Nobody, and I mean nobody, does a kid's magic show like The Great Zucchini! He is the only magician that can keep the kids laughing and screaming with delight for over 40 minutes straight. The Great Zucchini is a genius kid's magician and has broken new ground in the area of magic performance and comedy. He really changed the game by distinguishing between "magic trick performance" and "hilarious comedy magic". I recommend The Great Zucchini to anyone looking to give their kid's an unforgettable show... when you want the best, he's it... and well worth it! Having a five year old, I can personally attest to the magic abilities of The Great Zucchini and recommend him without hesitation. He's the best!!!! read more

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Two years ago, my granddaughter (then 4 years old) and I went to see The Great Zucchini at White Flint Mall--she laughed so hard she shook. I laughed because she was laughing so hard. Since then we have seen him a number of times and everytime she still laughs as hard as the first time! When I see he's appearing near us I'll ask her if she wants to see him again and she still always says yes. But besides being a fantastic children's entertainer he is also a real humanitarian. When my husband was planning an event for children of military veterans, without our asking, he volunteered his time to come and entertain the children. And that's not the only show that he has donated to a good, non-profit cause--he's a really nice guy. read more

If you are lucky enough to be able to book The Great Zucchini for your kid's birthday, DO IT! We hired him for my 4 year old's birthday after seeing him perform at the Java cafe and everyone had a blast. It was refreshing to have something different than the standard bounce house, cake and ice-cream birthday and everyone had fun!! The weather was terrible so the party got off to a late start but Eric (The Great Zucchini) was on time and understanding. He was great about talking to and entertaining the the birthday boy and his friends with silly tricks while we waited for everyone to arrive. The show itself is ridiculous and hilarious - perfect for a young age group. Once the show started, he was great about engaging with all of the kids and making them feel included. They were literally rolling on the floor laughing! While it was definitely geared towards the kids, the adults had fun as well. As an performer, his is extremely professional - prompt, responsive (but his calendar fills up), and puts his heart into every performance. You can tell he is having a great time with the kids and really cares about making sure that everyone is having a fun time. He really is the ultimate Children's Entertainer! read more

The Great Zucchini - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great show and great with kids! We've seen The Great Zucchini perform at a number of parties and at Jammin' Java and every time the kids love it. We were lucky enough to book him for my son's 4th bday and it was great. The kids really enjoyed the show and he does a tremendous job keeping their attention...criss cross applesauce! He is professional and takes his craft seriously, which is great to see. Keep in mind you'll need to get on his calendar early if you have a date in mind. read more

What can I say? The kids LOVE him... and it's pretty amazing seeing children, including MY children, smile that big. Worth every penny. read more

The Great Zucchini is magic with kids. He has them in the palm of his hand from the moment his show begins. I've never heard belly laughs like I heard when he was performing today. He was prompt and professional. Not only is his show great, but he's so friendly and easygoing during the booking process. He's extremely flexible on location and party size, his price is the same whether it's 5 kids or 50. He wants to make things as easy for the parents as it is fun for the kids. I cannot recommend him highly enough. read more

THE BEST entertainer for children in the DMV area. I have been taking my preschool group to see "The Great Zucchini" shows for years. He never disappoints. From the first comedic trick, the children are engaged and smiling. It is no easy task to engage a 2-3 yr old for a full show. No problem for The Great Zucchini. Young and old are captivated by his quick wit. Laughter is the main ingredient at any show I have attended. In addition to the shows, I have been to a birthday party where The Great Zucchini entertained. The birthday boy talked about it for months afterwards!! The Great Zucchini is a must on the bucket list if you have never seen him. A+ read more

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He performed at my sons' school and we have seen him at several public events. My kids love his goofiness and charm and it was non-stop fun and games the entire time! They have repeatedly asked to see him again, as he makes them laugh and enjoy being kids. My shy son also had no problem getting up on stage--The Great Zucchini was so wonderful about making him feel comfortable that my son actually ASKED to go up for the next performance! The Great Zucchini is awesome at getting to the kids' levels and making them feel like they are the center of the world. Love him! read more

