The Internet Lied To Us About BalloonFest 1986

The truth about United Way’s BalloonFest 1986 charity event is completely different from what modern internet stories are saying. By interviewing the organizers of BalloonFest as well as people who took part in it, we discover what really happened after Cleveland students released 1.5 million helium balloons from Public Square.
We fact check the 5 most common beliefs about BalloonFest.
1. Did BalloonFest kill two boaters on Lake Erie?
2. Did BalloonFest cause many injuries and millions of dollars of property damage?
3. Was a massive cleanup effort required following BalloonFest?
4. Did lawsuits cost United Way all the money from the fundraiser, making it a net loss?
5. Did Guinness World Records take the balloon release category out of the book following this event in Cleveland? Did it even recognize BalloonFest as a world record?
Suspend your disbelief for a moment and hear what BalloonFest was really like for all the people who were part of it. What did this event do for the City of Cleveland, which was trying to reinvent itself? What did it mean to over 1,800 students who came together on September 27, 1986?
If BalloonFest became an urban legend in the internet age, it points to a deeper problem with how stories are shared online.
The Real Story of BalloonFest '86 begins with why United Way attempted the Guinness World Record in the first place. George Fraser, Treb Heining, Tom Holowach, Carol Horne and others take us back to Cleveland in the mid-1980s.

[@conniemontgomery8629]

My husband and I had a motorcycle at that time and decided that we would go down to the Square and watch the balloon launch. We parked our motorcycle by the old stone church and sat there and watched it all ,we were eager to leave when the weather turned a little dark because we would get soaking wet on our motorcycle. Happy to be there that day.

[@jenjenny867]

This is a beautiful documentary! And love how balloons bring people together. However, it’s quite troubling how social media really twists the truth around and so many people jump on the bandwagon. I hope we can learn from this, while moving forward. You definitely can’t believe everything you read! So glad this event helped Cleveland turn a corner in 1986.

[@wesleyp3024]

i think it all speaks to how toxic internet culture is. drama prioritized at the cost of all else.

[@DougBardwell]

Excellent job with this video, John. Sharing your great work with family and friends. Thanks for setting the record straight.

[@marklejordan]

Hi Doug! What is the record that needed to be set straight?

[@DougBardwell]

@@marklejordan@marklejordan I was referring to the fact that so many people (who were never there) thought that Balloonfest was a disaster when, in fact, it was quite a success.

[@clevelanddotcom]

Thank you Doug!

[@marklejordan]

@@DougBardwell thank you for clarifying. let the record reflect another success for Cleveland!!! I noticed you were listed in the special thanks... what is your connection to this video?

[@DougBardwell]

@@marklejordan I was Construction Manager in the Terminal Tower (the building the balloons encircled) and was tapped to obtain the building permit for the event. Fortunately, I still had many of the original sketches and plans which John was able to use in the video.

[@AK-ey2uy]

I had forgotten all about BalloonFest until videos started popping up on KZbin talking about what a "disaster" it was, that it caused the deaths of two fishermen, etc. I hope this video gains traction to counteract the misinformation.

[@RawOlympia]

I bet all those balloons in the water caused the death of some fish!

[@janiiams]

Thank you! I have always been familiar with the launch and Treb's important role, but the stunning images and full story details from initial concept to fulfilling this massive feat was incredible to watch. Thanks for setting the story straight for everyone in our industry!

[@tonyprusak6721]

"BalloonFest '86: The Real Story" is an uplifting tale about vision and the human spirit. It highlights leaders and children from across the region coming together to make a statement and raise funds for charity. It shows what Cleveland can achieve when it sets its mind to something. The video demonstrates that when East and West Siders unite with a common vision of working together for the greater good, nothing is impossible in Cleveland, OH-the Best Location in the Nation!

[@RawOlympia]

It just feels like polluting to me.

[@Funkenstein91]

Looking forward to the sequel video titled "The Internet Told the Truth About Ten Cent Beer Night".

[@clevelanddotcom]

Haha!

[@JoeMillerloveoneanother]

Those who manipulate or run from the truth are in full denial and damaging beyond belief😢

[@stephenbrand5661]

This highlights a big problem with content creators on KZbin copying each other and just generally being lazy and sloppy about their research.

[@Doktracy]

What a massive amount of plastic waste released into the environment. Shame on them.

[@RawOlympia]

Yeah, imagine all the fish death, bird death, and just litter all over, super gross, and then they virtue signal and talk aobut how it brings everyone together, must be a DuPont sale, who made the money off this???

[@trebheining2947]

plastic? guess you did not watch the video...

[@michaelfoxbrass]

At the time of posting this comment, (the 6th), this video debuted on KZbin approximately 8 hours ago. It’s Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The video currently has 514 views. I’m curious how many views it will receive today, over this Memorial Day weekend, and over the coming weeks, months, years. Sadly, I’m thinking it will be FAR fewer than the negative, manipulative, and untruthful videos that created the persistent urban myth. So how will we, the KZbin community, the NE Ohio community, the US and the world community, counter misinformation? Where we commit our time, attention, and treasure, we commit our minds and bodies. We become what we consume and do. I pray we will all remember that no matter our background, we all live in a community, and a community is built on common purpose, common welfare, and common dignity. Truth matters. Kindness matters. Love matters above all. I pray that when we encounter the unkind, untruthful, and unloving, that we be granted discernment and wisdom to avoid consuming and distributing those things. We are all in this together.

[@FreshPrinceofTB]

Interesting I never knew the real backstory of this event and the positive impact it had 😊

[@kellyhouske]

Thanks for putting this together! Heart warming story and a testament to CLE Spirit!

[@bushwickbill3643]

Watching this while eating breakfast at Rebol in Public Sq

[@clevelanddotcom]

That's hilarious

[@JoneKone]

Great video, I have never heard of Balloon Fest =)

[@sethg.4127]

Thank you for this!

[@rarefruit2320]

Look at all that pollution 👀

[@josh-rz3uq]

Whatever. It was still breathtakingly stupid and irresponsible.

[@natetruesdell]

⭐⬜⬜⬜⬜

[@chairmanofthebored8684]

The fire chief was summoned as a favor. Ok.