RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Every year, visitors and residents mark the Great Reno Balloon Race on their calendars.

The event is a fixture within the community and helps all kinds of businesses.

According to local restaurant Squeeze In, sales have increased as the event has grown, with this weekend being the busiest it’s ever been all year.

“We are so thankful for the balloon race in general,” says Squeeze In co-owner Kay Young. “Not only is it magical to watch from a personal perspective, but from a business perspective, we see a spike in our sales every year that the balloons come.”

The race draws more than 150,000 people each year over three days. Visitors alone spend more than $6 million in the area, and it’s not just Squeeze In that benefits; others benefit, too. “We love seeing the hotels fill up, the restaurants fill up, the gas stations fill up,” says Shila Morris, co-owner of Squeeze In. “It’s great for the whole area. It becomes part of the DNA of this community. Northern Nevada and ballooning go together.”

The Great Reno Balloon Race is free to the public, and to keep it that way, Squeeze In will continue to sponsor the event. Sisters Kay and Shila hope to one day see a giant alien balloon take off during the race.

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