Jun 2, 2026
Cayuga County, June 2026 – Tour Cayuga is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2026 Tourism Support Grant program. This year, a total of $30,000 has been awarded to support 22 local events, programs, and community experiences taking place throughout Cayuga County.
The Tourism Support Grant program is designed to assist organizations and community partners in developing public-facing programs that encourage visitation, strengthen local pride, and enhance the visitor experience. Funded projects include arts and cultural programming, heritage interpretation, community festivals, live music, agricultural education, leadership development, youth programming, and events that celebrate Cayuga County’s rich history and sense of place. Supported themes included honoring Harriet Tubman’s life and legacy, commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, recognizing Freedom 2027, and highlighting Cayuga County through tourism-focused events and experiences.
“Now in its fifth year, our support grants remain a proven and successful program for our tourism partners,” said Tour Cayuga Executive Director Courtney Kasper. “The continued demand for funding was validated by the near doubling of applicants this cycle, which is a clear signal that the need is strong and growing. Supporting our partners as they develop programs that boost the visitor economy and foster resident pride is a true win-win, allowing our office to amplify their impact and extend our collective reach to a wider audience all for the betterment of Cayuga County.
The 2026 Tourism Support Grant recipients are:
- Ward W. O’Hara Agricultural & Country Living Museum: June is Dairy Month
- Auburn Downtown Partnership: Alter Egos Fall Fashion Show
- Save Our Fourth Association (SOFA, Inc.): Fair Haven Fourth of July Celebration
- Friends of Emerson Park: Friends of Emerson Park EPIC Concert Series
- Cayuga Museum of History and Art: COMBEE: Harriet Tubman’s Legacy of Leadership with Dr. Edda Fields-Black
- Community Preservation Committee Inc. / Willard Chapel: Womba Africa Drumming and Dance at Willard Chapel
- Love’s Worth: Cayuga County Miss Juneteenth
- Team Get Right: Nas Smith Annual Youth Football Camp
- Booker T. Washington Community Center: Juneteenth Celebration of Cayuga County
- Howland Stone Store Museum: Educational Programs and Exhibits
- Friends of Fillmore Glen State Park: Fillmore Days
- Schweinfurth Art Center: Celebration of Sa:gwa yo’ Gayogohó:nǫ’ / Cayuga People Returned
- Fair Haven Area Chamber of Commerce: Old Railroad Day
- Harriet Tubman Liberation Foundation, Inc.: Canning Class
- Skaneateles Festival: Terra String Quartet at the Carriage House Theatre
- Auburn Public Theater: “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
- NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center: The Underground Railroad Today
- Auburn Cayuga NAACP: 58th Annual Freedom Fund Gala
- United Way of Cayuga County: Day of Caring & Personal Care Drive
- Authentic LeaderShift, LLC.: Leading Like Harriet: A Values-Based Transformation Journey
- Essentially Erica: A Santa Experience
- Melody’s Coworking and Event Space: EmpowerHER: Crowned & Curated in Cayuga, A Women’s Leadership, Luxury & Cultural Weekend
Collectively, this year’s 22 awardees received $30,000 to support events and programs that will welcome residents and visitors throughout the spring of 2027. Tour Cayuga congratulates all recipients and looks forward to seeing these projects contribute to another strong year of community-based tourism in Cayuga County.
About Cayuga County Convention & Visitors Bureau:
The Cayuga County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CCCVB) is Cayuga County’s tourism promotion agency. We increase tourism and related revenues through promotion and research-based targeted marketing, and we improve the visitor experience by providing data and training to local hospitality industry providers. We continuously work to increase tourism and improve the visitor experience, which in turn stimulates economic growth and sustains recreational and cultural opportunities in the County.