The history of the Walla Walla Balloon Stampede and Ginger Kelly’s ballooning career both began in September of 1972, when Chauncey Dun and his all female balloon crew flew for a demonstration at the Whitman College homecoming weekend at the request of alumni director, Jack Riehl. This event caught the attention of several Walla Walla Valley locals, including Nat Vale and Ginger Kelly of Prescott, Washington. The two began taking ballooning lessons and were certified as commercial balloon pilots in February 1974. They purchased their first balloon, Demeter, in March of that year, and flew her in the Expo ‘74 World’s Fair in Spokane that May. The first Balloon Federation Association sanctioned balloon race in the Pacific Northwest occurred on the grounds of Walla Walla High School in May 1976. It was organized by Nat and Ginger, and their friend Bill Loyd. In 1977, Ginger placed 3rd in the first all female race during the First National Balloon Federation of America FA Balloon Races in Reno, Nevada. Ginger Kelly continued to be involved in ballooning events across the Pacific Northwest, and in 1994 she was named the Walla Walla Balloon Stampede volunteer of the year. In 1999 she served as the Honorary Balloonmeister for the Walla Walla Balloon Stampede, and in 2004 she was presented with a Balloon Federation of America award for outstanding service to the history of ballooning. The Walla Walla Balloon Stampede has continued to hold a valued position as an annual community and regional event, and in 1990 the site moved from Walla Walla High School to its current location at Howard Tietan Park.