I hired Eric to entertain a group of Preschoolers on a Zoom event and he was fantastic! Every kid was engaged, laughing and having fun. His humor is spot on for the preschool age group with lots of silly jokes mixed into the magic. He has a gift for entertaining for sure! read more

He seems to be a great hit with the kids, which is perfect since his prime audience is 5-7 year olds. They'll laugh at most anything, but he strikes the right chord with his schtick of acting clueless and repeating the same trick over and over again, with different props. We had our first Zucchini experience at a morning show. He looked and acted like he'd just rolled out of bed. The show started about 10 minutes late - he kept pushing it back as more people arrived. Fine, but a little frustrating to those who arrived on time and are wrestling wiggly and excited kiddos. When he got going and turned on his act, I leaned over to my husband and said, "Oh. I get it. He's drunk uncle from SNL." He does engage a lot of kids from the audience, and he was especially kind to a little guy with special needs. At the end of the show, he makes a big deal about handing out business cards but, "only if you want me to come to your house to do a show." Kids swarmed the guy, but we noticed that he ignored the smaller ones. Guess he figured he they weren't his target age, but it was obvious. Performers typically hand out business cards like candy, and him overlooking the little kids obviously wanting to connect with him made me kind of mad. To be honest, I went into his show a little jaded, given the personality reviews I'd read on parenting sites. He met my expectations. Yeah, the kids think he's hilarious and I guess that's what counts in his line of work, but I was less than impressed with his demeanor and overall character. read more

We are totally floored with how amazing the Great Zucchini is with kids! He can literally bring tears to your eyes from the joy of seeing your child laughing sooo hard. If you thought you could make your child laugh, wait until you take them to one of the Great Zucchini's shows! We found the Great Zucchini's show online at Jammin Java about 2 yrs ago when we first moved to the area. Our daughter enjoyed it so much that we started going every week. We became diehard loyal fans because not only was his show excellent, but he also spent time getting to know the parents. We quickly got on a first name basis with Eric and became friends. We learned that not only was he a great entertainer but a truly great person to know! Eric is 100% dedicated to his shows and he's never once been late or slacked off on any performance. You get your money's worth every time! I can guarantee you're whole family will love him! We have known Eric for 2yrs now and have gone to probably 100 shows, lol, AND we've been so impressed with his magical way with kids, that we've asked him to come perform in Canada!! We are SUPER excited that he's accepted our offer and can't wait to 'show him off' to the kiddos of the Great White North!! If you're looking for a fun event to take your kids to, or need a birthday entertainer you need not look any further than this post right here. Tell him Jocelyn sent you!! (who knows, it might just get you a discount ;) lol jk ...but try it anyway!!!) Keep up the awesome work!!!!!!! read more

Stop Googling "kids entertainers" right now -- you've found your guy! We hired The Great Zucchini for my son's 5th birthday, and we could not be happier. We had a party for about 25 to 30 kids, ages 2 to 7, and every one of them was totally enraptured. This is hard-core silly -- whether he's pretending to be oblivious when he tries (and fails) to put away nuisance birds on his magic wand, douses himself with a water bottle or helping a kid volunteer "disappear," his audience loved every minute. We've seen him several times in the area, and we have his app; my son watches GZ's archived shows and skits. So we are familiar with his antics, but still were in stitches, along with all of the other adults. Call The Great Zucchini today to reserve your date, before his calendar fills up. And The Great Zucchini should keep my credit card on file: My son has already requested him for his 6th birthday party -- a repeat customer is a happy customer! read more

