A beautiful Natchez lady will turn 30 today and unlike most who cringe at the thought of the three-decade mark, this lady won’t bat an eye.

For perhaps hundreds of thousands or even millions of people, Natchez is known for two things — antebellum houses and the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race.

The race is the brainchild of several locals who decided to create an event that would be fun for locals and visitors alike, while helping to support a great cause — the Historic Natchez Foundation.

What happened though was something that quickly grew beyond just a simple event and now touches many, many parts of our community.

Thousands of people will pour into Natchez to see a glimpse of the wonderfully elegant and purposefully low-tech hot-air balloons that — weather permitting — will take to the skies beginning this morning and throughout the weekend.

As a result a number of downtown businesses likely will have their best weekends of the year.

Across the river the Vidalia Riverfront will be abuzz with a flea market that further capitalizes on the existence of the large crowds in town for the balloon race.

In honor of the race’s 30th anniversary, former Natchez Mayor Tony Byrne recently encouraged residents to invest in the race and to help ensure its future by purchasing a weekend pass — $30 in honor of the race’s 30th birthday.

What a great way to help say “thanks” to the dozens of volunteers who have kept the race going year after year and provided so many of us such a great time in the process.

We hope the race is a great success this year, and here’s to 30 more!