Published June 1st, 2026
Today marks a milestone that very few entertainers ever reach. On June 1st, 1986, a young performer stepped onto a stage with a Top Hat, a handful of props, and a dream. Forty years later, that dream is still alive — stronger, brighter, and more meaningful than ever.
Today, June 1st, 2026, I, Mark Mysterrio, proudly celebrate my Ruby Anniversary in Magic.
Forty years. Four decades of shows, laughter, surprises, and unforgettable moments shared with families, festivals, schools, resorts, and communities across Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, CT. RI, MN and beyond.
It’s humbling to look back at the journey – not just the shows, but the people who made them possible. The parents who trusted me with their children’s birthday memories. My own parents, my sister Mary who started my with my first magic kit, The festival organizers who welcomed me year after year. The resorts that once filled their calendars with live entertainment. The kids who grew up watching my show and later brought their kids to see me perform.
Magic is more than tricks.
It’s connection.
It’s joy.
It’s the spark that happens when a room full of strangers becomes a room full of smiles.
A Journey That Almost Didn’t Happen
When I started performing in the 1980s, the world of live entertainment was booming. Resorts were thriving, stages were full, and magicians had endless opportunities to perform. Over the years, many of those venues closed their doors. Some disappeared entirely.
But the magic didn’t disappear — it simply moved. It moved into schools, libraries, community events, drive‑ins, festivals, and backyards. It moved into the hands of families who still believe in wonder.
And it moved with me, every step of the way. Of course, I had to move with it Also. I could have just quit, but, I didn’t. I was much too stubborn. I knew that I could be anything and this is what I wanted to be, a magician. Every time I tried to do something else, magic found it’s way back to me and I found my way back into magic. I tried to fight it and it fought me every step of the way. It always won. Magic always wins!
“But, I still believe in magic. It comes from seeing with the heart.” My friend Melanie Safka wrote that in her song Do You Believe.
40 Years of Highlights
As I celebrate this Ruby Anniversary, I’m reminded of the moments that shaped my career:
- Performing at beloved local institutions like Becky’s Drive‑In, helping them celebrate their own milestones
- Performing at The Udder Bar
- Entertaining thousands at the Lehigh Valley Balloon Festival, an event that it looks like, we won’t be returning to this year due to funding.
- All the resorts that came and went. I have outlived so many of them
- The Great Allentown Fair, another one that I no longer do.
- The Shawnee Playhouse where I had a 5 year run.
- Bringing magic to schools, libraries, and community centers
- Watching shy children become confident helpers on stage
- Seeing families return year after year because the show became part of their tradition
- And So Many More!
A New Chapter Begins Today
Forty years is a long time, but it doesn’t feel like an ending. It feels like a beginning.
This year, I’m expanding my offerings, performing at new venues, and continuing to bring magic to the places that need it most. I’m also working on new material, new community partnerships, and new ways to make every show unforgettable.
And yes — I’m still fighting to bring magic back to events where funding cuts have removed entertainment. The magic belongs to the people, and I intend to keep it that way. I even go where I’m not often respected, places where I have to earn my respect and perhaps a respect for magic in general.
Thank You for 40 Magical Years
Whether you’ve seen one show or a hundred… Whether you booked me for a birthday party, a festival, a school assembly, or a corporate event… Whether you’ve followed my journey for decades or you’re discovering me today… if your name is in the short list above or if we didn’t publish it, just know that if we listed everyone I ever worked for, this list could take up the whole wide world web. (Yes, i’m that old. LOL) What I really want to say is: Thank You!
Thank you. You are the reason this Ruby Anniversary exists. You are the reason the magic continues.
Here’s to the next chapter. Here’s to new memories. Here’s to keeping the wonder alive — one show at a time.
If you’d like to bring the magic to your next event, you can reach me at: 📞 1‑872‑21‑MAGIC 📧 mrmysterrio@yahoo.com
The Ruby Anniversary begins today — and the best is still ahead.
