Balloonfest '86

Balloonfest '86 was a 1986 event in which the United Way of Cleveland in Ohio set a world record by releasing almost one and a half million balloons. The event was intended to be a harmless fundraising publicity stunt, but the balloons drifted back over the city, Lake Erie and land in the surrounding area, and caused problems for traffic and a nearby airport. The event also interfered with a United States Coast Guard search for two boaters who were later found drowned.[1] In consequence, the organizers and the city faced lawsuits seeking millions of US dollars in damages, and cost overruns put the event in the red.