From his mischievous smile, and silly demeanor- you quickly feel like you’re talking to somebody less than half his age. There is something very light and easy about talking to Eric, and within minutes of connecting, you can see why little ones are drawn to him and that so much of his success is built around the joy he gets from making children smile.
Knaus grew up in Bethesda and has lived in Montgomery County his whole life. A graduate of BCC high school, he spent much of his childhood zooming around the county on his bike, hanging out with friends and working at a local children’s place space, Discovery Zone as a children’s party host. This is perhaps the first time he realized he had a knack for connecting with kiddos- and making it lucrative. The more he could get even the shyest kids to laugh and engage with him- the more fun he had- and the better his tips became.
He distinctly remembers his boss coming to see him after a couple months on the job and saying “you know, we have about 50 requests for parties and about 40 of them ask for you by name.”
As a young adult, he joined the army reserve where, not many reservists can say, he was introduced to magic. Knaus befriended a fellow reservist who was showcasing some simple parlor tricks and realized that this could be something! He spent his free time at Barry’s Magic Shop in MoCo, learning a few slights of hand and told his parents he needed a stage name because he was taking the show on the road as a kid’s magician- his dad came up with Great Zucchini, a play on the Great Houdini, and off he went- creating a cult following of 3-5 year olds and their tired, grateful parents.
Today he has turned his brilliant idea into a shockingly powerful business. Knaus performs about 800 shows a year, many times booking four shows on Saturdays and Sundays, and even has to reject about 500 more. It will set you back about $400, a competitive price for the pricey birthday circuit in MoCo but he realizes it’s still an investment for many, and donates about 40-50 more to community organizations around Montgomery County every year.
It’s hard to explain what to expect when the Great Zucchini shows up. Affable and breezy, with just a simple beat up suitcase and a casual T-shirt and jeans- no cape and no wand in sight… you think to yourself, I wonder if these mini critics- all hopped up on juice pouches and teddy graham’s are going to eat him alive? … Then he begins, his stooges-like humor, Buddy the Elf naivety and simple magic tricks immediately get any squirming group of little ones cackling in a minute or less- and while you may be able to see through some of his joke shop tricks, you can certainly feel the magic.
One of his favorite bits is to walk on stage and act like he didn’t know where the kids went… all of them. “Hey, where are you guys? I thought I had a show here!” Giggles and exasperation ensue “We’re here, We’re here!” “Shoot.. I can hear you, but I can’t see you. Where are you guys?” He looks under his chair and falls over, the giggles erupt immediately and don’t stop for 45 minutes.
The Great Zucchini‘s “local legend” reputation is also a bit of an understatement. His reputation skyrocketed to nationwide fame, thanks to a 2006 Washington Post magazine cover story, written by the infamous Pulitzer Prize winning author, Gene Weingarten, and nowadays Hollywood’s got its eyes on him—yes, the life rights to his story have been optioned for a possible tv series.
While the details of his Hollywood debut are mostly under wraps, one thing’s for sure: when Eric, the Great Zucchini, finally graces the our screens, we’ll all be there, generations of us, ready to witness how this mini magician of Montgomery County enchants audiences far beyond the charming confines of our hometown.
Zeina Davis is the owner of Montgomery County-based marketing and events agency, Mosaic Creative Agency. She specializes in social media, event planning, marketing, community outreach, and placemaking, helping to elevate local initiatives and foster community connections. Growing up in Montgomery County, Maryland, and currently residing in Gaithersburg with her husband and two children, Zeina has a deep-rooted passion for enriching the community she calls home and initiatives that enrich the everyday lives of those in Montgomery County and beyond. [email protected]
