Great Reno Balloon race organizers announced that the 2026 event will be expanding to four full days.
The announcement was made to the Sunday crowd, accompanied by the hot air balloon SPLIT-TAIL, piloted by Lewin Williams, Sr. flying a GRBR 45th anniversary banner.
The event will take place September 10th through 13th in 2026, debuting expanded Thursday programming.
The year’s theme, “Stars, Stripes and Soaring Dreams: Celebrating 45 Years of Flight,” will align with the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
“This expansion is a direct reflection of the growing enthusiasm for The Great Reno Balloon Race,” said Pete Copeland, executive director of The Great Reno Balloon Race. “We’re seeing larger and more diverse crowds than ever before and, because our goal is always to create more opportunities for everyone to enjoy the magic of this event, a fourth official day allows us to welcome more northern Nevadans and more visitors from the globe to experience all we have to offer.”
