It was a Saturday afternoon, Sept. 27, 1986 to be exact, when a million and a half balloons were released from Cleveland’s Public Square and into the sky in a spectacle that broke the world record for the largest simultaneous release of balloons. The event was organized by the nonprofit United Way of Cleveland, who partnered with Balloonart by Treb, for a fundraising publicity stunt. The organizers spent months planning their execution, but never anticipated what would come. At about 1:50pm, the balloons made their way up, creating a glorious vision many of us have never seen and one that we probably won’t see ever again. According to several accounts, the weather didn’t quite agree with the bright latex balloons, causing a series of events that cost the city and organizations millions of dollars, and a few people their lives. *All photos used with written permission from Thom Sheridan.*
