Temperatures hit the mid-90s Sunday in Charleston, but one entertainer at the Red, White & Blue Days at Morton Park beat the heat despite a professional outfit.

Andrew Anderson, of Andrews Family Magic, arrived at the park Sunday afternoon for his two hours of magic in long black pants, a red button-up dress shirt, a black vest and colorful tie. He wanted to present himself professionally.

Despite the heat, Anderson, 60, performed in numerous places around Morton Park for audiences ranging anywhere from 10-20 people at a time.

“I do like to wear something that’s going to keep me cool, but I also like to present myself well,” Anderson said.

For the people who didn’t recognize him from his weekly Pizza Hut appearances every Tuesday, Anderson was trying to make a good first impression. After all, Sunday was his first performance at the Red, White & Blue Days.

Being his first time at Red, White & Blue Days, but certainly not his first time doing magic, Anderson said the crowd was very receptive.

For Anderson, that’s par for the course.

“I very rarely have a crowd that isn’t receptive,” Anderson said. “It’s kind of a unique thing to see a guy like me doing magic.”

Anderson, of Charleston, said a substitute teacher in fourth grade, who would reward the students for their good work in school by showing them a magic trick, first introduced him to magic.

“I never got to see any magic tricks,” Anderson joked. “I was fascinated by it.”

Anderson started magic by studying Harry Houdini. Anderson said this led him to begin doing rope tricks.

“Being tied up and getting lose,” Anderson said.

After doing magic for a while, at anything from festivals to birthday parties, he chose to pursue music. However, in the mid-1990s, he ended up doing magic once again.

To many requests, Anderson began doing birthday parties again.

Recently, Anderson has done the Taste of Champaign, and he will be performing at the Coles County Fair, which starts July 31.

Anderson said he likes doing magic because it can make people laugh and smile, which makes him feel good about what he is doing.

“Everyone likes to see things that are mystifying, things that are wonderful and make them laugh,” Anderson said. “Magic, when it works, is mystifying, but I want it to be portrayed as something funny and fun.”

Anderson left Sunday with a good impression of the event. He said he would definitely come back.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-7942 or deneic@gmail.com.

Andrews Family Magician performs a rope trick with the help of Makenzie Pamperin, 6, of Charleston Sunday afternoon at Red, White & Blue Days at Morton Park. (Audrey Sawyer

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