POTTSVILLE -- The city of Pottsville is expected to be packed this weekend when more than 3,000 runners take to the streets for the 4th Annual Yuengling Light Lager Jogger 5K Race.
Each year, it has been a sell out bringing people from all across the country to Schuylkill County.
Lifelong resident Clarence Willauer says the race is one of the busiest events of the year, and a lot of businesses benefit from it.
"There's a lot of small businesses in town here, so it's a big break for them," Willauer said.
Businesses tell Newswatch 16 they enjoy the fact that the race keeps coming back every year.
"This is one of four major events that happen throughout the year. Hopefully we're looking for more," Gene Breines of the All American Cafe said.
Breines said he looks forward to the event every year. He hopes that it brings people back to Pottsville to see what else it has to offer.
"With other people in town, if they see this then maybe they will come back. Not just for each event, but maybe they will come back just to look," Breines said.
At Roma Pizza on West Market street, employees also enjoy the extra foot traffic during race weekend. The longtime restaurant is a popular place for locals. Owner Peter Russo said it is difficult to get the business name out to visitors who come to the area.
"We're a small town, but we're a big business in town that nobody really knows about. So it's nice when you come up here on the second floor you see that we have draft beer, pizza by the slice, to steak dinners and seafood. We have everything," Russo said.
A block party for the race begins downtown on Friday continuing through Saturday afternoon. The 4th annual Yuengling Light Lager Jogger race starts on Saturday at 9 a.m.