The Most Damaging Charity Event Ever | Tales From the Bottle
Tales From the Bottle is back, only a week after the last video, to spoil you with the exciting tale of a harmless publicity stunt gone awry. Qxir presents “Balloonfest ’86”
“Balloonfest ’86 was a 1986 event in which the United Way of Cleveland in Ohio set a world record by releasing almost one-and-a-half million balloons. The event was intended to be a harmless fundraising publicity stunt, but the balloons drifted back over the city, Lake Erie, and land in the surrounding area, and caused problems for traffic and a nearby airport. The event also interfered with a United States Coast Guard search for two boaters who were later found drowned. In consequence, the organizers and the city faced lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages, and cost overruns put the event at a net loss.”
More on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloonfest_%2786
Discord: https://discord.gg/jZzvvwJ
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/qxir
@Qxir
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
BALLONFEST 86 T-SHIRT: https://teespring.com/stores/qxir
@vids595
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
I used to work in Yosemite National Park. When you hike out three days, over 30 miles into the wilderness, the only garbage you typically find are balloons.
@talip9174
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
It's so sweet watching old qxir. He used to talk so much softer and almost timidly compared to now! Great to see how much confidence he's gained over the years!!!!!
@thexdatabase
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
0:41 is that a junji ito refference
@Kspice9000
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
This pales in comparison to the German crisis of "nihn nihn luft balloons".
It was a miracle they survived.
@jeffcochran2195
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
Great video thank you
@thedoctor2102
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
2 balloons for $1.00 in 1986? . When you think about it, that’s not too far from what you would pay for two balloons today ( helium fee is $1.96).
@tuti5811
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
14
@Kizuna31
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
[still laughing hysterically from the last joke] "and their bodies washed up on shore later" noooo
@justinmisiuda48
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
It makes me wonder if they should of just had a hairspray party filled with CFCs instead.
@thomasmontgomery805
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
Those morons just made so much pollution
@moseszero3281
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
Horses are walking balls of panic.
@moseszero3281
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
Cloud of Trash Fest '86
@Immadeus
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
this must be what them monkeys in bloons tower defense were warning us about
@AbdullahYasser3
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
Was that the fest of '86
@Rubberduckie3000
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
When I was in highschool we had two students die within like a week of each other. It was extremely tragic and even made state news. As a gesture they brought the entire school out to the field and had us release balloons. The only thing I could think about was "this doesn't seem very safe".
I'm glad that thought was justified.
@jackbeach942
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
This is what war is going to look like but with drones in the future
@skolea
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
just place a few dart monkeys smh
@vincentm.7462
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
What adult human didn’t think this would end in disaster?
@jogmanson1492
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
if only we had 5 super monkeys
@strawhatsteve2198
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
The balloon release shot legit looks like Calamity Gannon.
@MylingCyrus
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
Just releasing garbage that birds and other animals can choke on??? WHOS IDEA WAS THIS
@darrells1610
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
Between balloons in Cleveland and turkeys in Cincinnati, the skies over Ohio area a dangerous place…
@Donkeyearsa
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
Think of the people who had to clean up all of that crap on their property.
Since I hate United Way I have no sympathy for them being sued for more than they made.
@DarkEcho32
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
"why would skittish animals freak out at the loud bursting plastic bubbles"
Come on now, use your brain.
@EagleOne1999
March 29, 2026 at 9:29 am
Horses are dumb animals anyway
Comments are closed.