Many St. Louis family attractions have re-opened with limited capacity and enhanced safety protocols for visitors and staff. Read more about family attraction re-openings and safety guidelines here. We invite our readers to enjoy virtual events and socially distanced events highlighted in our Things To Do calendar. Public health experts recommend that when you go out, follow public health guidelines: wear masks (required in St. Louis City and County), practice social distancing and wash your hands frequently. To learn why social distancing is important and effective in lessening the spread of COVID-19, hear from Dr. Alexis Elward, Chief Medical Officer at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Great Forest Park Balloon Glow and Race

Friday, September 20, 2019

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Saturday, September 21, 2019

This event has already passed.

Head to Forest Park for the 47th annual Great Forest Park Balloon Glow and Race. Watch as nearly 70 hot air balloons inflate, glow and launch. Families can also enjoy food trucks, fireworks, children's activities and live music.

Festivities begin at 5 p.m. Friday (music, food trucks and kids' activities), and the Balloon Glow lasts from dusk to 9 p.m.

On Saturday, the Forest Park Balloon Race kicks off at noon. The Purina Children's Entertainment area also opens at noon with live performances, inflatables, games, mural painting and other activities designed for the younger crowd, plus performances by the Purina Pro Plan Performance Team and food trucks. Skydivers take flight at 3 p.m. and balloons launch at 4:30 p.m.

More information: greatforestparkballoonrace.com

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Tags: Great Forest Park Balloon Glow, Great Forest Park Balloon Race, free events, Forest Park events, Family Events in St. Louis

Locations: St. Louis

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Things to Do

Under the Big Top at The Butterfly House

Under the Big Top is an all-new summer exhibit at The Butterfly House where guests will be awed by arthopod acrobats and thrilled by sideshow spectacles! Bring your kids to spy on the fabulous flea circus and marvel at circut-inspired botanicals. Daily show schedules include story time, live animal encounters and butterfly releases.

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Magic At Home with The Magic House

The Magic House is bringing innovative, hands-on learning to you at home with its #MagicAtHome series of interactive, instructional online presentations. The Magic At Home series of activities includes lots of fun projects that you can make at home with common materials. The easy-to-follow directions mean your kids can make paper sculpture, do shaving cream marble painting, create make-your-own flowers, go "fishin," make TP roll animals, make salad spin art and more.

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Science @ Home with the Saint Louis Science Center

The Science Louis Science Center is continuing to ignite and sustain lifelong science and technology learning through its online Science @ Home series! Visit the Science Center's web site or social media channels for DIY science experiments that can be done at home, Amazing Science Demonstrations from the Science Center's Energy Stage team, connections to local scientists, astronomy updates from the McDonnell Planetarium, live chats and more. Content is designed for all ages.

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City Museum on Air

Make art. Go on a guided tour, DIY a time capsule. Peek behind the scenes. Watch the Cassily Crew at work. Help inspect the slides. All from home! Every Monday through Friday the staff, crew, artists and historians at City Museum are going LIVE on Facebook to share stories, offer free art classes, and entertain kids and families in all the ways they know how (read: mischief, mayhem and making).

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Amazing Animal Encounters at the World Bird Sanctuary

Take your family to watch birds of prey fly right over your head, snakes slither across the stage, macaws speak the English language and much more at Amazing Animal Encounters at the World Bird Sanctuary. Every program showcases different animals so each day is a new experience. Advance tickets are required. Seating is limited due to social distancing requirements. Masks are required to attend.

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