The first balloon ascension occurred on July 4, when officials paid Carl E. Myers and his wife and Tracy A. Tisdell to race to draw crowds. Both balloons landed shortly after ascending, successfully drawing spectators as desired.

Another paid ascension occurred on August 27, when Carl E. Myers and George Tomlinson began their journeys toward the Washington Monument. Neither man was successful, as Myers landed in St. Charles and Tomlinson landed in Wyoming, Illinois.

Two ballooning records occurred near the end of the fair. On November 11, Paul Knabenshue, A. W. McQueen, and Will S. Forman ascended in a balloon at 3:15 P.M. and received the first wireless telegraph between the ground and the air in the United States. During their trip, the three men received 20 telegraph messages.

Professor H. H. Clayton of the Blue Hill Conservatory in Massachusetts performed balloon meteorological experiments for the final balloon demonstration, the United States's first experiments of that kind.

On December 1, 1904, R. Francis, president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company, ended the fair at midnight.

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James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race, 1907
St. Louis became the first United States city and the second city ever to host the prestigious James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race in 1906. One year prior, New York Herald Tribune publisher James Gordon Bennett donated $2,500 and a trophy to commence the annual international long-distance balloon race.

The Aero Club of France had the honor of hosting the first race on September 30, 1906 in Paris, France. United States aeronaut Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm won the race. He received the $2,500 cash prize and the Aero Club of America gained possession of the cup. In addition, Lahm's win brought the prestigious race to the United States the following year.

At first, St. Louis was not a contender to host the race, but a local businessman changed its fate. During a visit with Augustus Post, secretary of the Aero Club of America, Daniel C. Nugent made the necessary arrangements for officials to visit the city. Aero Club president Cortlandt Field Bishop, Augustus Post, and aeronaut John C. McCoy visited St. Louis in December 1906 to examine the city's facilities. The facilities and amenities offered by St. Louis were so superior that the trio decided immediately that St. Louis should host the race.

To assist the Business Men's League with its preparations for the race, the Aero Club of St. Louis was established in 1907, and Lewis D. Dozier was named its first president. Its members paid an initiation fee of $10 to become a member and an annual fee of $10 to maintain their membership.

Officials set the date of the race for October 21, which would be the first of the week's numerous events. On October 22 and 23, the St. Louis Aero Club would conduct a dirigible race and flying machine race, respectively. The final day would conclude with the Scientific American Flying Machine Trophy Race for heavier-than-air machines.

The eastern end of Forest Park was prepared for the ascension grounds and bandstands. An enclosure of 600 by 300 feet was set up with a 3,000-seat-capacity grandstand for Aero Club members, officials, and guests. Another grandstand was built across the street to hold 1,000 members of the public. Public admission cost fifty cents. The Laclede Gas Light Company provided the aeronauts with free coal gas and the Aero club of St. Louis provided 30 tons of sand for ballast.

Four nations competed in the race, including England, France, Germany, and the United States. England entered one contestant and France entered two contestants. Germany and the United States both entered three contestants. At 9:30 A.M. on October 21, the aeronauts started to fill their balloons with gas. The first balloon ascended at 4:00 P.M. that afternoon, and all of the balloons had ascended by 4:41 P.M. By the end of the week, Germany's Pommern was declared the winner, traveling 873.4 miles to Asbury Park, New Jersey. France's Isle de France took second place, winning $1,000 from Adolphus Busch, while Germany's Dusseldorf won $750 from United Railways Company for its third place finish. B. Nugents Dry Goods Company's $500 prize was awarded to United States's America for its fourth place finish. Finally, the United States's St. Louis won $250 from the St. Louis Times for fifth place. Germany's Tschudl/Abercron, France's Anjou, the United States's United States, and England's Lotus II took sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth places respectively.

Although the Aero Club of St. Louis and Business Men's League lost money hosting the race, they determined that the week's festivities were successful. The race stirred enthusiasm for ballooning and aviation in the city, and the event resulted in many new aviation records.

