INDIANAPOLIS — As thousands of race fans flooded the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for race qualifications, many spent their Saturday morning inside the Gallagher Pavilion for the 500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard.
"I think people want to celebrate and come together, perhaps it's that unifying spirit of the Indy 500 itself," Bob Bryant, 500 Festival President & CEO said.
That spirit brought together fans, 85 Hoosier mayors and 33 500 Festival princesses.
"It just speaks to the meaning and the spirit of the month of May and how people are wanting to come together," Bryant said.
But there was one special person in the crowd, racing legend Mario Andretti.
This event did not stop at the pavilion, as IUPUI junior Lissania Perez Diaz was crowned the 500 Festival Queen Scholar.
"It feels amazing," she said. "It think it really means that the 500 Festival is not only acknowledging my hard work but what I stand for, the communities I represent and all of the ever evolving growth we are going to have in Indianapolis."
Perez says it has been a month she'll never forget, but is excited to be apart of the greatest spectacle in racing.
"What I'm most excited for is the race," she said. "It just brings this kind of Indy feeling to our city and it's just amazing, I cannot wait to experience that next week."