I cannot believe this really happened!
Balloonfest '86was a 1986 event inCleveland,Ohio, United States, in which the local chapter ofUnited Wayset aworld recordbyreleasingalmost one-and-a-half millionballoons.[2]The event was intended to be a harmlessfundraisingpublicity stunt, but the balloons drifted back over the city,Lake Erie, and landed in the surrounding area, causing problems for traffic and a nearby airport. The event also interfered with aUnited States Coast Guardsearch for two boaters who were later found drowned.[1]In consequence, the organizers and the city faced lawsuits seeking millions of dollars indamages,[1]and cost overruns put the event at a net loss.[3]