Golden Knights Bring Skydiving History to St. Louis Balloon Race
The U.S. Army’s Golden Knights brought more than six decades of parachuting history to St. Louis’ Great Forest Park Balloon Race, joining a festival whose own roots stretch back to a small gathering of balloonists in 1973.
An Army release published September 18 documents the team’s demonstration over Forest Park during the 2026 event. The 54th annual Great Forest Park Balloon Race program covered September 18–19 at Emerson Central Fields, with Golden Knights appearances scheduled on both days.
The parachute team began in 1959, when 19 soldiers from Airborne units were brought together to compete in a sport then dominated internationally by the Soviet Union. The group received its official U.S. Army Parachute Team designation in 1961 and adopted the Golden Knights name the following year, with “Golden” reflecting its success winning medals.
Competition remains central to that identity. USAirNet previously covered the Golden Knights’ eight-way formation world record, one example of the organization’s achievements in competitive skydiving. Its demonstration teams bring parachuting to airshows, sporting events and community gatherings, serving as public representatives of the Army.
St. Louis’ balloon tradition grew from modest beginnings. Balloonists Nikki Caplan and John O’Toole founded the race in 1973. Four pilots associated with the Mississippi River Balloon Transit Company—John Marlow, Dan Schettler, John Schaumburg and Ted Staley—became involved in running the event in 1977 and helped develop it into a lasting community fixture.
The Balloon Glow was added in 1991, according to the festival’s archived history. That evening gathering lets visitors see inflated balloons illuminated by their burners while remaining on the ground. In 2000, the race received recognition as a Local Legacy from the Library of Congress, acknowledging its significance as a community tradition.
The race itself follows a hare-and-hound format. A lead balloon launches first and establishes a target after landing. Following pilots try to drop a small weighted bag closest to its center, making accuracy the deciding factor. Wind direction determines where the pursuit carries the balloons across the metropolitan area.
For 2026, the program again paired Friday’s Glow with Saturday’s race, with sponsor support keeping admission free. The Golden Knights’ return added another strand of aviation history: a team born in international competition meeting a festival built around bringing flight into public view.
