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

  • Nearly 15 percent of Los Angeles is used as a parking lot.
  • China owns all the pandas in the world.
  • Little brown bats sleep more than any other mammal on earth.
  • The Guinness brewery supported all of it's employees who chose to fight in WW1. They were paid half of their wages while away, and their jobs were guaranteed upon their return. The brewery also sent them care packages containing chocolate and condensed milk.
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