Our family loves the Great Zucchini! We've been going to his shows for the last 4 years. Our kids think he's hilarious. We hired him for one of our birthday parties not too long ago. He was awesome as usual and a huge hit with the kids. The parents at the party were cracking up too. He even joined our birthday party's laser tag game! We also hired him for an event in Canada. The event sold out. Even with such a large group he delivered a great performance and kept the kids engaged. Everyone thought he was so funny! We were extremely thrilled with how it all turned out thanks to him! The Great Zucchini is a good guy that's hilarious and amazing with children. Forget 5 stars! He gets 100 stars from us. Hire him for your next event or party. He's totally worth it! read more

We started going to the Great Zucchini's shows in 2010, when my twins were 2.5 and my younger son was 1. My kids fell in love with him immediately, and they still (at 6.5 and almost 5) tell my husband and me that we are "funny, but not as funny as the Great Zucchini." Even when we moved from Arlington to Ashburn, we still made the trek to Jammin Java each week for his show. Now that my kids are school-age, we can't make it to the weekday shows, but we catch weekend shows whenever we can, and we are looking forward to having the GZ perform for my little guy's birthday in August. I agree wholeheartedly with the review below that says he can bring tears to your eyes from the joy of seeing your child laugh so hard... Big belly laughs every single time. He does truly know his audience, and he has them mesmerized from start to finish. He really gets what makes the under 7 set tick! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-davis-smith/the-great-zucchinis-secre_b_5435280.html Importantly, Eric Knaus is also a wonderful person who, at every opportunity, gives back to the community that supports him (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-davis-smith/thre-great-zucchini-gives_b_2260969.html). read more

We just had The Great Zucchini for our daughter's birthday party - she and about 20 of her friends has the BEST time! He showed up early enough to set up, and kept the kids in giggle fits the entire show. We definitely had to clean up a puddle on the floor where one girl laughed so hard she peed her pants. We loved the show and would recommend him without question for a 3-year-old birthday. read more

The best kids entertainer in the DC Area, funny man - The Great Zucchini has numerous tricks up his sleeve that will leave your little ones mesmerized. His shows never get boring - even though we've watched him perform over and over again. He's always coming up with something new and even his old tricks never go out of style. If you're looking for a kids' entertainer - The Great Zucchini is your guy! read more

Simply the best preschool kids entertainer in metro DC! You have to see this guy to believe it! The Great Zucchini is like comedy crack for kids! They LOVE him! I can't figure it out, but he's like a rock star to these kids. If you can book him for your church day care or birthday party, do it - but be warned - he books up fast and early! I think he has a regular show at Jammin' Java in Vienna VA so you can see him first. read more

We had my son's 5th birthday party at our house just yesterday and I am still smiling. First of all, I'm one those parents who believes in having parties elsewhere so that others can handle the entertainment, cleaning, serving, etc. I called the Great Zucchini to schedule him for our party and he was extremely professional. I felt such good energy over the phone. When he suggested we do the home thing because kids love to share their space with their friends, I was like "okaaay, I'll try it." I'm so happy we did it, despite the work involved (it actually wasn't bad at all). Zucchini arrived early, was very personable and made us totally comfortable almost immediately. The kids laughed so much and my son was grinning the whole day. Thanks Great Zucchini, you are as awesome as they say you are! read more

It's unfair to brand the Great Z a children's entertainer. He's an entertainer for adults as well as children. And an enormously talented one at that. My son and I have attended 10 of his shows in all sorts of venues; comedy clubs, schools, theaters, fairs, and, of course, private parties. Speaking of which, he has "headlined" my 7 year old boy's birthday for 5, yes 5, years. (Sometimes I think the only reason the neighbors are nice to me is be invited to the show!) His true delivery blends a robust appreciation of how children comprehend the world and a subtle sense adult sophistication. He blends those two elements in sparkling fashion. This is not a fancy show. He doesn't need high-tech because he's high-touch. Infectious, fun energy plus an outrageously clever sense of humor is is the very definition of hilarity. It's worth noting that the Great Z was an elementary school teacher in his pre-comedic life. Also worth noting is that there are several Hollywood treatments in the works based on his life and work. The Great Z is not just an entertainer, he's an artist, with elements of mime, slapstick, standup, improv, gag, magic, and many others. If you're looking for a party, he's it. Believe me, the kids and the kid in the adults will be transported. read more

