The excitement of the Saratoga racing season doesn’t begin and end on the track. It’s the bustling downtown that makes a memorable experience for many.

With stores and restaurants fully open once again, business owners are hoping to generate some of the revenue lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m so excited to be back in our most favorite place ever — Saratoga Springs,” says Diane Rollo, of Boston.

Because of COVID-19, 2020 was the first year in decades Rollo didn’t visit Saratoga for the races.

She says she loves everything about the area during track season, especially the food and the fashion.

Faye McPhoy, from Long Island, seconded Rollo’s love for Saratoga fashion.

“I always buy a hat when I come to Saratoga,” says Rollo. “Saratoga is back to the party time of the year!”

At Hatsational on Broadway, the party couldn’t come soon enough.

“Saratoga comes alive when the track opens and the races start,” says sales associate Erin Sandmann. “Last year was so sad. It was almost depressing.”

Sales plummeted for the store in 2020, down 70% from the previous year. In 2019, the shop was recognized as the Headwear Associations Retailer of the Year.

Owner Joyce Locks compared the award to winning an Oscar, so there was no way she’d let the place go under. She had to close one of her other stores to make it through, though.

Sandmann says it wasn’t just the sales that they missed.

“We couldn’t see their smiles when they came in and tried on hats, so it’s great to see their smiles again,” says Sandmann.

Smiles are out once again and so are the credit cards.

Hatsational is hoping for eager spenders this summer to recoup their loses.

“People are ready to have fun,” says Sandmann. “This is their year. This is their time to shine, they’re back and they’re ready to have all things track.”