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St. Louis Centennial Week, 1909
St. Louis celebrated its centennial anniversary of incorporation during Centennial Week, held October 3-9, 1909. Many activities were scheduled for the celebration, including aerial events. The Aero Club of St. Louis was given $14,000 for the aerial events.

Three balloon events were scheduled for October 4. These events included an advertising balloon contest, the St. Louis Centennial Cup Race, and a long-distance race. Twenty-four companies each sponsored a 3,000-cubic-foot balloon. At 2:30 P.M. the pilotless balloons ascended. The balloon that traveled the furthest distance would be the winner and the top five distances would receive prizes. The St. Louis Centennial Cup Race began at 3:00 P.M. and was open to balloons with a maximum capacity of 40,000 cubic feet. First prize was the Centennial Cup, and second prize was the Aero Club of St. Louis Trophy.The final competition was for 80,000-cubic-foot balloons. Balloons had to try to travel the furthest distance. The first through fifth place prizes were $600, $400, $300, $200, and $100. A trophy would also be awarded for the balloon staying aloft the longest.

On October 5, the results of the balloon contests were revealed. Halsey Automobile Company won the advertising balloon contest, traveling a distance of 80 miles. The Peoria, piloted by James W. Bemis and George E. Smith won the Centennial Cup, while the Missouri, piloted by Harlow B. Spender and James P. Deniver, won the Aero Cup of St. Louis Trophy. The St. Louis III won the 80,000-cubic-foot distance race and $600, traveling 540 miles.

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James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race, 1910
In 1909, United States aeronaut Edgar W. Mix won the James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race, thus securing the event's location in the United States in 1910. In April 1910, the Aero Club of America awarded St. Louis with the race due to the enormous success of the 1907 race.

The Aero Club of St. Louis scheduled several aviation demonstrations, contests, and exhibits to be held in addition to the Gordon Bennett Race. The aviation meet began on October 8 and lasted until October 17, the day of the James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race. Admission was fifty cents for pavilion seats and one dollar for grandstand seats. Parking cost one dollar for each car. The admission fee for the Gordon Bennett race was more expensive, with seats costing $1.50 each.

The United States and Germany entered three contestants, while France and Switzerland entered two contestants into the race. At 4:40 P.M., the first balloon ascended from the ascension grounds at Chouteau and Newstead. The final balloon ascended at 5:54 P.M.

Alan R. Hawley and Augustus Post of the United States won in the America II. They traveled 1,172.9 miles to Lake Tschotogama, Quebec to win the James Gordon Bennett Cup, the Lahm Cup, an American distance record, and $1,400. Second place and $1,200 was awarded to Lieutenant Hans Gericke of Germany's Dusseldorf II. Germany's Germania placed third and received $1,000, while Switzerland's Helvetia placed fourth and received $500. Fifth place and $250 went to Germany's Hamburg III.

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National Balloon Race, 1914
Each year, the Aero Club of America held the National Balloon Race to determine the third United States's contestant for the James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race. In March 1914, the Aero Club of America selected St. Louis for the race's location.

The contest was held at the Aero Club of St. Louis's balloon grounds, located in Priester's Park at Grand Avenue and Meramec Street. On July 11, 1914, nine contenders of the eleven entrants gathered for the race. Spectators were charged twenty-five cents for standing room and $1.00 for grandstand seats. At 4:59 P.M. the first balloon ascended in sweltering conditions, with the last balloon ascending at 5:35 P.M.

R. A. D. Preston, pilot of the Goodyear won first place, $400 and a trophy, supplied by Albert Von Hoffman, Sr. In addition, he won the right to represent the United States in the Gordon Bennett Race. The Pennsylvania took second place and $300, while the Uncle Sam took third place and $200. Fourth place and $100 went to the Aero Club of St. Louis. Cash prizes were provided by the Aero Club of St. Louis.