This guy is terrible he came to our house a couple of years ago smelling like cigarettes and alcohol scratched all our hardwood floors. We had bought the party off a Groupon or a certifikid can't remember terrible experience read more

I've seen The Great Zucchini twice now. Both times a child was laughing so hard that they wet their pants. I've never seen kids laugh like this. When you hire him, make sure you stock up on wet wipes. Fantastic! read more

The Great Zucchini is genuine magic. I've seen him perform twice, at a birthday party for a friend's kiddo and for a party we hosted today. I've never seen a room full of 4/5/6 year olds so captivated. He totally is on their wavelength and makes them bust up laughing beginning to end. We had plenty of little siblings (lots of 2 year olds) and even some stray big kids (8-10 year olds) and everyone had a great time. My typically stoic 2 year old was in hysterics the entire time :) Everyone in the room (grownups included) loved the show - both times I've seen him. If you can get him, book him! read more

Wow. The Great Zucchini performed at my 4-year-olds birthday today and it was AMAZING. The kids were in hysterics during the 45-minute show. The parents actually seemed to enjoy it too! I had several people tell me it was one of the best birthdays they had been to. It was also just very easy to deal with the Great Zucchini. He was responsive and prompt and totally professional. I would absolutely recommend him. read more

The Great Zucchini does wonderful performances and it never gets old. Our child will be laughing the hardest we've ever seen him laugh! He gets all kids to behave during the show (even super excited birthday kids) and includes everyone. He's good at handling mixed age crowds of kids, too. He's prompt and professional. read more

There is no better entertainment for kids than The Great Zucchini. My four-year-old saw him perform last year and from that moment requested that he play her birthday party. Even with 10-months of build-up, he exceeded expectations. It is tough to describe his humor beyond that it leaves kids (and adults) in hysterics. He also gets all the kids involved in his magic tricks, opening up and being part of the show. Some parents told me afterwards how their kids are normally shy and reserved, particularly around new people, and they had never seek the kids open up so quickly and enjoy themselves in front of a stranger so immediately. Several days later and my daughter is still talking about the show and wondering when we can see him perform again. He was flexible with the timing and the location, though I suggest booking as early as possible, as I think we may have lucked into an opening in his crowded schedule. It would be difficult for me to more highly recommend booking The Great Zucchini for any kids gathering. read more

Wow -- I had no idea TGZ had Yelp reviews. But I guess everyone does these days. So, a belated review -- we attended a party last year where TGZ was the star attraction. He didn't disappoint either --the kids absolutely loved him. Sure, this is humor that will bore a teenager, and bewilder an adult, but TGZ isn't there to entertain THEM -- he's there for the little kids. They absolutely love him. The man connects like no other entertainer I've seen, and with lots of kids, I've seen them all. TGZ is also a good guy who hung around before and after the show to chat with the parents, talk to an admiring 4 year old or two, and talk Nationals baseball. Look forward to seeing him at least once more before my last kid ages out... read more

We hired The Great Zucchini to come and entertain at our preschool. Wow! I have never laughed so hard watching 75 - three, four and five year olds laughing. He was captivating to them and it was loud, ridiculously silly and absolutely wonderful. In spite of the volume of the laughter, he had complete control and they listened every time he asked them to do something. It was rather magical! Must also mention that TGZ was great to work with. He worked with us on dates, returned phone calls, contacted us in advance with an invoice, showed up early and was engaging with both our staff and the parents who stayed for the show. All in all, very professional! I'm thinking this might need to be an annual program for us! Many thanks, TGZ! read more

