LINCOLN CITY – This spring break will be a whip-cracking, art-making, balloon-twisting, mesmerizing and appetizing good time at the beach, thanks to the 2024 Surftides Hotel Festival of Illusions at the Lincoln City Cultural Center. This family-friendly, weatherproof festival will offer magic, art, ventriloquism, juggling, circus tricks and more, with daytime and evening events for every budget, from March 23 to 30.

This annual beach vacation tradition is sponsored by Amy Graham, Taylor & Taylor Realty Co., the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts and Surftides Hotel Lincoln City. Reserved tickets are on sale now. 

This year’s lineup includes four festival debuts, including Canadian ventriloquist Michael Harrison (March 26) and the inspiring father-son duo of Lucky Luke (and Levi) Hammer (March 24), and the return of favorites like Mz. Pearl’s Variety Show (March 27) and Alex Zerbe the Zaniac (March 28). Each evening show will be different from the last. See full schedule for event dates, time and ticket prices.

There will be plenty to do in the daytime, as well. In addition to Krista Eedy’s famous Magic Art Studio, the Cultural Center will also host the Boredom Busting Balloon class and a Cookie Decorating Workshop. There will be a sale of “magic gear” and a Hogwarts Lego Castle on display, and a visit from the Oregon Coast Art Bus. The Shaky Grounds Cafe, a pop-up escape room about emergency preparedness, will be on site and open for business March 23 through March 26. 

Families can even take a little of the magic home: Themed Art Kits, made by a team of volunteers and the LCCC Artistic Director Krista Eddy, will be available while supplies last. Members of the public are invited to “shop” the art kit room, located next to Margaret’s Meeting Room, upstairs at the LCCC. Art Kits are by donation — pay what you can and enjoy crafting with the little ones in your life.

While you’re at the Center, check out the new outdoor art installations of the Cultural Plaza. If the weather is nice, you can head out to give Pete Beeman’s abstract “Poppy” a push, read the new poem on the Poetry Path, or play a tune on the Harmony Notes instruments. The Center will also be hosting a new exhibit, “Vivid Existence” by Riley Hoagland, in the Chessman Gallery. It will be open during the special Festival of Illusions hours, 10am to 5 pm daily, March 23-30. 

The Festival of Illusions was founded in 2011 to provide affordable family entertainment during Oregon’s public school spring break. 

“It’s always exciting to welcome new talent to our annual spring break fun fest,” said LCCC Executive Director Niki Price. “I can’t wait to see Commander Salamander Super Circus Sideshow, The American Mystifier and Luke and Levi Hammer – and our first ventriloquist in 12 years of Festival of Illusions. But I also love to see favorites like Heather Pearl, Alex Zerbe and David Lichtenstein, back to entertain our audiences once again!”

For the full schedule and other information, head to this page. To reserve your seats, cruise on over to our ticketing site. The Lincoln City Cultural Center is located at 540 NE Highway 101, Lincoln City, OR 97367. The LCCC galleries will be open 10am – 5pm throughout the festival week. For inquiries or ticketing, visit lincolncity-culturalcenter.org or call the office at 541-994-9994.