NATCHEZ — The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race is looking for a few friends.

The annual festival needs the support of the local business community to ensure the festivities continue year after year, said Babs Price, executive director of the balloon race.

Price said the event is very costly to put on and profits have not allowed the committee to put aside enough money in a rainy day fund.

Price said recently the festival has had two years that were basically complete rainouts. She said the festival can’t handle another blow like that.

“If we were to have a rain out now, we’d be in big trouble,” she said.

But Price and the rest of the GMRBR committee aren’t just airing their problems. They are equipped with a solution.

Mimi Miller, director of the Historic Natchez Foundation which is the primary beneficiary of the balloon race, said the race is looking for friends of the festival to donate $100 each to be put directly into the rainy day fund.

In exchange, businesses would receive a poster to display in their store window indicating they are a friend of the festival and a mention on the GMRBR website.

“Contrary to popular opinion, the balloon race doesn’t make much money,” Miller said.

Miller said most of the money is made through entrance fees, but since the balloons can be seen without entering the festival grounds, many people do not pay that entrance fee.

“We don’t want to move the festival,” Miller said. “Where it is now, it is beneficial to the businesses, restaurants and hoteliers, and it is great for the visitors.”

But Miller also doesn’t want to see the festival disappear because of the lack of a rainy day fund.

Miller said the committee started the friends of the festival fundraiser last year, but didn’t experience much success.

“I sent out 65 letters and only had five responses,” she said. “If we could get 50 business to donate $100, that is $5,000 directly into the rainy day fund each year.

“That doesn’t seem like much money, but in 10 years we’d have 50,000”

The letter sent in July said the race costs more than $200,000 to put on each year. In the event of a rain out, all of those expenses, except fuel for the balloons has to be paid, even with no money coming in.

Price said the three-day event is a big money maker for restaurants, shops and hotels, and the committee isn’t trying to dip into those profits. But, she said, to make sure that continues, the committee needs to know it has the funds to put the event on each year.

“We want everyone to make money, but for that to happen, the festival has to continue to exist,” she said.

Anyone interested in becoming a friend of the balloon race should call the Historic Natchez Foundation at 601-442-2500. Donations can also be sent to P.O. Box 1775, Natchez, MS 39121.