Record-Breaking PR Stunt Ends in Citywide Chaos

Day of the Launch

Of the 2,500 Balloonfest volunteers, most were students. In preparation for the event, they spent the entire morning of September 27, 1986 pumping helium into balloons. The media swarmed Public Square, interviewing organizers, participants, and observers alike. In only a few short hours, catastrophe would strike.

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The More You Know

  • Finland has more saunas than cars.
  • The word "muscle" comes from a Latin term meaning "little mouse."
  • In the late 1600s, London was plagued by an attacker who would spank his victims with a rod and shout "Spanko!" before running away.
  • Scorpions are incredibly resilient: scientists have frozen scorpions overnight, left them in the sun the following day, and when thawed, the arthropod walked away unscathed.
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