The Forest Park Great Balloon Race 2025

Forest Park-St. Louis, Missouri, USA

09/20/2025 

 

    The Forest Park Great Balloon Race Canceled! at Forest Park's Emerson Field. The annual event held since 1973 was scheduled to open at 1pm today. At 12:30 pm the drops began to fall. There has been a dry hot spell in St. Louis. Temperature have been in the 90's for a few days and the rain was needed in the whole state of Missouri. As the rain fell for more than an hour before letting up and then another steady shower began. I wondered as I began to make my way to the grounds what the parking situation would be at the park. Last night I parked at Wash U (Washington University St. Louis) because there was no parking available at Forest Park. The annual event usually has 100,000+ attendees. That means on average 50,000+ on race day. 

     Food truck owners and vendors big loss on the day is obvious. Some of the vendors prepared to feed thousands and were left with no profits to offset the cost. For example: Food Area Macklind Drive and Union Drive Emerson Central Field $500.00 to $750.00. As well as Food Vendor 10 x 10 booth - $1,800.00, Trailer Space $1,800.00, On-Field Food $1,800.00, 20 x 20 booth $2,400.00 per day cost is elevated when fees are set and weather delays or cancellations occur. If the truck owners do not have brick and mortar restaurants the restauranters (Food Truck Owners) have to find a place to sell the prepared surplus. Vendors and food vendors do not loss all of the stock, but they do have to make other plans. The vendors do have to stay on the grounds to a pre-determined time.