Virginia Tourism Corporation awards funding to projects including $42,815 for Tom Tom Festival

We are in National Travel and Tourism Week and Governor Glenn Youngkin took the opportunity to announce the award of $3.27 million in grants through the Virginia Tourism Corporation. 

“Across the Commonwealth, the tourism industry recognizes the importance of having inventive strategies to showcase all that Virginia has to offer,” Youngkin is quoted in a press release from Monday. “These grants will support those efforts and help draw thousands of additional visitors to the Commonwealth to experience everything that makes Virginia so special.”

The funding is for various partnerships and is intended to leverage other dollars. Several initiatives in the area are slated for funding.

• Foxfield Spring Races 2024 will receive $8,920 for event production of this past spring’s event
• Foxfield Racing LLC will receive $13,500 to cover the costs of marketing the spring races
• The Crozet Fall Arts & Crafts Festival will get $8,000 for the event coming up October 12 and October 13 
• Blenheim Vineyards has been awarded $6,500 for the Two Up Wine Down Festival which showcases winemakers who are Black, Indigenous or Persons of Color. The most recent event was on October 29, 2023. 
• The Ix Art Park Foundation has been awarded $9,725 for something called Charlottesville: Above & Below, but their website does not have a description.
• The Fae Festival is a Renaissance Faire event held at the Ix Art Park that will receive $4,500. The event is coming up on June 15 and June 16. 
• The Tom Tom Festival received $22,815 for their recent event and a second award of $20,000.
• The Front Porch will get $2,500 for Rivanna Roots Riverfront Concerts this year. These are held at the Rivanna River Company which rents their space along the river from the City of Charlottesville. 
• The Monticello Wine Trail will get $5,000 for their Wine Week, which concluded earlier this month.
• Fluvanna County will receive $13,000 for the campaign Fall in Love with Fluvanna 
• The Fluvanna County Fair is in line for $9,000. The 9th annual fair will be held August 15 through August 17 at Pleasant Grove Park. 
• Louisa County’s Parks and Recreation Program has been awarded $16,000 for the Visit Louisa initiative.
• Nelson County Tourism will receive $18,000 for the Stars and Spurs festival coming up later this year at Oak Ridge. The three-day event will be held July 4 through July 6. 
• The Wintergreen Music Festival will receive $10,000 for the month-long series of concerts that take place through July. 
• An entity called Love Ridge Mountain Lodging in Nelson County will get $10,000 for the launch of their cabins and event space in Montebello near the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

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