Town of Bracebridge commits over $54,000 to organizations committed to community development and tourism

May 27, 2025

Media Releases

BRACEBRIDGE, ON (May 27, 2025) – Today, Mayor Rick Maloney presented the recipients of the Town of Bracebridge’s Event Tourism Grant and Community Grant programs with the funding needed to support their 2025 programming. In total, the Town is providing $54,420; $29,000 to help support local festivals and events, $17,420 to support community development, and $8,000 to support events during the celebratory Bracebridge 150 year. This investment helps stimulate local economic development by driving tourism as well as the vital programs and services the community relies on.

Event Tourism Grant Program
Local festivals and events help drive tourism and associated economic impacts to the town and support community engagement. Collectively, the awarded events attract nearly 30,000 people, many of which are out of town visitors using amenities such as accommodations, restaurants, and shopping.

The 2025 Event Tourism Grant recipients are:

$5,000 for the Bracebridge Business Improvement Area’s annual Fire and Ice Festival which took place in January;
$2,000 to the Muskoka Limberettes Gymnastics Club for the Muskoka Classic Gymnastics Competition which took place in January;
$5,000 to the See Muskoka Through Our Eyes Traditional Powwow, June 28 and 29;
$5,000 to 63rd Annual Muskoka Arts and Crafts for the MAC Summer Show, July 18 to 20;
$2,000 to Muskoka Pride for the Muskoka Pride Festival and Parade, July 27;
$3,000 for the Bracebridge Business Improvement Area’s Downtown Art Autumn Market on September 27
$5,000 for the annual Muskoka Marathon which takes place on October 5; and
$2,000 to the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce to support Oktoberfest on October 24 and 25.

Community Grant Program
The Community Grant Program demonstrates the Town’s ongoing commitment to working with organizations that provide beneficial projects and services to the community.

The 2025 Community Grant recipients are:

$2,000 to the Alzheimer Society of Muskoka to help offset costs for their walk to raise funds for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia;
$120 to the Bracebridge Agricultural Society to sponsor prizes for youth division in six categories at the Fall Fair;
$1,700 to Cycling Without Age Bracebridge to purchase additional batteries for the trishaw;
$2,500 to the Lions Club of Bracebridge to assist with facility retrofits to meet accessibility standards;
$3,000 to MADD Canada to deliver safety messaging to over 500 youth through school presentations;
$3,000 to Manna Food Bank for their gardening program at Beaver Creek Institution to provide skills and knowledge for inmates to grow produce that will be distributed back to the community;
$500 to Safe Quiet Lakes for their educational outreach programs at boating events and high traffic boating areas;
$1,000 to Third Bracebridge Scouting to subsidize the costs of uniforms, camps, and programming for Scouting youth in 2025; and
$3,600 to the YWCA of Muskoka to fully fund one of three Girlz Unplugged programs.

In addition to the annual grant programs, the Town of Bracebridge was proud to support the following events through the Bracebridge 150 Event Tourism Grant during the anniversary year. Each of the following organizations received $1,000 towards their events.

Muskoka Arts & Crafts, 150 Party at Mac on Main;
Downtown Bracebridge BIA, Canada Day;
Downtown Bracebridge BIA, Moonlight Madness;
Downtown Bracebridge BIA, Fire and Ice Festival;
Downtown Bracebridge BIA, Downtown Art Autumn Market;
Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce, Oktoberfest;
Muskoka Brewery, Bracebridge 150 Year Homecoming; and
Bracebridge High School and Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes Secondary School High School Reunion.

Applications for the Event Tourism Grant and Community Grant programs to help support programming in 2026 will open on June 16 with a submission deadline of September 8 at 4:30 p.m.

To learn more about these funding opportunities, visit bracebridge.ca/grants.

2025 Community Grant Recipients

2025 Event Tourism Grant Recipients

Bracebridge 150 Event Tourism Grant Recipients

- 30 -

About Bracebridge – The Town of Bracebridge is located in the Heart of Muskoka, the epitome of Canada’s Cottage Country. With a population in excess of 17,000 permanent residents that doubles during the summer months, the community has a diversified economy that is highlighted by strong construction, hospitality and professional sectors. Bracebridge is the steward of the cottage country brand and is teaching the world the power of living the Muskoka lifestyle in its spirit, the arts, food, home and recreation. The Town is positioned on the 45th parallel, halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, and is recognized as Santa’s summer home.

MEDIA CONTACT

Town of Bracebridge

media@bracebridge.ca