Record-Breaking PR Stunt Ends in Citywide Chaos

Like many of us, the city of Cleveland, Ohio, believed that balloons were utterly harmless. In 1986, organizers spent six months planning Balloonfest, a publicity stunt intended to raise funds for a local charity branch. However, in their quest to break a world record, the spectacle spun out of control, resulting in widespread death and destruction...

Harmless Publicity Stunt

On September 27, 1986, approximately 1.5 million balloons were released into the atmosphere above the city of Cleveland, Ohio. It was a well-intentioned attempt to break a Guinness World Record—but what began as a fundraising stunt soon evolved into widespread chaos.

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