The Stuart Rotary Club (SRC) Productions received a $5,000 reimbursable grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC)’s Special Events & Festivals Sponsorship Program (SEF) for the Stuart Beach Music Festival.
SRC Productions will supply a minimum of $5,000 in matching funds to be reimbursed by the grant to host the event at Wayside Park on June 12 – 14. The 43rd Stuart Beach Music Festival will feature seven bands, food, beverages and merchandise vendors. The event promotes Patrick County tourism and attracts music lovers from several states.
Virginia Tourism Corporation will award more than $812,139 in matching grant funds to 81 special events and festivals as part of this program, ultimately impacting 324 combined partners. The VTC Special Events & Festivals Sponsorship Program is designed to leverage local marketing and event production dollars with matching state funds to increase overnight visitation, improve the visitor experience, and increase traveler spending at Virginia special events and festivals. The program also extends the Virginia is for Lovers brand to drive special event and festival visitation. Each Go Virginia region is limited to 20% of available funds creating a matrix of sponsored special events and festivals statewide.
Using the hub and spoke tourism model to create multi-day itineraries, four Virginia entities partner financially to apply for funding. Partners may consist of Virginia cities, towns, counties, destination marketing organizations, restaurants, museums, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses. With the special event or festival as the main lure, the program is designed to encourage visitors to extend their stay to experience Virginia Main Streets, boutique shopping, unique restaurants, and historic sites creating significant economic impact driven by the special event or festival.
This funding cycle, local partners will commit more than $4.8 million in private-public sector funds to match the VTC funding, providing more than $5.62 million in new marketing and event production activity focused on increasing overnight visitation to Virginia in 2025.
“The Stuart Rotary Club is a strong community partner, and the Beach Music Festival is one of the main attractions that helps support our county tourism efforts. I am thankful for their work and glad to see them receive this support from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, our partner at the state level,” said James Houchins, Director of Economic Development & Tourism.
“Special events and festivals are at the heart of what makes Virginia such a unique and vibrant destination,” said Rita McClenny, President and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “We are excited to support these events through the Special Events & Festivals Sponsorship Program, helping to create unforgettable experiences while increasing overnight visitation and traveler spending in Virginia.”
VTC will have additional grant and sponsorship rounds opening throughout 2025. Organizations and businesses that are interested in applying may visit vatc.org/grants for more information.
A full list of funding recipients for all grant programs can be found here.
Out-of-state visitors and Virginians alike are encouraged to visit www.virginia.org to start travel planning for these special events and festivals in the New Year.
SRC Productions is a non-profit within the Rotary Club of Stuart that hosts the Beach Music Festival. Club members work year-round planning and promoting the event as well as participating in service projects in Patrick County. Proceeds from the Beach Music Festival, from the Annual Steak Dinner and from the annual Agricultural Fair support donations to our local Fire and Rescue squads, the Stuart Rotary Student Loan and Scholarship Foundation, BSA Troop 65, Caring Hearts Free Clinic, the PC Food Bank, Christmas Cheer, local pet rescue efforts, a weekend back-pack food program for the Blue Ridge Elementary School, the PC Cougars baseball team, and other service projects. The Stuart Rotary Club is proud to support Patrick County!
Virginia is for Lovers is one of the most iconic and recognizable travel brands in the world. Using that powerful brand equity, Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is charged with promoting the Commonwealth as a premier travel destination by showcasing all there is to love in a Virginia vacation. The dollars spent by travelers fuel the economy, provide jobs for Virginians, and improve communities across the state. Simply put, tourism helps make Virginia a great place to live, work, and vacation. Learn more at virginia.org.
