In 1986 a Cleveland booster organization decided to beat the previous mass-balloon-launch record by releasing 1.5 million balloons in the city center. The thick cloud of colorful balloons enveloped skyscrapers, eliciting cheers from the crowd gathered to witness the awesome spectacle. But things soon took a darker turn.
From The Atlantic:
The film's mounting sense of dread prepares us for what happens next: The balloons are promptly brought down by an approaching storm. They wreak havoc on the city, litter Lake Erie, and, tragically, impede a Coast Guard search-and-rescue mission for two missing fishermen. Balloonfest serves as a sobering reminder of the shortsightedness of humankind.
