B.C. announces grants to fairs, festivals and events

Victoria – The B.C. government is giving a boost to arts, culture, sports and tourism by helping to fund 680 events.

The province is providing nearly $30 million through one-time grants to eligible event organizers to support their efforts to resume safely. Grant amounts for each event are as much as 20 per cent of the total event budget, for a maximum of $250,000.

Events that have received the Fairs, Festivals and Events Recovery Fund grant include the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival, Pacific Rim Whale Festival, Quesnel Children’s Festival, Elk Valley Pride Festival and many more in 134 B.C. communities.

Recipients demonstrated the economic and social benefits to the community and strong local or regional support. Eligible expenses include operational costs, health and safety measures, venue rental, marketing, wages and promotion.

“We’re thrilled that people can once again safely enjoy their local fairs, festivals and events with their families and friends,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “We heard overwhelmingly from event organizers that grants, not loans, were key to keeping their doors open to the public and workers employed. Our government answered their call to action, as we know the major impact these community gatherings have on our mental health and local businesses around them.”

Applications for the Fairs, Festivals and Events Recovery Fund grant were accepted from Aug. 27 to Oct. 1, 2021, for events that were scheduled between July 1, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2022. Eligible events include arts, culture and sporting events and festivals, community celebrations and gatherings, agricultural fairs, rodeos and exhibitions.

See the list of recipients for the Fairs, Festivals, and Events Recovery Fund.