– Indiana Dunes Tourism, the official tourism bureau of Porter County, announced that it has selected 17 non-profit organizations and other groups to receive $33,000 in grant money to help promote their festivals and events, sporting competitions and other tourism-related initiatives during 2016.
“The goal of the grant program is to help those who plan to bring visitors into the county by building new attractions or by organizing festivals, events, business meetings and sports tournaments during 2016,” said Lorelei Weimer, Indiana Dunes Tourism executive director.
“These grants are designed to increase tourism by getting new events and attractions off the ground, by getting existing events to grow or by otherwise marketing our area. The result of the grants is that people will visit from outside Porter County and spend their money here.”
Weimer said the county’s residents benefit from the grant program because more money is brought in to support the local economy and because residents get more festivals and events to enjoy.
In 2016, Indiana Dunes Tourism will honor the following grants:
Footloose 5K & Event, $1,500; Babapaloosa, $500; Live it Up Music Festival, $500; Indiana Dunes Birding Festival, $1,500; Portage Township Summer Fest, $1,000; Chesterton’s European Market, $2,500; Community Theatre Guild season brochures and show postcards, $1,000; Girlfriends Getaway to Valparaiso, $2,500; 4th Street Theater season marketing, $2,000; This is My Brave/Theatrepalooza marketing, $2,500; Riding the Rails documentary, $1,500; Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 104’s pavilion at Porter County Regional Airport, $5,000; Shifting Sands Documentary, $2,500; Lorie’s Lakeside Century Ride, $1,500; Lutheran Basketball Association National Basketball Tournament, $3,000; Valparaiso University bowling tournament, $3,000; and Pastime Tournaments Great Lakes Open Invitational Baseball Tournament, $1,000.
The grants can be used for such things as advertising, printing and promotional expenses that bring visitors to Porter County and encourage overnight stays. The funds can also be to develop new attractions, as well as brochures, websites and other tools that encourage visitation. The following grants are available each year: product development, $5,000 annually; sponsorship, $3,000 annually; and marketing, festivals, events, meetings and seminars, $2,500 for the first year, $1,500 for the second year and $1,000 for the third year.
Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
