Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) awarded sponsorships to 21 Virginia music festivals for total funds of $201,550 as part of its 2018 Music Festival Sponsorship Program.
The 21 music festivals that received awards reported 205,000 in attendance and an estimated $34 million in economic impact to communities across the Commonwealth in 2017. The VTC Music Festival Sponsorship Program is a funding source to help promote the growth of Virginia music festivals and to increase visitation to local communities, while also building Virginia’s reputation as a music destination. The grants are expected to assist in greater attendance numbers and economic impact.
Details on the grant awards are below:
| Festival | Dates | Lead Organization |
| Old Mill Concert Series | May 4 – Nov. 2, 2018 | Damascus Inn, Inc. dba Damascus Old Mill |
| Lime Kiln Theater Summer Concert Series | May 4 -Sept. 22, 2018 | Lime Kiln Arts, Inc. dba Lime Kiln Theater |
| Roots of American Music Concert Series at the Blue Ridge Music Center | Saturdays – May through September | Blue Ridge Music Center |
| Dr. Ralph Stanley’s 48th Annual Hills of Home Festival | May 24-26, 2018 | Stanley Mountain Music Heritage Fund LLC |
| Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival | May 24-27, 2018 | Rooster Walk, Inc. |
| 8th Annual Bluegrass & BBQ Festival | May 25-27, 2018 | Festival Farm Productions |
| 2018 Supernova International Ska Festival | May 25-28, 2018 | Social Music LLC |
| HoustonFest | June 8-9, 2018 | Galax Volunteer Fire Department |
| Mountains of Music Homecoming | June 8-16, 2018 | The Crooked Road |
| Funhouse Fest | June 22-23, 2018 | Funhouse Fest – Virginia Arts Festival |
| Red Wings Roots Music Festival | July 13-15, 2018 | Black Bear Productions, LLC |
| Shenandoah Valley Music Festival | July 20-Sept. 2, 2018 | Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, Inc. |
| FloydFest 18 Wild | July 25-29, 2018 | Across-the-Way Productions, Inc./Blue Cow Arts |
| Carter Family Memorial Festival | Aug. 3-4, 2018 | Carter Family Memorial Center, Inc. |
| Staunton Music Festival | Aug. 10-19, 2018 | Tamworth Music Festival; dba Staunton Music Festival |
| LOCKN’ | Aug. 23-26, 2018 | LOCKN’, LLC |
| 36th Annual Norfolk Waterfront Jazz Festival | Aug. 24-25, 2018 | Norfolk Festevents. LTD. |
| Appaloosa Roots Music Festival | Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 2018 | Appaloosa Blue Ridge Arts Foundation |
| Bluegrass by the Bay | Sept. 12-15, 2018 | Thousand Trails Bluegrass by the Bay, Inc. |
| Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion | Sept. 21-23, 2018 | Birthplace of County Music |
| The Festy Experience | Oct. 5-7, 2018 | The Festy Experience |
Music is an important driver of tourism in Virginia and an important part of Virginia culture. Virginia hosts a variety of music events and festivals year-round, providing music lovers across the state with hundreds of performances a year by local and world-famous musicians.
Tourism is an instant revenue generator for Virginia. In 2016, tourism generated $24 billion in revenue, supported 230,000 jobs and provided $1.7 billion in state and local taxes for the Commonwealth. Dollars invested in tourism are proven to provide a seven to one return in tax revenue for Virginia, and grant awards provide a stimulus to localities seeking to increase tourism visitation and revenue.
For more information on the VTC Music Festival Sponsorship Program grants, please visit vatc.org/grants.
For more information on music in Virginia, please visit virginia.org/music.