The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has approved the awarding of the county’s annual Tourism Grants for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 2023). The grant program is designed to support local tourism initiatives and events that drive tourists to Loudoun County.
The FY 2023 grants will go to four organizations and two of the county’s incorporated towns. The recipients, the amount of funding and details about the related events are as follows:
- Chhandayan, $9,500: Chhandayan is planning to host the 2022 Diwali Festival Celebration in October. Dwiali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. The festival will feature performances, seminars and workshops by several famous musicians and dancers with their teams.
- Middleburg Film Festival, $25,000: The Middleburg Film Festival features screenings of narrative and documentary films followed by conversations with world-renowned filmmakers, actors and other special guests. The annual festival attracted an estimated 3,500 attendees in both 2018 and 2019.
- One Family Gives, $6,000: One Family Gives holds the Freedom Celebration, an annual outdoor event celebrating veterans, first responders and military personnel on a 27-acre farm in Lovettsville. In 2021, the event attracted more than 1,100 people and raised over $20,000 for charity.
- Sweet Jazz Festival, LLC. $9,000: The Sweet Jazz Festival is a quarterly concert series that benefits local charities and music scholarship, while spotlighting women-owned businesses and services
- Town of Lovettsville, $25,000: The annual Lovettsville Oktoberfest celebration features food vendors, free children’s activities, bands, craft vendors, local and regional beers and wines, traditional German dancing, races and more. It regularly draws over 12,000 attendees.
- Town of Middleburg, $25,000: Middleburg is scheduled to be the base of operations for the 1000 Miglia Warm-Up USA event in October 2022. The open road rally for vintage classic cars is expected to attract up to 500 out of town visitors.
Loudoun County’s Tourism Grants support events that bring more visitors to the county, increase overnight stays in Loudoun hotels, and enhance the overall attractiveness and marketability of Loudoun County as a destination. These may include new or enhanced attractions, events, programs or marketing campaigns. Nonprofits, municipalities and businesses located in the county are eligible to apply.
Funding from the program is to be spent solely on initiatives that increase tourism or qualifying tourism promotions consistent with state code and the Board of Supervisors’ Restricted Transient Occupancy Tax funding policy.
For FY 2023, the Tourism Grant funds are supplemented by American Rescue Plan Act funds through the Virginia Tourism Corporation. As a result of these funds, the maximum amount for the awards was increased from $10,000 to $25,000 for eligible tourism, marketing and hospitality-related expenses.
Additional information about the process may be found at loudoun.gov/tourismgrant.
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