and my daughter absolutely loves bunnies. Phil was so funny and the magic tricks were fantastic, so much humor in every detail, the kids were laughing their heads off the whole show! Have Phil as your entertainer, you will not be disappointed. As a side note - which is also very important to me - he came early and on time. Oh and he created some great group photo ops too! Five stars all around. read more

Phil Ackerly is truly a great performer. After being to so many Birthday party's at the normal bounce house and Charles Cheese type venues, we decided to do something different and at home. Bring on Phil Ackerly, the kids loved it as well as the adults, all were mesmerized by his slight of hand and other entertaining tricks. His sense of humor was catered to not just the kids but adults too. The rabbit (buster) at the end was a thrill for all to see. We will for sure hire Phil again and plan to go see him at his adult shows!! read more

Phil presented at our Cub Scout pack night which included 50 cub scouts (ages 6-10) and about 70 parents. What a job!! Here is the feedback from our Cub Scout leaders: "My kids loved the show. The Pack has hired other magicians and he was hands down the best I've seen. He also attempted to put a few scouting remarks in there. Nice." "He was energetic, enthusiastic and had good control of the audience. His actual feats of magic were ok but his presentation was excellent given his audience. Keep in mind that having seen David Blaine, I would only give someone like him a 10." "I had to leave early so I didn't see the entire show. I liked the sword trick. My kids really liked him." "Great entertainer, very supportive of scouts, patient with crazy/loud kids, and actually DID pull a rabbit out of his hat, so I thought he was one of the highlights of this year." "I have to confess I thought he was one of the best. Given our experience keeping 50+ kids in check at pack meetings this guy had them all nailed to the floor and seats (even had the adults captured). Something we have never achieved for more than 10 minutes." read more

This past August we were searching for a special magician to entertain our 10 yr daughter and all her tween girlfriends at her birthday party in our home. The act had to include at least one animal, be personalized and innovative. Phil Ackerly - Magician exceeded all our expectations. Mr. Ackerly responded promptly to our email inquiry and worked to fit us into his schedule with little advance notice. He customized the show specifically for the age of our guests and with our input. He arrived with very professional looking equipment and was ready to perform in our family room in a matter of minutes. Home photos and video taping was encouraged. Our daughter Kelsey was delighted that she was literally made his star assistant during several tricks. Music accompanied each act. Phil's performance included some old favorites with a twist and many new ones. Money appearing inside a peanut shell, teaching us all how to do a rope trick step by step, a lot of audience participation, and the most adorable little bunny rabbit appearing as the grand finale. Which the birthday girl got to hold in her lap while guests took turns petting him. What we loved the best about Phi's show were the personal touches that made our daughter and her guests all feel special. He made a scarf appear with Kelsey's name on it and a special birthday wish for her to keep. Our birthday girl had the thrill of her life when she was actually levitated with the help of her older brother. Magician Phil took a Polaroid photo of our daughter while floating and included it in his thank you note after the party, which was a nice touch. Mr. Ackerly gave out autographed cards from a deck used in his show to each guest, a bookmark and instruction packet on how to do some easy magic ticks at home, all for no additional charge. After the show Phil took time to talk with each of the guests and did some extra slight of hand tricks. We definately got our money's worth because all ages were amazed, entertained and kept laughing the entire time. Shy tween girls are a tough audience to please and Kelsey's friends are still talking about magician Phil's show six months later. read more

I sit on the board of a local non profit that provides homeless children with birthday gifts. www.makeabirthdaywish.org Phil volunteers his time this past Tuesday with a wonderful performance for the kids. We really appreciate your help. Very professional and the kids loved it!! read more

Thank you Phil for a great show. You make it a really special memory for my 8 year old daughter. All of her friends and my adult guests were impressed with your tricks and humor even though some of them already saw you perform before at a public library. Parents go ahead and book Phil for your event. His quote might be a little more than others but you are guaranteed an hour of entertainment enjoyed by all guests. Phil is very professional and has a way to connect with kids (and adults!) while still keep them under control. Don't hesitate. read more

Phil is amazing!! I attended a birthday party over the weekend, and I had the pleasure of seeing Phil perform there. I can't believe the incredible tricks that he pulled off; one after another. I was staring so hard at his hands and the objects -- up close -- and I saw unbelievable things happen over and over again. I'm still thoroughly amazed, and I will not ever forget this experience! read more

