ST. LOUIS — The Great Forest Park Balloon Race has been canceled, but there will still be a way for people to see hot air balloons fly over St. Louis this month.
Hot air balloons will fly from Sept. 17-20 to honor essential workers, educators, healthcare heroes and those standing up for change, according to the organization’s website.
The tribute flights will take place in multiple locations around the St. Louis area and updates on where the people can see the balloons will be shared on social media.
Organizers are also working to select up to 10 honorees to be featured as part of “Lift Up St. Louis.” The honorees will be representative of larger groups of people “working so hard everyday to keep our lives as normal as possible.”
Lift Up St. Louis is a social media campaign that gives St. Louisans the opportunity to celebrate people in their lives who lift them up by posting photos or messages on social media with #LiftUpSTL.
For each post that includes the hashtag, PNC Bank will donate $25 to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis – for a total up to $25,000.
“The #LiftUpSTL campaign provides a forum for our community members to recognize those who life them up, while helping support the Urban League, an organization that does so much to lift up St. Louis families throughout the year,” said Michael Scully, PNC regional president for St. Louis.
Check out the Lift Up St. Louis website for more information on the tribute flights.
The Great Forest Park Balloon Race will return to Central Fields in Forest Park in September 2021. The race has been a St. Louis tradition since 1973 and is the second oldest balloon race in the United States, according to a news release.