The City of Grande Prairie, Alberta, is reminding local non-profit groups that the deadline to apply for the Large Scale Tourism Events Fund is February 1, 2026. The fund supports festivals and sporting events that are generally ticketed, multi-day events with attendance greater than 2,000 people per day.
Applicants must demonstrate a tourism draw of 100 kilometres or greater, with at least 35% of attendees coming from outside that radius. While the program is administered by the City of Grande Prairie, events held at Evergreen Park and the Crosslink County Sportsplex (both in the County of Grande Prairie No. 1) are eligible. Organizers are required to provide a business plan, budget and a marketing plan and submit applications through the City’s online portal.
Past recipients have included anchor events such as the Bear Creek Folk Music Festival and the Grande Prairie Stompede. The fund is intended to help cover large infrastructure and security costs (for example staging and safety) and supports events that must proceed “rain or shine” with contingency plans. No single grant will exceed 50% of the annual Large Scale Tourism Events budget.
Grantees must submit a Statement of Accountability and audited financial statements within 60 days of the event and return any unexpended funds. Events that receive funding from the City
rts Development Festival Funding or Pursuit of Excellence Funding are ineligible for this program.