This man has no business being around kids!!! Especially kids with extra sparkle! He did a birthday party and because a child was a bit more into his performance, made 2 minor interruptions, and got out of his seat 1x, the "great Zucchini" decided to throw the boy out of the birthday party. He told the boy he was ruining his friends party (which his wasn't) and that the boy needed to learn consequences for his actions. Yep, that's correct! He threw out a boy from a 5 year olds birthday party for 3 minor interruptions. Not only did he force the child to leave while the child begged to stay and promised to be good, he publicly humiliated the child by making him think he was a terrible kid! Think 2x before hiring this man!!! He may have been good in the past but he's clearly burned out and has no patience for kids with a big heart! read more

The Great Zucchini just did our five year old's birthday party and I can't say enough good things. From speaking to him ahead of time to book the party, to his performance the day of, everything went without a hitch. We had about 22 kids and they were all riveted and laughing their heads off. It's amazing how the Great Zucchini manages to get kids to sit and pay attention without their noticing they are behaving! And it's because they are having so much fun. I highly recommend him for any young child's party. read more

We hired the Great Zucchini for my daughter's birthday party and were very happy with his performance. He was very professional from beginning to end. He contacted me several times before the show to confirm the information and details of the party. My daughter and her friends had a blast. We had over 30 kids and they were all laughing the whole time. Don't hesitate to hire him for your next birthday party. This was our third time trying to book him, I am glad he was free this time! read more

The Great Zucchini is truly a child whisperer! We have seen him several times and I am always amazed at how engaged and entertained the kids are throughout the whole thing. Don't expect to "get" his sense of humor, the show isn't about the adults. Although, he does throw an occasional adult joke out claiming he looks like Matt Damon or George Clooney, which is cute. This man has clearly spent years perfecting his craft so that he can relate to the kids and they absolutely adore him. I guarantee you that every single kid will be laughing and having an awesome time. If you have a chance to see him with your kids, don't miss it. We have seen him at Jammin' Java, the public library, and two birthday parties and the show never gets old. There is nothing fancy about his act, he doesn't need it, he connects with the kids on a comedic level that kids can relate to. He truly is amazing and you can't go wrong with the Great Zucchini. read more

My daughters had a joint birthday party and we hired The Great Zucchini to preform. We had a party of about 25 kids and he did not disapoint. His show was great. Both my daughters were included in the show as were some of the other kids he picked from the audience. He has the amazing ability to keep the kids attention for the whole hour long show. Everytime he has a public show we go and see him and the girls leave wanting to see him again. Great time and highly recomended for parties. read more

We were fortunate to have the Great Zucchini perform at my daughter's 5th birthday at the end of July. We booked 7 months in advance, and even then had to be squeezed in for a popular Saturday time slot! GZ is very easy to work with and super friendly. He responded promptly to my emails and showed up to the party early to set-up. He was very friendly and social with the parents and kids before and after his show. He knows what works best regarding set-up to keep the kids' attention. He does an amazing job commanding their attention, AND keeping it. Some of the kids who tend to be tougher critics were rolling in the floor nearly crying of laughter. I absolutely LOVE that he uses numerous kid volunteers throughout the shows. The kids love feeling included and their unpredictability adds to the fun! I still can't believe he could keep the attention and admiration a group of mostly 4-5 year olds for 35-45 minutes! We're not worthy Great Zucchini! read more

