The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® received a $20,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC)’s Special Events & Festivals Sponsorship Program (SEF) for its Air Show, Comedy Show, Blossom Artisan & Faire and Family Fun Party events.
The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® will supply $20,000 in matching funds for the ten-day festival with over fifty exciting events, ensuring there is something for everyone to enjoy. From 2 parades and a 10K race to dances, luncheons, and dinners, the festivities offer a wide range of activities for all ages. This year, we aim to emphasize and focus on four new events to increase hotel occupancy and boost event attendance. The first weekend of the festival, Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27, 2025, we have three new events planned: the Air Show presented by Omps Funeral Home and Cremation Center at the Winchester Regional Airport, a Comedy Show, and the Blossom Artisan and Faire featuring a kids zone. Additionally, we have added the Valley Pediatric Dentistry Family Fun Party on Tuesday, April 29th, at the Tolley Dental Zone at Shenandoah University’s James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Event Center. These new events are set to attract visitors from outside the area, encouraging overnight stays and boosting tourism, in addition to the 50 other festival events. Our goal is to highlight these exciting additions and draw visitors from throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
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. "At Wilkins Shoe Center, we not only enjoy the festivities and proudly sponsor an event, but being located in Old Town—where so many events take place—offers excellent exposure for our store. We've made lasting connections with customers who return from all over the country after discovering our 'mom and pop shop' during the festival. Many of our loyal customers choose shoes that combine style and comfort, making them ideal for their adventures along the Apple Blossom Trail of events."
Kendra and Phil Brewer
Wilkins Shoe Center
“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.
The Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® is a long-standing annual event held in Winchester, Virginia, typically in late April to early May. Established in 1924, the festival celebrates the region's apple-growing heritage with a wide array of activities and events that attract tens of thousands of visitors each year.
The festival also includes a pink-and-green theme, reflecting its iconic colors, and many participants dress in corresponding hues. It's a vibrant celebration of community spirit, agricultural heritage, and small-town charm.
About Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC)
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.
