Mayor Rick Maloney presented the recipients of the Town of Bracebridge’s Event Tourism Grant and Community Grant programs with the funding needed to support their 2023 programming. In total, the Town is providing $43,860; $26,500 to help support local festivals and events and $17,360 to support community development. This investment helps stimulate local economic development by driving tourism as well as the vital programs and services the community relies on.
Event Tourism Grant Program
Local festivals and events help drive tourism and associated economic impacts to the town and support community engagement. Collectively, the awarded events attract approximately 27,000 people, many of which are out of town visitors using amenities such as accommodations, restaurants and shopping. This in turn drives spending to the local economy.
The 2023 Event Tourism Grant recipients are:
- $5,000 for the Bracebridge Business Improvement Area’s annual Fire and Ice Festival which took place in January;
- $2,500 to the Muskoka Limberettes Gymnastics Club for the Muskoka Classic Gymnastics Competition which took place in January;
- $2,000 to the Pine Tree Quilters’ Guild for the Muskoka Quilt Show, June 2 and 3;
- $5,000 to Muskoka Arts and Crafts for the MAC Summer Show, July 14 to 16;
- $2,500 to Muskoka Pride for the Muskoka Pride Festival and Parade from July 22 to 30;
- $2,500 to Community Living South Muskoka for Music at the Meadows on August 26;
- $2,000 to PRISM Productions for PRISM Theatre in the Park happening this fall; and
- $5,000 for the annual Muskoka Marathon which takes place on September 30.
For more information on festivals and events visit bracebridge.ca/festivalsandevents.
Community Grant Program
The Community Grant Program demonstrates the Town’s ongoing commitment to working with organizations that provide beneficial projects and services to the community.
The 2023 Community Grant recipients are:
- $120 to the Bracebridge Agricultural Society to sponsor prizes for youth division in six categories at the Fall Fair;
- $2,000 to the Bracebridge Farmers Market to provide entertainment and signage to increase market visitation;
- $2,000 to the Dads of Muskoka for improvements to the disc golf course;
- $1,550 to MiND-AID Muskoka to assist with costs to deliver SafeTalk Suicide Prevention training;
- $2,000 to Hospice Muskoka for develop and implement a digital and physical marketing strategy;
- $2,100 to the Muskoka Indigenous Friendship Centre to initiate monthly Indigenous focused workshops;
- $2,000 to the Muskoka Limberettes Gymnastics Club for equipment replacements;
- $1,490 to the Muskoka Paddle Club for the purchase of a 16’ family-sized canoe;
- $2,100 to the Muskoka Swimming Club Inc (MUSAC) to assist with swim meet costs;
- $500 to Safe Quiet Lakes to support outreach and education programming; and
- $1,500 to YWCA of Muskoka to help support the cost of the Girlz Unplugged summer day camp.
Applications for the Event Tourism Grant and Community Grant programs to help support programming in 2024 will open on August 13 with a submission deadline of October 13, 2023.
To learn more about these funding opportunities, visit bracebridge.ca/eventgrants and bracebridge.ca/communitygrants.
“The Town of Bracebridge is committed to community health and vitality, and on behalf of the Town I am proud to present this funding to the organizations that are making a difference in our community.”
– Rick Maloney, Mayor, Town of Bracebridge