I helped fact-check this podcast for The History Channel. I got to do a nice little marginal excursis into Cleveland’s place in the history of nocturnal illumination — in 1879 becoming “the first American outdoor space to be lit with incandescent lights.”
September 27, 1986. Just before sunrise in Cleveland’s Public Square, the city center is abuzz with thousands of volunteers working tirelessly to fill up balloons. The goal? To launch 1.5 million balloons into the sky at once - a record-breaking spectacle, organized by Cleveland’s United Way. They hope this will bring money and inspiration to a city that desperately needs both.
Why did Cleveland choose this colorful stunt to repair its public image? And should this day be remembered as a triumph… or a disaster?