Mushers, their families, and their helpers need a place to stay after they finish the race in Nome. The people of Nome open their homes up for them. The visitors center works with the Headquarters by matching up those who have volunteered their homes with the mushers looking for housing. The musher usually stays from the time they finish until after the banquet. This could be the Iditarod winners banquet, or the Red Lantern banquet. The red lantern goes to the musher who finishes last each year. Other mushers have friends in Nome and they stay with them.