The Great Reno Balloon Race is held in Reno, Nevada.
The event began in 1981 and developed into a major annual hot-air-balloon gathering in the western United States. Mass ascensions take place in the early morning, when cooler and generally calmer air helps pilots operate safely and predictably.
The race is staged at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, north of central Reno. Thousands of spectators attend to watch balloons launch, rise over the city and surrounding desert landscape, and return during the morning flying period.
Despite its name, the event is not simply a head-to-head race with balloons following a fixed course. Hot-air balloons are largely carried by the wind, so competitions and demonstrations depend on skillful altitude changes, navigation and landing judgment.