Amazed and excited gasps are heard in the crowd, as a rabbit mysteriously appears from the magician's hat – which was empty only moments before!

The Lions Club's World Festival of Magic has been touring New Zealand for more than 30 years – and this Tuesday, November 22, it's hitting Tauranga.

The charity show is for disadvantaged and less fortunate children and their families. The organisations getting a slice of magic this year are: DEBRA NZ, a charity that supports individuals and families affected by epidermolysis bullosa, START – Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust, and Hearing Dogs NZ – a charity that specially trains dogs for deaf and hearing impaired. 'They come along and have a wonderful show for free and go home full of magic,” Ken Evans from Lions Club of Tauranga City Sunrise.

The show will feature acts performed by professional international and Kiwi magicians. There will be illusionary stunts, laughs and magic in the air. Ken seen every show for the past 10 years and enjoys the classic lady in the box magic routine. 'The main magician puts ladies in boxes and puts knives, and axes in and all sorts of terrible things and then they come out unscathed, so the kids have a hell of a fright.” He says kids love seeing the wondrous magic at the show. 'It's all new to them and something many of them have never seen before.”

Ken says local business sponsors donate more than $40,000 collectively to make the charity show happen. 'I just want to give a special mention to the wonderful businesses that front up every year and contribute to this – they're just amazing people, they really are.”

The show had to be via Zoom for the last two years due to Covid-19. Now, the magic can be enjoyed in one room, face-to-face and Tauranga City Sunrise Lions couldn't be happier to provide this annual gift. 'We all need a bit of magic in our lives, don't we?”

The charity show is at Bethlehem College from 4pm-7pm, on Tuesday, November 22. To book tickets, email: wfomnz@gmail.com