Local festivals and events will attract attendees from near and far this summer, with the Government of British Columbia supporting their success through funding for enhanced promotion.

“Our province’s local festivals are a big part of the great experiences residents and visitors can have in B.C.,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “We are supporting communities and local tourism by providing important funding that helps make these events successful. They enhance quality of life for British Columbians and help draw visitors to communities throughout the province.”

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture supports dozens of events each year through its Tourism Events Program. Some events funded this summer include:

• The Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, on through Sept. 22 in Vancouver, featuring MacBeth and a modern twist on As You Like It. The Province provided the festival with $30,000 toward promotion.
• The ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art, Aug. 3 to Aug. 6 in Wells and Barkerville, with promotion supported by $28,000 from the Province.
• The Vanderhoof International Airshow, Saturday, Aug. 4, featuring the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. The Province provided $31,500 to organizers to advertise the event.
• The Vancouver Mural Festival, billed as the city’s largest annual free public art festival, on from Aug. 6 to Aug. 11. The festival received $20,800 from the Province.
• The 2018 Ornithological Congress and Birding Festival from Aug. 19 to Aug. 26 in Vancouver. The Province provided $40,000 toward its promotion. 
• Haida Gwaii’s Edge of the World Music Festival, which runs Aug. 10 to Aug. 12. The Province is proud to provide $12,000 to help raise awareness of the festival.
• The Squamish Wind Festival, which ran July 26 to July 28. The Province provided the event with $12,000.

Provincial government funding through the Tourism Events Program supports events that raise awareness of B.C.’s tourism experiences. It inspires people from around the world to visit the province. These events also generate tourism and economic activities in regions throughout British Columbia.

Quick Facts:

• Tourism is an important economic driver for B.C., generating more than $17 billion in revenues in 2016.
• Tourism is one of the province’s biggest employers. More than 133,000 people work in this industry.
• Tourism is growing in importance for B.C’s economy. In 2016, the industry contributed $7.9 billion in added value to the province’s gross domestic product. This is an increase of over 5.6% over the previous year.
• The Government of British Columbia invests over $123 million in the tourism sector annually.
• In 2017, 5.7 million international visitors came to B.C. — a 3.3% increase (181,700 more visitors) over 2016.

Learn More:

To learn more about these local events, and for ticket information, visit the event websites:

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival (Vancouver): https://bardonthebeach.org/2018/

ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art (Wells/Barkerville): http://www.artswells.com/

Vanderhoof Airshow: https://www.vanderhoofairshow.ca/

Vancouver Mural Festival: https://www.vanmuralfest.ca/

Edge of the World Music Festival (Haida Gwaii): https://edgefestival.ca/

For more information about the Tourism Events Program, visit: http://ow.ly/kL1Y309KOWo