Phil kept the kids and adults entertained at our 7 year old's property. The kids were asking for more fun. He's great at keeping everyone engaged and laughing read more

We saw Phil's magic show at the Hidden Villa in Los Altos and at our friend's birthday party. My 6 year old son love it so much, he begged me to invite Phil to his birthday party also. I did and was very pleased with the outcome. Both kids and parents really enjoyed the show. Phil is very funny, he keeps the crowd involved and interacts with both kids and adults. My son loved being the "Star" of the show. His friends asked to invite Phil to their birthdays also and everyone had a great time! Thank you!!! read more

Phil came to our house to celebrate a birthday for our daughter's 8th birthday. How very fun! He was great with communication, clear on expectations, and engaged the kids and adults throughout his show. Our daughter said afterwards that it was the Birthday Party of her dreams. Phil was inclusive of all the children at the show, but paid extra-special attention to the birthday girl. Very happy with the end result. Funny, engaging, and a great attitude. Thank you! read more

I hired Phil to do my son's 7th bday last month. No one knew who was the special guest was. I wanted it to be a surprise. Everyone thought Batman was the surprise guest. Phil was AWESOME!!! Very satisfied with his performance. All my guests & the kids especially was enjoying the show. I would definitely highly recommend him to others. Again Thank you Phil. read more

Ackerly Entertainment - Performing Arts Near Me

Thank you Phil for your Vegas-Like performance at my daughter's 8th Birthday party. Hannah felt so proud and she loved being the star of the show! All of the kids had a blast. The treat bags were a big hit. You hit it out of the park with the special Hannah Banner at the end. You went above and beyond anything we could have imagined! One of Hannah's friends asked, "Are you going to have him back at Hannah's next Birthday Party." read more

Phil performed a magic show for my son's 5th birthday party and it was just super awesome. All the kids felt so involved​ and engaged. We adults also totally loved it. He tricked my friend and she shrieked​ like no body's business, we have it on video and still get a good laugh about it.I recommend him hands down for an event as small as ours (just 10 kids) or as large as a company event. read more

Funny, personable and adaptable. Those are the words I would use to describe Phil and his magic show. It was more than slight of hand and illusions, he did audience interaction and personalized magic tricks that really made the difference for our guests. We used him for a high-end donor event, one where there were no kids. And he was able to draw up a set of tricks which would be appropriate for our audience without breaking a sweat. Throughout his performance, he was cracking relevant jokes about our business, our guests and our employees. It was his commitment to detail which caught my eye during this performance and I would recommend him to anyone who is looking for unique entertainment at their next event. read more

Phil is a great entertainer for all ages! I have hired Phil on two occasions... the first was for my daughters 9 year old birthday party. He did such a great job I hired him a second time for my Dad's 70th birthday party. His magic show is engaging, funny, family friendly and was equally entertaining for both audiences. I love how he incorporates the guest of honor into the show, making the day extra special. It was also a pleasure to work with Phil in preparing for the events. He is professional, responsive and takes time to clearly outline what his performance will cover and partners to tailor it in a way that will make your event very special. I highly recommend Phil for any occasion where you are looking a wonderful entertainer! read more

I recently booked Phil at my daughter's birthday party. Phil was great with keeping all the children's (about 12-15 kids under 10) attention, and dealing with all the loud adults in the background. Older generation Asian folks can be very loud and unaware of their environment at these types of functions when someone is speaking but Phil handled himself and the audience very well. My friends and family all told me afterward that they really enjoyed his show. A great mix of humor and performance. There was one mistake during one of his tricks, but overall show was very good, especially the closeup strolling magic. Also, he is very responsive to emails and phone calls. Definitely worth the money. read more

Great experience hiring Phil for my daughters 5th birthday party. We had 28 children ranging in age from 2 1/2 to 7 years old, and all were thoroughly entertained for 45 min. My 5 year old said the highlight of her (elaborate) Party was "I got to do magic." It's also worth mentioning that the parents were entertained too. Phil had well placed jokes for parents while keeping the kids attention on his slight of hand. Minimal annoyances: He arrived just prior to his scheduled performance, which made me nervous. And, he forgot to send a confirmation email that he received my deposit check a few weeks before the party. However, he was highly responsive when I addressed the email oversight. And, he didn't have much to set up, so he was ready to begin his performance as scheduled. Bottom Line: a great hire for any aged events! read more

We had Phil out to our swim club in Orinda to entertain the littles. They kids enjoyed every minute and the adults were entertained by the sly witty jokes. Definitely a crowd pleaser! read more

