The Internet Lied To Us About BalloonFest 1986

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cleveland.com

cleveland.com

Ай бұрын

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.

Пікірлер: 35
@conniemontgomery8629
@conniemontgomery8629 29 күн бұрын
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
@jenjenny867 29 күн бұрын
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.
@DougBardwell
@DougBardwell 29 күн бұрын
Excellent job with this video, John. Sharing your great work with family and friends. Thanks for setting the record straight.
@marklejordan
@marklejordan 28 күн бұрын
Hi Doug! What is the record that needed to be set straight?
@DougBardwell
@DougBardwell 28 күн бұрын
@@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
@clevelanddotcom 26 күн бұрын
Thank you Doug!
@marklejordan
@marklejordan 26 күн бұрын
@@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
@DougBardwell 26 күн бұрын
@@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.
@Funkenstein91
@Funkenstein91 29 күн бұрын
Looking forward to the sequel video titled "The Internet Told the Truth About Ten Cent Beer Night".
@clevelanddotcom
@clevelanddotcom 26 күн бұрын
Haha!
@wesleyp3024
@wesleyp3024 29 күн бұрын
i think it all speaks to how toxic internet culture is. drama prioritized at the cost of all else.
@AK-ey2uy
@AK-ey2uy 26 күн бұрын
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
@RawOlympia 22 күн бұрын
I bet all those balloons in the water caused the death of some fish!
@janiiams
@janiiams 28 күн бұрын
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
@tonyprusak6721 29 күн бұрын
"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
@RawOlympia 22 күн бұрын
It just feels like polluting to me.
@JoeMillerloveoneanother
@JoeMillerloveoneanother 29 күн бұрын
Those who manipulate or run from the truth are in full denial and damaging beyond belief😢
@kellyhouske
@kellyhouske 26 күн бұрын
Thanks for putting this together! Heart warming story and a testament to CLE Spirit!
@stephenbrand5661
@stephenbrand5661 24 күн бұрын
This highlights a big problem with content creators on KZbin copying each other and just generally being lazy and sloppy about their research.
@bushwickbill3643
@bushwickbill3643 28 күн бұрын
Watching this while eating breakfast at Rebol in Public Sq
@clevelanddotcom
@clevelanddotcom 26 күн бұрын
That's hilarious
@JoneKone
@JoneKone 24 күн бұрын
Great video, I have never heard of Balloon Fest =)
@michaelfoxbrass
@michaelfoxbrass 29 күн бұрын
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.
@Doktracy
@Doktracy 25 күн бұрын
What a massive amount of plastic waste released into the environment. Shame on them.
@RawOlympia
@RawOlympia 22 күн бұрын
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
@trebheining2947 21 күн бұрын
plastic? guess you did not watch the video...
@sethg.4127
@sethg.4127 28 күн бұрын
Thank you for this!
@natetruesdell
@natetruesdell 29 күн бұрын
⭐⬜⬜⬜⬜
@rarefruit2320
@rarefruit2320 19 күн бұрын
Look at all that pollution 👀
@chairmanofthebored8684
@chairmanofthebored8684 21 күн бұрын
The fire chief was summoned as a favor. Ok.
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