The smiles will be out of this world on July 24 when Connecticut magician, Matt The Balloon Man, brings his “To The Moon And Back” magic show to the Darien Library.

Free and open to the public, the 45-minute show will begin at 11 a.m. and is part of the library’s “Universe of Stories” summer reading program, tying in to the outer space theme.

“Summer programming provides children with the opportunity to engage in activities that they may not get to experience during the school year,” said Samantha Cardone, Darien Library’s Children’s Program Coordinator.

“Magic brings out a sense of wonder in kids and adults—we love being able to bring in performers who mystify our minds, enrich our experiences, and delight the senses!”

Matt The Balloon Man’s show will tie reading in to the outer space theme. “At one point we’re going to do some magic with an alien visitor who’s come to read our books, and then we’ll even have a child come up and do a re-enactment of when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon,” said Matt The Balloon Man.

“It’s important to me that the show is fun and reinforces how much fun kids can have by exploring the universe of stories we’re celebrating this year.”

After the magic show, Matt The Balloon Man will be teaching a magic learning workshop to kids who pre-registered.

“Everyone thinks that magicians aren’t supposed to reveal our secrets, but the truth is we love teaching others our craft,” he said. “I’ve even put together a list of my favorite beginner magic books for kids to read this summer.” His list is available at https://www.matttheballoonman.com/news/my-magic-summer-reading-list .

For more information on Matt The Balloon Man, visit www.MattTheBalloonMan.com. For more information about the Darien Library’s summer reading program visit www.darienlibrary.org .