Things to Do in Grand Rapids This Weekend (April 17–18, 2026)
- Apr 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 14
Two nights. Two completely different shows. Both at Wealthy Theatre.
If you're looking for something to actually do this weekend, not just scroll past, the Grand Rapids Magic Festival is back, and this year's lineup is the best we've put together.
Friday Night: Bring the Whole Family
Presto: Family Friendly Magic Show— Friday, April 17 at 7pm (doors at 6pm)
This is the kind of night where everyone in the room, eight or eighty, is watching the same impossible thing happen at the same time. Kids see magic. Adults see their kids' faces when magic happens. Everyone leaves talking about it.
The lineup is five magicians from five different states, each bringing something different to the stage. Max Davidson, based in New York and trusted by companies like Google and Apple, specializes in mentalism. He'll guess your phone password, read your mind, and solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded. His entire show is interactive, which means your family isn't just watching. You're part of it. Noah Sonie brings magic, mind reading, and hypnosis from Minneapolis. He's performed on the CW's Penn & Teller: Fool Us and Masters of Illusion, and has worked corporate stages for Target, American Express, and Harvard. Cole Blalock flies in from Salt Lake City with the kind of energy that reminds people, especially students, that magic is genuinely real. Eric Stevens, performing magic for nearly 25 years out of Las Vegas, brings wit and sophistication that has astonished audiences across the world. And I'm hosting alongside them rouding out the evening!
Fast-paced. High-energy. Designed so the whole family actually enjoys it together. If you're curious about how magic became a real part of Grand Rapids' culture, check out the history of magic in Grand Rapids.
Tickets
General Admission: $30
VIP: $50, includes a special gift and guaranteed front-center seating (extremely limited)
All ages welcome. No late seating.
Saturday Night: Make It a Unique Night Out
Amaze & Amuse: A Modern Day Magic Show — Saturday, April 18 at 7pm (doors at 6pm)
Saturday is a different animal. Adults only (18+), and this one is the season finale, which means we went bigger. The lineup is genuinely stacked. Parker William, one of the Twin Cities' top comedy magicians and an IBM Stage Magician of the Year, brings the kind of high-energy performance that include clients like the NFL, the PGA, Macy's, and the Mall of America. Caleb Wiles, twice featured on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, performs original magic that other magicians around the world perform and has been seen on international television specials. He's also the founder of Magic For A Cause, a nonprofit that uses magic to do actual good in the world. Steve Cabe flies in from Los Angeles with the kind of magic that's less about tricks and more about making you feel something. Grand Rapids' own Aerial Ashley brings over a decade of professional performance to new heights. She has performed for Corewell Health, the JW Marriott, and some of the most curated events in the city. And I'm hosting and performing alongside all of them, which makes this one of the most talented groups of people I've ever shared a stage with.
Comedy magic. Mentalism. Aerial performance. One night.
This show works as a date night, a group outing, or just a Saturday that's better than another round of drinks.
Part of what makes a weekend like this possible is the collaboration that happens behind the scenes. If you want to understand where that comes from, here's the story behind WonderBash and how it shaped the way I think about bringing performers together.
Tickets
General Admission: $30
VIP: $50, includes a special gift and guaranteed front-center seating (extremely limited)
Ages 18+ only. No late seating.
Make a Full Night of It
Both shows are at Wealthy Theatre, which sits in one of the best neighborhoods in Grand Rapids to build a full evening around. Grab dinner or drinks at Hancock or one of the many resturants or bars beforehand then head in for the show. Easy plan, genuinely great night. This is the fifth year of the Grand Rapids Magic Festival bringing performers in from around the country. Two nights, two completely different experiences, both built around shared moments and live performance.
Comments