Tyler History Center will present “Balloonfest ’86 – It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time” as its September “Bites and Bits of History” program.

Author and historian Vince Guerrieri will explore Cleveland’s infamous 1986 balloon launch at noon on Thursday, Sept. 17 at the Tyler History Center. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Attendees are invited to pack a lunch for this educational event. The Tyler History Center is located at 325 W. Federal St. in downtown Youngstown.

In 1986, Cleveland was looking for a little positive press after years of being known as “The Mistake on the Lake.” Organizers decided to set a world record by launching 2 million balloons into the sky.

The effort was a massive undertaking that involved police and fire departments, government permits and an army of volunteers. The record was broken, but not without safety, environmental and logistical problems.

Guerrieri is an award-winning journalist for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina Gazette. His writing also appears regularly in various regional and national magazines and online publications. A native of Youngstown and graduate of Bowling Green State University, he is the author of three books on Ohio sports history, the most recent being “Weird Moments in Cleveland Sports.”

“Bites and Bits of History” lunchtime programs are underwritten by the John and Loretta Hynes Foundation. For more information on the Tyler History Center, visit here. Street and surface parking is available adjacent to the Tyler Center.

Tyler History Center

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