created 2025-03-20, & modified, =this.modified
NOTE
I’m really intrigued by this event for a number of reasons. It seems on one level kind of a carefree testament of humanity’s curiosity. We created balloon-weather and disrupted a location.
On basically every other level, it’s a bad idea and you wonder how this could have been approved, and it’s thus further interesting because it was approved in spite of the obvious issues.
We nuked ourselves with balloons.
And today, when we have AI generating strange scenarios, even I had to wonder if this was some kind of digitally constructed internet myth.
Balloonfest ‘86 was a fundraising event in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, held on September 27, 1986, in which the local chapter of United Way set a world record by releasing almost 1.5 million balloons.
The event was intended to be a harmless publicity stunt. However, the released balloons drifted back over the city and Lake Erie and landed in the surrounding area, causing problems for traffic and a nearby airport. In consequence, the organizers faced lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages, and costs overruns put the event as a net loss.
I watched some footage of the setup, and it seems like they were all setup under a net. They would fill up the balloons and then release them, where they would be captured. This process was cool, in the way they were so careless to let the balloons fly and be caught.
Typically, a helium-filled latex balloon that is released outdoors will stay aloft long enough to be almost fully deflated before it descends to Earth.
Some people had misconceptions about the environmental impact of balloon releases, thinking that “the balloons would reach an altitude where they popped and disintegrated.”
Two fishermen, Raymond Broderick and Bernard Sulzer, who had gone out on September 26, were reported missing by their families on the day of the event. Rescuers spotted their 16-foot (4.9 m) boat anchored west of the Edgewater Park breakwall. A Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter crew had difficulties reaching the area because of the “asteroid field” of balloons
Treb Heining
Treb Heining is the man behind Balloonfest, and a number of other balloon events, such as every GOP convention since 1988.
From humble origins of selling balloons, he’s become a spectacle of a maximal “balloon art”.
He was picked up by Disneyland as an official Balloon Boy which had the role of selling balloons to the guests at various stations.
Treb explained that after a guest stops to look at the beautifully arranged balloons, they might say, “Woah, that’s cool, hey how much are these? Boom. That’s the opening you get. A very basic marketing technique that was taught to me back then. Once you get someone to ask a price of something, it opens a door to talking to them.”
Oh, yes, I mustn’t forget to tell you that Treb also set three Guinness World Record Professional Balloon Releases during this time, utilizing Pioneer Balloon Company’s Made in the USA balloons, which is the only balloon company Treb has ever used, as their balloons are 100% biodegradable. The world record releases helped raise over 50,000 for high school music programs; Treb has always believed strongly in giving back to the community.
Inventions
Glasshouse Balloon
This is a latex balloon held inside a clear latex balloon.
AeroPole System
The AeroPole System™ allows the balloon professional to create classic balloon décor without the need for Helium. Spectacular arches and columns support themselves with AeroPole allowing you put more money in your pocket.
