Pop goes the political convention

When one of the most familiar moments of political conventions happens at the Democrats' bash in Boston this month, two Boston-based companies will be pulling the strings.

The 2004 Democratic National Convention Committee announced yesterday the winners of the contract to inflate the balloons that shower down on the delegates: Deilia Laing-Jackson, chief executive of Geneva Balloon Creations of Dorchester, and Maureen Rose Curreri, chief executive of Boston Balloon Events of South Boston will orchestrate a 75-person crew that will blow up the balloons -- starting work about a week before the convention begins on July 26.

The companies will inflate at least 100,000 red, white, and blue balloons with air for the Democratic National Convention at the FleetCenter.

''Everybody in this project is really excited about it," said Peggy Wilhide, a spokeswoman for the Democratic National Convention Committee. The balloons are biodegradable and 3 feet in diameter.

Touted as the ''Cadillac of Events" by event organizers, the drop involves balloons held in several nets at the top of the FleetCenter; they are to be released at the end of the closing night of the convention on July 29. The event organizers said the balloons will drop 85 feet.

''Two days of work is over in 15 minutes," Curreri said. Curreri, in the balloon business since 1971, said this job will break her business's record. She has made thousands of balloons for single events, but never more than 100,000 in such a short time.

Laing-Jackson said she is eager to start inflating the balloons. Her staff of four employees at her Bowdoin Street business is eager, too. ''They are tremendously excited," Laing-Jackson said.

Wilhide declined to comment on the cost of the contracts awarded to the two companies. The two companies have promised to hire youths who are residents of Boston, allowing them to earn some money and be a part of political history.

The balloon drop will also include dumping 1,000 pounds of confetti.