Balloon boon

"Airigami: the art of folding air in specially prepared latex containers." I love anyone who can raise whimsy to the level of art. I love Larry Moss. He has made the world safe for balloon sculpture. At www.airigami.com, you can see the fantastic flying octopus (almost 20,000 balloons, 10,000 cubic feet of helium) and the giant soccer players (40,781 balloons, 40 feet high). Moss has written books (Twisting History --- Lessons in Balloon Sculpting) and performed at the White House.

This year, he will bring the infamous, spooky Balloon Manor back to Rochester after a one-year absence: Return to Balloon Manor will be in Irondequoit's Medley Centre October 20-29. If you were not at the first Balloon Manor, you missed an amazing experience like no other haunted house.

And among all those large-scale projects, I love the way Larry Moss personalizes each event. His magic act reaches everyone in the audience. I have watched children swamp him as he makes animals and things, granting each one their own shaped bag of helium.

This year, Moss has brought that personal touch to the Balloon Manor as local kids can enter the Design a Monster drawing contest. Details are at www.balloonmanor.com/kidscontest.php, but hurry since entries are due by August 8. Two grand-prize winners --- one for ages 9 and under and one for ages 10 to 18 --- will be chosen. Their drawings will be made into balloon monsters to appear in Balloon Manor. Runners-up will receive tickets to Balloon Manor and SeabreezeAmusement Park.