WENATCHEE — Chelan County commissioners awarded $328,000 this week to a number of tourist-related organizations.
Twenty-two groups and non-profit agencies will receive a portion of the $328,000 allocated in grants, meant to be used in a variety of tourist-related efforts like marketing, outreach and to fund new or well-established festivals, according to a Chelan County news release.
The funds come a portion of lodging taxes the county collects and on a yearly basis distributes. Lodging taxes are taxes levied on lodging businesses, including hotels and short-term rentals.
The county awarded $50,000 more than usual because they received so many “good applications and tourist-generating projects,” said Tiffany Gering, Chelan County commissioner, in the news release.
In unincorporated Chelan County, about half the money generated in a year is allocated to six local chambers, as well as Ohme Gardens, the Cascade Loop and TREAD — a Wenatchee nonprofit advocating for recreation development in Chelan and Douglas counties. The other portion is used to operate the county’s Visit Chelan County campaign, according to the county news release.
The awards come from the recommendation of the Chelan County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee which reviewed the applications and interviewed the finalists.
The 22 recipients include:
Leavenworth Autumn Leaf Festival ($15,000)
Buckner Homestead ($2,700)
Cashmere Chamber marketing plan ($4,800)
Cashmere Museum ($7,400)
Chelan County Expo Center ($20,000)
Chelan Rustlers rodeo ($25,000)
Icicle Creek Center for the Arts ($15,000)
Lake Chelan Arts Council ($5,500)
Lake Chelan Wine and Jazz ($33,000)
Lake Chelan Wine Alliance ($30,000)
Leavenworth Summer Theater ($15,000)
Leavenworth Village Voices ($8,000)
Manson Chamber pickleball tournament ($15,000)
Ohme Gardens ($30,000)
Stehekin Heritage guidebook ($3,500)
Upper Valley Historical Society ($17,500)
Wenatchee Arts Alliance ($11,000)
Wenatchee Chamber Rails and Ailes ($5,000)
Wenatchee Chamber La Terreza ($10,000)
Wenatchee River Bluegrass Festival ($15,000)
Wenatchee Valley Museum ($25,200)
Wenatchee Youth Baseball tournament ($15,000)
The county received 30 total applications, according to the news release, and will open up applications once again sometime in the spring. People can find more information on the county’s lodging tax dollars here: wwrld.us/lodgingtaxdollars.
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