100K balloons form art and adventure for southern Wisconsin fundraiser

Sara Meyer would have needed weeks to inflate and assemble 100,000 balloons by herself for her “under the sea” art display in Williams Bay.

She and her team of 15 balloon artists put it together in four days.

Their dazzling display of air-filled latex lines the basement of Pier209 on the shores of Lake Geneva for the second-annual Balloon Adventure fundraiser.

The event is put on by the local nonprofit 531 Fund, which raises money for local charities in southern Wisconsin.

531 Fund Executive Director Kimberly Voller worked with Meyer and her business, Wisconsin Balloon Decor in Lake Geneva, to organize the event, the displays and activities for children and families.

“When you walk in, you immediately see [balloon] waves taking you down the stairs,” Voller told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” “Once you get downstairs, it’s like you’re in the ocean. You start seeing different fish and coral and things like that.”

Attendees walk through the immersive arrangement of mermaids, dolphins and pirate ships as they explore the balloon ocean. 

To try and protect the displays from curious fingers, Voller said they’re giving children their own balloon to hold as they walk through, telling them it’s their egg that they need to protect under the sea.

Still, Meyer told WPR her team goes in daily to replace balloons that slip loose or pop.

“This is the dream job,” Meyer said. “When we get to do it on this scale, it’s so fun. It’s a lot of work, but it’s so fun.”

The fun is helping raise money for a local summer camp, Camp Timber-lee in East Troy, which helped plan this year’s Balloon Adventure.

Tearing down the displays will also be part of the fundraising, as attendees can pay to help pop all 100,000 balloons that line the walls and ceiling.

Meyer said they’re partnering with the company TerraCycle to recycle all of the popped balloons to leave a smaller footprint and reduce waste.

“I think that’s what’s so special about balloons in general. They celebrate that moment, and then they’re gone,” Meyer said. “By the end of these 10 days, I’m also a little bit ready to see it go, and I’m excited to start planning the next theme. I’ve been living under the sea for a year, so I’m excited for fresh ideas.”

This year’s Balloon Adventure runs through March 16.