SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (WNYT) – Hundreds of people filled the streets on Broadway Friday night on the eve of the Travers Stakes.

“It’s like our eighth year in a row here. We love coming here. Betting on the horses, tip sheets,” said one tourist we spoke to.

It’s just not the tourists or people coming out to the track, some of the locals just love it for the atmosphere it brings.

“I feel like just the energy is like, you know, I could take or leave the horse races, but just having everyone, like, downtown and going out to dinner,” said Olivia Mannion.

Stores such as Piper Boutique were busier than usual. Alessandra Bange Hall is the owner of the boutique, and she said this whole week has just been getting progressively busier and busier.

“Traffic really started picking up here on Wednesday, and it’s been steady. Straight through tonight, it will probably be one of the busiest nights. And then tomorrow morning as well,” Hall said.

Down the street, restaurant Rhea is just as busy. Drew Nicolaus works as a bartender at Rhea and told NewsChannel 13 earlier that they were expecting to be completely booked Friday night.

“With the Travers Day race, we’re expecting every seat to be full. We’ve got a bunch of reservations. We’ve got a 30-seat bar here, but as soon as the track gets out, those seats are going to be going like crazy,” Nicolaus said.

Watch NewsChannel 13’s Zach Richter’s story above to hear more from business owners on Broadway on this surge in crowds.