Years ago was another international invasion by balloon. It happened here in Detroit, when Chilly Willy broke loose from the Thanksgiving Parade and headed to the river.

“Fly, Chilly, fly!”
25 years ago on a windy Thanksgiving morning the 40 foot Chilly Willy balloon came loose and broke free from his moorings, floating away to the delight of a cheering crowd that chanted “Fly Chilly Fly” as he drifted toward Canada and eventually out of sight. The 40 foot tall, wayward penguin was soon spotted by startled commercial aircraft pilots at an altitude of about 5000 feet, which must have been quite a sight. Chilly was found the next afternoon by the Coast Guard in the water (where penguins like to go) near Walpole Island in Lake St. Clair, Canada some 25 miles from home!