A Las Vegas venue is hosting a cannabis-themed magic show in what may be Sin City’s first cannabis residency.
Area 15, an entertainment venue located just off the Vegas Strip, just announced plans to host “Smokus Pocus,” a magic show that exclusively focuses on weed. The show, created by Oregon magician Ben Zabin, offers a “mind-blowing experience of tokes, jokes, and tricks which has enthralled thousands of cannabis enthusiasts throughout the US and Canada,” according to the Area 15 website.
“This mind-blowing night out is packed with tricks so trippy that you’ll be asking ‘what the f—?!’,” the Smokus Pocus website promises. “Cannabis plants will appear, lighters will come to life, and bongs will bend reality in this immersive performance experience designed to enthrall both the stoned and sober.”
According to his website, Zabin dropped out of college to perform magic shows on cruise ships while simultaneously running a successful weed business. After 15 years of performing traditional magic tricks, he launched “Smokus Pocus” in 2021 to combine his passions for weed and magic. Since then, he has toured the US, sold out extended runs in Brooklyn, and launched a Canadian franchise of the show.
“Both stoned and sober audience members love the magical high,” Zabin said in a statement, according to TheStreet. “While many arrive baked, all will leave bewildered.”
Zabin may be encouraging people to get baked before the show, but Nevada’s cannabis laws can make that difficult. Public consumption remains prohibited, so anyone caught puffing a joint outside the venue can be hit with a hefty fine. State law also bars Area 15, or any other venue that serves alcohol, from selling weed. Locals can light up in the comfort of their home before the show, but since most hotels and BnB rentals prohibit indoor smoking, that same trick can be difficult for tourists.
Fortunately, Las Vegas is finally working to solve the problem. Earlier this month, the city started issuing licenses for cannabis consumption lounges that will allow adults to legally smoke up in enclosed indoor spaces. And luckily for anyone who wants to go see Smokus Pocus, one of these new lounges is being opened by Planet 13 dispensary, which is just down the street from Area 15. Vegas’ first weed-friendly hotel is slated to open this spring as well.
Area 15 will be hosting Smokus Pocus for a two-month residency between April 15th and June 15th. And yes, that includes 4/20. Oklahoma residents will also get a chance to catch the show in Oklahoma City on March 24th and in Tulsa on the 25th.
To learn more about the Smokus Pocus magic show, click here.
