Bracebridge opens the coffers to support tourism

Downtown Bracebridge, Ont. (CTV News/Ian Duffy)

Bracebridge’s Event Tourism Grant and Community Grant programs received a much needed cash infusion to support its 2024 programming.

In total, the town is providing $45,070: $27,500 to help support local festivals and events and $17,570 to support community development.

The grants help stimulate local economic development by driving tourism and vital programs and services the community relies on.

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The awarded events attract approximately 27,000 people, many of whom are out-of-town visitors who use amenities such as accommodations, restaurants, and shopping.

The 2024 Event Tourism Grant recipients are:

• $5,000 for the Bracebridge Business Improvement Area’s annual Fire and Ice Festival, which took place in January;
• $2,000 to the Muskoka Limberettes Gymnastics Club for the Muskoka Classic Gymnastics Competition, which took place in January;
• $5,000 to the First Annual See Muskoka Through Our Eyes Traditional Powwow, June 29 and 30
• $5,000 to Muskoka Arts and Crafts for the MAC Summer Show, July 12 to 14
• $2,000 to Muskoka Pride for the Muskoka Pride Festival and Parade, July 20 to 28
• $2,000 to Community Living South Muskoka for Music at the Meadows, August 24
• $1,500 to Muskoka Hornets Baseball for the Muskoka Cup Tournaments happening this summer
• $5,000 for the annual Muskoka Marathon which takes place on October 5.

A Community Grant program demonstrates the town’s ongoing commitment to working with organizations that provide beneficial projects and services to the community.

The 2024 Community Grant recipients are:

• $1,700 to the Alzheimer Society of Muskoka to help offset the costs of a walk to raise funds for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
• $120 to the Bracebridge Agricultural Society to sponsor prizes for youth division in six categories at the Fall Fair
• $1,200 to the Bracebridge Soccer Club for the purchase of new nets
• $1,700 to Cycling Without Age Bracebridge to assist with the purchase of a trishaw
• $1,800 to Enliven Cancer Care to assist with implementing an art therapy program
• $1,800 to Hospice Muskoka to assist with the programming costs associated with their Recognizing Resilience program
• $1,800 to MADD Canada to assist with local school programs
• $2,550 to Manna Food Bank to help purchase a refurbished three-door industrial freezer
• $1,000 to the Muskoka Rowing Club for modernized promotional and coaching aids
• $1,000 to the Royal Canadian Legion to assist with the cost of renovating the memorabilia room
• $1,200 to United Way Simcoe Muskoka to help support the Urgent Needs Fund
• $1,700 to YWCA of Muskoka to support the costs of their Quest program.

Applications for the Event Tourism Grant and Community Grant programs to help support programming in 2025 will open on June 10 with a submission deadline of September 9 at 4:30 p.m.