Although R. A. D. Preston, Ralph Upson, and Harry E. Honeywell were slated to represent the United States in Kansas City at the James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race, the race- and the races for the next six years- were cancelled due to World War I.

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Army-Navy Balloon Race, 1919
On September 26,1919, the United States Army and Navy battled against each other to become the winner of the first Army-Navy Balloon Race. The event was hosted by the Missouri Aeronautical Society, which was formed in 1917 to train aeronauts for war. The contest was held at Meramec Park (formerly Priester's Park) at Grand Boulevard and Meramec Street. In this contest, pilots could land for food or other provisions, provided they did not add any gas to their balloon. Despite this opportunity, all of the pilots opted for a nonstop flight.

The Missouri Aeronautical Society charged $1.00 per person to watch the ascension, which began at 6 P.M. Each branch of the military entered three balloons. However, both an Army and a Navy balloon were disqualified due to gas leakage.

Army #1 won the race and a silver trophy for its flight by Captain E. P. Phillips, a St. Louis resident. Navy #52 and Navy #50 finished second and third, with Army #3 finishing last.

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National Balloon Race, 1919
The Aero Club of America selected St. Louis for the 1919 National Balloon Race. This race would award a national champion only, since the James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race was canceled due to World War I.

The Missouri Aeronautical Society hosted the race at Meramec Park. In addition, they supplied free gas, personal expenses, and cash prizes. Ten contestants entered the race, which was scheduled for October 1. On the day of the race, the first balloon ascended at 5:55 P.M., and the last balloon ascended at 6:45 P.M.

Ralph Upson won the race in the Goodyear, traveling 1,050 miles to Dunbar, Quebec. However, his celebration was dampened by the death of opponents Lieutenant Edward J. Verheyden and Captain Carl W. Dammann, who both drowned in Lake Huron.

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James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race, 1929
St. Louis was asked to host its third James Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race on September 28, 1929. The race was placed under the direction of the Air Board of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce. The Air Board prepared a field at 8900 South Broadway for the ascension grounds and announced that the event would be free to the public.

Several additional prizes were donated by the Air Board and Alan Hawley for the aeronauts. Prizes for first place through fifth place were a ranged from $200 and $1,000. In addition, the board provided expense money for all of the contestants. Finally, Hawley pledged $500 to be awarded to anyone who could surpass his distance record.

The United States entered three contestants, while Germany entered two contestants. Denmark, France, Argentina, and Belgium, each sent one contestant. Contestants began inflating their balloons at 7:00 A.M. to prepare for the scheduled 4:00 P.M. start. The race got underway on time, and the final balloon ascended at 4:40 P.M.

The United States swept the race, claiming the first three places. Ward T. Van Orman and his aide, Alan MacCracken, won the race in the Goodyear VIII. They traveled 341 miles to Troy, Ohio. Second place went to Captain William E. Kepner, who traveled 338 miles in the Scott Field. Lieutenant Thomas G. W. Settle placed third. Belgium's Belgica took fourth place, and Denmark's Danmark took fifth place.

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Great Forest Park Balloon Race, 1973
Nikki Caplan and John O'Toole organized the first annual Great Forest Park Balloon Race in 1973. Nine contestants participated in the "hare and hounds" race, which was won by Arch Hawkins, Jerry Kinkade, and Wayne Shaw.

The race continued to grow annually and was taken over in 1977 by the Missouri River Balloon Company, comprised of John Marlow, John Schaumburg, Dan Schettler, and Ted Stanley. Under their direction, the race has grown into a cherished St. Louis tradition, witnessed by over 100,000 people each September.

In 1992, the St. Louis Symphony began Glow in the Park, an annual balloon glow held the night before the race. The symphony started the tradition as a fundraiser benefit to help restore Forest Park.

On May 23, 2000, the Great Forest Park Balloon Race was officially inducted into the Library of Congress's permanent collection. Richard B. Gephardt chose the race to represent the State of the Missouri in the Library of Congress's centennial celebration.

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