Community Partnerships

The Children’s Cabinet

- 2025 marks the 32nd anniversary of the partnership between The Children’s Cabinet and the Wilbur May Foundation. The Children’s Cabinet and the Wilbur May Foundation have been bringing special-shaped balloons to the event each year to give tethered rides for kids at The Children’s Cabinet. Thank you for bringing smiles to our event for over three decades.

- The University Balloon Race Scholarship Committee has been in existence since 1986, has awarded scholarship funds since the early 1990’s and distributed scholarships to students each year since 1999. The committee exists solely to raise the money to award two scholarships a year, one to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate student. Learn more at https://www.unr.edu/balloonrace

- Teen Challenge volunteers throughout the week with set-up and during the event as our Green Team. They are vital in helping us keep our beautiful park clean!

- The Knights of Columbus are one of our partners responsible for our traffic logistics management. They are one of the first ones greeting you in the early morning!
- The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s fraternal organization guided by the principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. Through this partnership with The Great Reno Balloon Race, council 7322 is empowered to support St. Albert the Great Parish, many local community organizations, people with disabilities, students, veterans, homeless outreach programs and youth scouting as well as disaster relief and people in need worldwide.

- The Reno Elks Lodge provides the event with assistance in all thing set-up, tear-down, crewing, rangers as well as traffic management. Don’t forget to check out their vending booth on Balloon Boulevard for their pancake feed!

- We’ve partnered with Balloon Nevada to bring an exclusive balloon ride opportunity to our fans! Balloon Nevada will be taking up to 10 guests a day to view the event from up above. Availability is only for September 5-7, 2025 on a first come, first serve basis. The sooner you book, the more likely you are to get the date you want. Book here: https://www.balloonnevada.com/grbr