Home Waynesboro: City announces $15K in BOOST grants for 2025-26 events
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Waynesboro: City announces $15K in BOOST grants for 2025-26 events

Crystal Graham
destination downtown waynesboro
Image courtesy Destination Downtown Waynesboro

The City of Waynesboro awarded $15,000 in funding to nine businesses and organizations designed to support their marketing efforts.

The Building Opportunities to Support Tourism, or BOOST, grants provide up to $3,000 for events, festivals and initiatives designed to increase tourist traffic for efforts taking place between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.

“We’re thrilled to support projects in Waynesboro that attract visitors from beyond our region through the BOOST grant program,” said Stephanie Duffy, assistant director of Economic Development & Tourism for the City of Waynesboro. “This initiative allows us to collaborate with local tourism businesses and organizations, helping them expand their marketing efforts and shine a spotlight on the incredible attractions and events our community has to offer.”

Visitor spending reached a new record in Virginia in 2024, growing by 5.4 percent over 2023, to $35.1 billion.

2025-26 BOOST grant recipients


  • adorn.
  • Waynesboro Farmers Market
  • Waynesboro Heritage Museum
  • Riverfest
  • The Russell Museum
  • Rusticae
  • The Foundry
  • Virginia Institute of Blacksmithing
  • Fall Foliage Art Show

A four-person committee comprised of city employees and a representative from the Virginia Tourism Corporation reviewed a record number of applications for the program.


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Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is a reporter and ad manager for Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of "Virginia Tonight," a nightly TV news show, both broadcast on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television. You can reach her at [email protected]