Kiwi magician Elgregoe is once again hitting the dusty trail throughout the country, rearing to get his live show off the road and into schools starting in Whanganui and making his way up north next week.
The celebrated performer - almost an educator in his own right - has a new live magic show for 2017 and children from five to 12-year-olds across schools from Whanganui to Mangakino and are in for more action-packed tricks than ever before.
From Elgregoe's sidekicks such as Chester the lie detecting chicken, to his posse of parrots and puppets, there is plenty to entertain.
But Elgregoe, (known off-stage as Greg Britt), is more than just an entertainer.
Years ago, he was immersed in conversation with a friend. The friend, a school principal, professed frustration with the issues of school bullying he was dealing with at the time. He jokingly challenged Elgregoe to make bullying disappear with his magic.
Jokes aside, it's a task Elgregoe has continued to face year after year with his popular blend of humour, magical illusions and behavioural education.
More than 900,000 Kiwi kids have been treated to his show, and this year thousands more will learn about how they can become part of the solution to bullying in schools.
Elgregoe hopes to see students having fun at the show, while still engaging with the messages around the seriousness of bullying, and key elements needed to make it disappear.
"Every time I step onto a school stage I say to myself: 'this one is for them'. I want to take them on a journey, to give them that sense of wonder I felt when I first saw a magician and, more importantly, to remember the messages," Elgregoe said.
"I want school to be a positive experience for them and give them the skills to have a bully free day because that's the real magic!"
This year the show focuses on making kids a HERO at school by teaching them Honesty, Empathy, to be Resilient and find Opportunities to help others, making them part of the solution to bullying and helping them to building caring school communities.