The Great Zucchini - Ready for a good time! - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The Great Zucchini is fantastic! It is not surprising that he performs at so many festivals, has regular gigs for kids' shows, and often is booked weeks and months in advance for private parties. The Washington Post said he has a "nearly magical ability to connect with children," and when you see him perform, it's easy to see why -- not so much by what he does, but by the reaction of the kids. You usually can find where The Great Zucchini is by following the sounds of children's laughter, delighted shrieks, and audience "call and response." This is truly an interactive show by someone who brings out kids' enthusiasm. But even the quieter, more shy kids will sit there with huge smiles on their faces. The show itself is a bit hard to describe -- a bit of magic, some silly antics, and a whole lot of comedy. The Great Zucchini bills himself as a "children's entertainer" (not magician, per se) and that is exactly what he does: entertain *children*. I really don't get a couple of reviews here where the parents were disappointed that the show did not appeal so much to them personally. Were you looking for children's entertainment, or something for YOU? Do you likewise expect high-brow entertainment when watching, say, PBS Kids? Children's sense of humor is very different from that of adults, and what may seem very silly or basic for a grown-up does not have the same effect on kids. For example, one thing The Great Zucchini sometimes does is perform obvious "tricks" that the kids recognize right away, and then they call him out on it in a fun "gotcha" way. To an adult that may mean nothing, but for a kid to notice and think "Hey, you can't pull a fast one on me!" is a lighthearted form of -- dare I say it? -- empowerment. At a Great Zucchini show, kids observe, interact, and speak up. But for all the silliness and goofy props, The Great Zucchini is a top-notch professional. He is a former preschool teacher who still carries that same discipline with him, and his shows therefore are a sort of "controlled chaos." He runs his shows extremely professionally, starting on time, controlling the flow well, observing the audience to see what works best, and making sure the kids are behaving. If the audience is talking, if kids are horsing around too much, or if someone is getting too close to the stage, he will gently remind the audience what it needs to do to help the show run smoothly. He is, at heart, the fun and fun-loving teacher who still will run his class professionally so everyone can enjoy it. Talk to him after a show and you will see readily that this is someone who truly cares about his craft and takes it seriously. Beyond his fun performances and professionalism, Eric (The Great Zucchini) contributes to the community by helping out with various causes. His contributions to fundraisers and pro-bono performances throughout each year are well-documented and deeply appreciated. He absolutely has a heart of gold! read more

Great show for our son's fourth birthday party! All the kids were in stitches and had a wonderful time.

We like having our parties at home, and having him come by was something really special for the kids. Much more intimate than booking a venue somewhere. He was on time, easy to work with and made kids age 3-4 sit and laugh, completely enthralled, for about 40 minutes. No small feat. I'd hire him again with no hesitations. It's been about a month since the party and the kids who attended the party are still bringing him up when I see them. read more

Hands down the best in the business. Nobody captivates preschoolers better than this guy. After reading the reviews I was concerned because some parents didn't like him but those people are missing the point he is all about pre schoolers. I happen to love his show but even if it's not your cup of tea who cares he brings more joy and laughter to kids than just about anyone. He has a few rules but wouldn't you if you had to deal with type A parents for years. If you are in doubt check out one of his public shows. We just had another kid and can't wait for her to be old enough to have Mr Zane back for another birthday party. read more

We had the fortune of having The Great Zucchini at our daughter's fifth birthday party. It was certainly a most memorable experience that exceeded our expectations and left our guests in stitches. Eric's style is original and we couldn't recommend him enough. read more

We hired him for my son's 5th birthday and I'm still in awe of how he was able to commandeer the attention of 25 kids for such a long time! He had them rolling on the floor! He had them dancing, jumping, saying silly things to each other, going to "sleep" - This guy is like some weird kiddie pied piper! My friend who had never heard of him called him the "kid whisperer"! - The guy just knows what makes little kids laugh. I can attest every single parent there laughed during the show just by seeing how the children reacted to him. He arrived early, quickly set up and started on time. Very professional, he promptly responded to all my e-mails and calls! I did have to book him 10 months in advance to get him on my son's actual birthday! He gets our household's stamp of approval! An awesome time was had by all! Even the tween big brother and big sister thought he was pretty cool! read more

He came to my daughter's 4th birthday party, and the children were rolling in the floor they were laughing so hard. It was a great experience! He was early, prepared and really involved all of the kids in the show - especially the birthday girl. Hire him for your next party - you won't be sorry! read more