We recently had Phil to perform magic/comedy at our son's birthday party. He engaged the kids and adults and the show was a huge hit. The shows was the best hour of our party! Our guests left with wide smiles and great feedback about Phil's show. Being comedy lovers ourselves it was great to have our guests indulge in the same. Also, there are options for magical treats as goody bags for the kids. One less thing oh wait two less things to worry about for hosts - "entertainment for all and goodies for kids". :-) All in all Phil is a great entertainer for kids as well as adults. Thank you, Phil! Keep it going!! We would love to have you again in the future. read more

Phil is such an amazing magician! He delivered an amazing show with audience aged 4-6. Everyone was impressed by this highlight of my son's birthday party. Would definitely recommend him for kids' birthday party. read more

My husband threw me a surprise birthday party and hired Phil to come perform for us. It was really great! The party was all families- so we had little toddlers, lots of kids and a tons of adults. He kept everyone of all ages entertained, and he got us with some really astounding tricks. He definitely personalized the show and everyone was laughing. He's talented for sure! Plus, he brought out a rabbit and let the kids all pet it, which was exciting for the little ones. Thanks for a great show, Phil! read more

Can't say enough good things about Phil! Not only was he the star of my daughter's late birthday/early Halloween party, but the kids are all still talking about him and his magic to their family and friends. How do I know...because all the parents are thanking me for how much fun their child had at the party, especially the magic show! Phil made the birthday girl feel extra special while also entertaining and getting the other kids involved. When I called to book him for our party, he was friendly and asked many questions about my daughter and what she likes/is like. He tailored the show to the appropriate age group and was a smashing hit!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Not only for putting on an amazing show, but for your professionalism, kind personality, and keeping the 15+ kids we had here at the house focused and engaged so we had a small break from the chaos (and fun) that a parent is sure to experience while throwing their childs birthday party. Even the adults in the house were entertained! read more

Great show! Phil was very entertaining for kids and adults. He was punctual! My 4 years old son was so happy that he was engaged in the show and felt special on his birthday! He's very organized with the reservation process and the process and payment was easy. read more

We had Phil at our daughter's 5th birthday party. She loved getting to be the star of the show. Phil kept about 40 kids and all of the parents completely enthralled. He's not just great at magic, he's hilarious! Also I have to mention, the bunny is adorable. Some parents mentioned they want to contact him for their children's upcoming parties. He was terrific! read more

We just hired Phil to do our eight-year-old's birthday party and he was awesome! Everyone--all 12 children and 10 adults--LOVED him. Highly recommended. Super entertaining, funny, and imaginative. Hire him! read more

My daughter's cheer coach hired Phil as a special surprise for their end of season celebration. There were 14 girls ages 5-7 and approx 30 parents. Not sure who enjoyed Phil more....the kids or the adults. He was great...fun for all ages. I would hire him for an event, party, celebration. read more

We first saw Phil at our friend's party and my youngest daughter saw him again at her pre-school. We hired him for our older daughter, Megan's 9th birthday party few months ago in our backyard and he was a hit with the kids! He tailored his show to audience. I know because I have watched him at a mixed party. So at this party, it was very mild for the adults. But such an awesome time the 9-year olds had! I know my daughters have fond memories of the day. Great communications beforehand. And he came on time. Thank you again Phil! read more

I have done quite some search (and research, calling, discussing) before I made the decision to have Phil for my son's 6th birthday party. I am so glad that I made the right decision. +: Phil is extremely easy to work with. Communication is always open and on time. He delivers exactly what he promised. I asked for a special trick that was not in his original plan. But he gladly accommodated my request. You have a clear picture of what to expect, as an engineer, it is important to me.(Read his website and other reviews here) Kids were super engaged. We had over 40 kids. Boy! Without Phil's magic, I don't know how to keep them on the spot for the party. It's fun! fun! fun! -: The only thing I would say here is that, because Phil communicated with us so clearly and the party went so smoothly, there was no surprise. :) If you want to find more, I highly encourage you to call Phil and talk to him and find out whether he is the right magician for your party. read more

Phil was fantastic at our son's 6th birthday party. We was very professional and easy to work with. He had the kids completely engaged during the show. My son has special needs and has a hard time focusing. Phil had him laughing a participating throughout the show. The kids and parents enjoyed themselves so much. I strongly recommend using Phil for your next event. I know we will! read more