world record

An overhead view of Cleveland, Ohio, in 1988 during the largest-ever mass balloon release

The 1980s were tough economic times for Cleveland, the Buckeye State’s second-largest city.

They ultimately decided on a balloon release. But not just any balloon release; they wanted an event on a grand scale. The aggressive goal was to simultaneously release 1.5 million helium-filled latex ballons, setting a new world record that would be recorded in The Guinness Book of World Records.