NextStop Blog

Each year, tens of thousands of spectators flock to Forest Park for the annual Great Forest Park Balloon Race and Balloon Glow, and Metro is a great way to take part in all of the fun and excitement.

Passengers can park at any one of 21 free Metro Park-Ride lots in Missouri and Illinois, and use MetroLink and MetroBus to get to the festivities while avoiding heavy traffic, parking issues and road closures.

Balloon Glow – Friday, September 18

Metro will operate additional MetroLink trains as needed on Friday evening (Sept. 18) to accommodate large crowds anticipated for this year’s Balloon Glow at Central Field in Forest Park. The Balloon Glow is scheduled from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with fireworks at 9:15 p.m.

Spectators headed to the Balloon Glow on MetroLink should ride the train to the Central West End MetroLink Station. From there, they will need to walk north on Euclid and then west on Children’s Place, crossing Kingshighway into Forest Park to Central Field. It’s approximately one mile from the Central West End Station to Central Field. Spectators can also ride MetroLink to the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station, then walk south on DeBaliviere toward the Missouri History Museum and then east past the Visitors Center toward the Muny to Central Field. It’s approximately one mile from the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station to Central Field.

Passengers can also use MetroBus to connect with these stations. The #1 Gold and #90 Hampton MetroBus routes serve the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station, and the #1 Gold, #10 Gravois-Lindell, #13 Union, #14 Botanical Garden, #18 Taylor, #42 Sarah, #59 Dogtown, #80 Park Shaw, and #95 Kingshighway MetroBus routes serve the Central West End MetroLink Station.

The #3 Forest Park Trolley will be operating in Forest Park from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, but will NOT serve the Upper Muny parking lot or Steinberg Rink stops during those times. Metro will NOT operate special bus shuttle service to or from the event.

Great Forest Park Balloon Race – Saturday, September 19

The Great Forest Park Balloon Race is scheduled from noon to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 19,  at Central Field in Forest Park. Spectators headed to the event can ride MetroLink and MetroBus to the Central West End or Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station, and walk to the race grounds at Central Field.

People who are going to the race early in the afternoon can also board the #3 Forest Park Trolley at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station to make their way to the event area. The #3 Forest Park Trolley will be operating from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, but will not serve the Upper Muny parking lot or Steinberg Rink stops during those times. Passengers should exit the trolley at the Pagoda Circle/Muny stop to make their way to the balloon race. Metro will not operate special bus shuttle service to or from the event.  Passengers must have valid fare to ride on MetroLink and MetroBus vehicles.