Virginia Tourism Corporation has awarded sponsorships to 32 Virginia music festivals for total funds of $245,448 as part of its 2017 Music Festival Sponsorship Program.
The 32 awarded music festivals bring in 482,943 in attendance and $11,044,418 in ticket sales with an estimated economic impact of $46,819,863 to communities across the Commonwealth.
The VTC Music Festival Sponsorship Program is a funding source for established music festivals in Virginia to help growth of the festival and increase visitation to local communities, while also building Virginia’s reputation as a music destination. VTC funds can be used for any production aspects needed for the festival. Examples include entertainment costs, production costs, staging, etc.
Music Festival
|
Locality/Organization
|
Grant Award
|
Friday Cheers
|
Venture Richmond Events, LLC
|
$5,000
|
Native American Heritage Festival
|
Radford Visitors Center
|
$2,447
|
Fun House Fest
|
Virginia Arts Festival
|
$7,500
|
Thursday Jams
|
Abingdon Music Experience
|
$7,500
|
Chesapeake Bay Reggae Festival
|
Chesapeake Bay Reggae Festival
|
$7,500
|
Blue Ridge Music Center Summer 2017 Music Programs
|
Blue Ridge Music Center
|
$3,750
|
Hillsville Summer Nights Concert Series
|
Town of Hillsville
|
$2,500
|
Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival
|
Rooster Walk, Inc.
|
$7,500
|
The Howling Craft Beer and Music Festival
|
Wolf Hills Brewing Company
|
$2,500
|
Virginia Beach Patriotic Festival
|
Patriotic Festival II, Inc.
|
$7,500
|
Hot Fun in the Summertime Beach Music Festival
|
The Stuart Rotary Foundation
|
$5,000
|
HoustonFest
|
HoustonFest
|
$7,500
|
Celebrate Fairfax! Festival
|
Celebrate Fairfax, Inc.
|
$7,500
|
Mountains of Music Homecoming
|
The Crooked Road
|
$15,000
|
Chautauqua Festival
|
Wythe Arts Council, Inc.
|
$7,500
|
Shore Made Music Festival
|
Friends of Onancock School
|
$2,500
|
Columbia Pike Blues Festival
|
Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization
|
$7,500
|
Mountains of Music on Main
|
Montgomery Museum & Lewis Miller Art Center
|
$2,500
|
Heifetz International Music Festival of Concerts
|
Heifetz International Music Institute
|
$7,500
|
Red Wing Roots Music Festival
|
Black Bear Productions, Inc.
|
$7,500
|
Shenandoah Valley Music Festival
|
Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, Inc.
|
$7,500
|
FloydFest
|
Across the Way Productions
|
$15,000
|
Old Fiddlers Convention
|
Galax Moose Lodge #733
|
$2,500
|
Staunton Music Festival
|
Staunton Music Festival
|
$15,000
|
Lockn’ Festival
|
Lockn’ LLC
|
$15,000
|
Front Porch Fest
|
One Family Productions, Inc.
|
$5,000
|
Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion
|
Birthplace of Country Music
|
$15,000
|
Watermelon Park Fest
|
Shepherds Ford Productions, LLC
|
$5,000
|
The Festy Experience
|
The Festy Experience, LLC
|
$15,000
|
Joel Sweeney and the Banjo Festival
|
Joel Sweeney Festival Planning Committee
|
$5,000
|
Richmond Folk Festival
|
Venture Richmond Events, LLC
|
$15,000
|
Blue Ridge Folklife Festival
|
Ferrum College
|
$6,750
|
The next round of the VTC Music Festival Sponsorship Program grants will open early 2018. Music festivals interested in applying may visit vatc.org/grants for more information.
Tourism is an instant revenue generator for Virginia. In 2015, tourism generated $23 billion in revenue, supported 223,100 jobs and provided $1.6 billion in state and local taxes for the Commonwealth. Dollars invested in tourism are proven to provide a seven to one return in tax revenue for Virginia, and grant awards provide a stimulus to localities seeking to increase tourism visitation and revenue. For more information on the Virginia tourism industry, please visit virginia.org.