Magic in a Picnic Basket at Edinborough Park

With a show titled The Magical Picnic Basket, Brian Richards of 4 Ace Productions brings a bit of warmth and humor to today.

"This time of year, it’s nice to think about picnics," Richards said.

As the name indicates, everything in the magic show comes out of a wicker picnic basket. The noontime performance will run half an hour to 40 minutes depending on audience involvement.

The show is geared toward preschool age children and, Richards explained, is slanted more toward the humorous side than "Wow, how’d he do that?"

The outcome is often infectious laughter. During his magic shows, Richards said kids get something he’s dubbed "magi-giggles."

A full time performer and educational speaker for the last 10 years, Richards primarily works in schools, with educational programs and other themed programs like "I Share Because I Care" and a self esteem program called "I Believe in Me," but he also works the daycare circuit. The show at Edinborough Park will be more similar to his daycare shows. 

Richards is pretty confident about his work. His website offers a better-than-money-back guarantee for his educational programs, stating, "If these educational school assembly programs fail to impress you and impact your kids, you pay nothing ... and I’ll pay you $100 for wasting your time."

"No one’s taken me up on it," he said. "That’s why I can afford to put that up there."

Today’s magic show will have an emphasis on audience participation, with an incentive for kids who choose to volunteer. The participants will be given an oversized imitation $100 bill with directions for a magic trick on the back. 

It has been 20 years since Richards first ventured into magic professionally, but his interest in the craft goes back much farther than that. When he was just seven or eight years old, Richards’ grandfather claimed to have known one of Harry Houdini’s assistants. No one knows if this is true—Richards admitted his grandfather could tell a tall tale every now and then—but after reading a book on Houdini, this was enough to peak the young Richards’ interest.

While Richards was a regular performer at Edinborough Park for a time, he estimates this is his first time back at the amphitheater in some seven years. He is excited to return, and said the venue is perfect for his summery show.

"It's a beautiful facility," he said.

For the budding magician, Richards maintains a website called that offers free videos to teach kids how to do magic tricks, along with a list of recommended books and information about magic-themed birthday party packages.

Like many of Edina’s residents, Edinborough Park will be taking this Sunday off for Super Bowl XLV. Concerts in the Park performances will resume on Thursday, Feb. 10 with a noontime show from Edinborough Park regular Bob the Beachcomber.

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If You Go:

What: The Magical Picnic Basket by 4 Ace Productions

When: Noon, Thursday, Feb. 3 

Where: , 7700 York Ave. S., Edina

Cost: Free