Schools: Connaught Heights Elementary (New Westminster) and École Pitt River Middle School (Port Coquitlam) Format: A ticketed family magic show, run by the PAC as a fundraiser Venue: The school gym Entertainment: My one-man magic show, about 60 to 70 minutes
The problem every PAC runs into
It usually starts the same way. A parent volunteer finds me, asks for a quote, and takes my number to the next PAC meeting.
And that's where it ends. A four-figure entertainment line item is a hard sell when the whole point of the night is to raise money, not spend it. I've had committees tell me their entire entertainment budget is $700. I get it. Every dollar a PAC spends on a performer is a dollar that doesn't go to the school.
So I stopped asking schools to budget for me.
The flip: make the show the fundraiser
Instead of paying for entertainment, the PAC sells tickets to it. I'm the draw. Families buy tickets, the ticket money covers the show, and everything after that goes back to the school.
Here's the math I walk every PAC through. Take 100 students. Most of them come with a sibling and two parents. That's 400 people, and a school gym holds that comfortably. I suggest $15 to $20 a ticket.
Suddenly I'm not a cost the PAC has to defend. I'm the reason 400 people show up, and every one of them is a chance to sell popcorn, a hot dog or a 50/50 ticket.
Case study 1: Connaught Heights Elementary, New Westminster
Date: March 31, 2023 Tickets: $12 adults, $8 kids aged 2 to 10, free under 2, sold through SchoolCashOnline Crowd: About 400 kids and family members Extras: A 50/50 draw Raised: Almost $2,500
The Connaught Heights PAC billed it as "A Night of Magic." Doors at 6:15, show at 7:00, friends and family welcome.
The split was simple. My team designed the poster and pushed it on our socials. I brought all my own sound and equipment. The PAC sold the tickets and filled the gym.
Look at those ticket prices again. At $12 and $8, well under what I'd suggest now, the PAC still made almost $2,500 in one evening. Mita, the PAC Vice Chair, wrote to me the week after:
"It was an amazing show - the families really enjoyed themselves! And we made almost $2500! This event was a huge success for us. And it was relatively easy with you providing the poster, helping with the promotion, and bringing all of your own equipment."
Mita, PAC Vice Chair, Connaught Heights Elementary
"Relatively easy" is the part I care about most. PAC volunteers are already stretched. A fundraiser that makes money and doesn't burn them out is one they'll run again. They also passed our poster to every other PAC in New West.
Case study 2: École Pitt River Middle School, Port Coquitlam
Date: April 14, 2024 Tickets: $15 adults, $10 kids, plus $5 for each extra person in a group of five or more Extras: Hot food from a local caterer, a student bake sale, concession snacks, draw prizes and a 50/50 raffle Also on the night: The school's time capsule opening Brought in: Over $2,000
Pitt River's PAC took the idea further and built a whole community evening around the show. Doors opened at 4:30. The time capsule opening was at 5:00. The magic show started at 6:30.
In between, families could grab a pulled pork, brisket or jackfruit sandwich for $10 or a hot dog for $6. Leadership students baked and ran the bake sale. There were draw prizes and a 50/50 raffle on a QR code.
That's the model at its best. The show brings people through the door, and every table in the room gives them another way to give. By the end of the night, it had all added up to over $2,000.
Pitt River also taught me the other half of this. Ticket sales come in late. The PAC kept sending fliers home with students right up to the week of the show, because families here decide at the last minute. That's normal, and it's why I now offer flexible payment terms, so a slow first week of sales doesn't leave a PAC out of pocket.
How to run one at your school
What the school brings:
- The gym. A free venue is what makes the numbers work.
- Ticket sales, through the system your district already uses.
- A few volunteers for the door, the food tables and the draws.
What I bring:
- A 60 to 70 minute show, built for kids and parents in the same room.
- All my own sound and equipment.
- The poster, designed by my team, plus promotion on our socials.
Stack the extras. The show gets people in the room. These are what turn a good night into a great one:
- Popcorn, hot dogs and a concession table
- A student bake sale
- A 50/50 draw (check your gaming licence before you advertise it)
- Prize draws
- A silent auction
- Merch, if your PAC wants to go that far
Give families a second reason to come. Pitt River paired the show with its time capsule opening. An anniversary, an art show or a student performance all work.
Start selling early, and keep selling. Send fliers home more than once. Expect a rush in the final week.
Think about who can't afford a ticket. Setting a few aside for families who'd otherwise miss out costs little and means a lot.
The principle
Don't budget for the entertainment. Let the entertainment fund the night.
When the show is the reason families come, a PAC stops asking "Can we afford a magician?" and starts asking "How many tickets can we sell?" That's a much better conversation to have.
If you're on a PAC and want to try this at your school, let's talk about a fundraiser night.
FAQ
How much can a magic show fundraiser raise for a school? It depends on tickets sold and how many extras you run. Connaught Heights Elementary made almost $2,500 in one evening with $12 and $8 tickets and a 50/50 draw.
What does the school need to provide? The gym, ticket sales and a handful of volunteers. I bring the show, the sound, the equipment and the poster.
How much should we charge for tickets? I suggest $15 to $20 a person. Family or group pricing helps. Pitt River added each extra person in a group of five or more for $5.
How long is the show? About 60 to 70 minutes, built for kids and parents watching together.
Who makes the poster? My team designs it. Your PAC prints it, shares it and sends it home with students.
What if ticket sales start slowly? They usually do. Families decide late. Keep promoting through the final week, and ask me about flexible payment terms.
