Tag Archive for: #granvilletourismdevelopmentauthority

Granville County Tourism 2027 Mini-Grant Application Period Open Sept. 1-Oct. 9

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— Information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

The Granville County Tourism Development Authority will open the spring/summer cycle of its annual mini-grant and sponsorship request program next week sn Sept. 1, 2026.

These programs provide strategic funding opportunities for local organizations, municipalities, and tourism related businesses to develop events, marketing efforts, and long-term projects that attract visitors and  strengthen Granville County as a destination.

The mini-grant program supports events and marketing initiatives that bring visitors to Granville County. This program is ideal for festivals, community events, and promotional efforts that encourage both day trips and overnight stays. Organizations and businesses applying for a mini-grant must have been operational and open to the public for a minimum of three years. Funding requests are marketing specific and cannot exceed 25 percent of the overall marketing budget for the event or project.

Eligible events and projects should take place between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2027. The application period runs from Sept. 1 to Oct. 9, 2026, with awards announced in November 2026. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate clear marketing strategies, expected visitor attendance, and overall tourism impact. Projects will be evaluated based on their ability to generate tourism impact, provide community value and contribute to the long-term growth of Granville County as a destination. This program is a part of the annual tourism budget and is funded solely by Granville County occupancy tax revenues.

Two virtual information sessions will be held on Sept. 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and Sept. 22 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Contact Granville County Economic Development Program Manager Stephanie Velazquez for more information about the virtual information sessions or the application process at 919.693.5911 or

stephanie.velazquez@granvillecounty.org 

Granville Tourism Announces Two Funding Programs To Support, Bolster Visitors’ Experiences

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— Information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

The Granville County Tourism Development Authority announces the launch of two updated funding programs designed to support tourism growth and enhance visitor experiences across the county: the Mini Grant Program and the newly introduced Experience Granville Initiative.

These programs provide strategic funding opportunities for local organizations, municipalities, and tourism-related businesses to develop events, marketing efforts and long-term projects that attract visitors and strengthen Granville County as a destination.

Mini Grant Program 

The Mini Grant Program supports events and marketing initiatives that bring visitors to Granville County. This program is ideal for festivals, community events and promotional efforts that encourage both day trips and overnight stays.

Funding is available through two annual cycles:

Cycle One (Fall/Winter Events and Projects) 

  • Projects Occurring: July 1 – December 31, 2026
  • Application Period: April 30 – June 5, 2026
  • Awards Announced: July 2026

Cycle 2 (Spring/Summer Events & Projects) 

  • Projects Occurring: January 1 – June 30, 2027
  • Application Period: September 1 – October 9, 2026
  • Awards Announced: November 2026
  • Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate clear marketing strategies, expected visitor attendance, and overall tourism impact.

Experience Granville Initiative 

The Experience Granville Initiative is a capital development program focused on long-term tourism investments. This program supports projects that enhance infrastructure, improve visitor amenities and create lasting experiences for both residents and visitors.

Examples of eligible projects include trail development, wayfinding signage, cultural and heritage assets, and

recreation or sports facilities that attract out-of-county visitors.

Funding is available annually:

  • Application Period: May 15 – July 10, 2026
  • Project Period: August 2026 – June 30, 2027
  • Awards Announced: August 2026

Projects will be evaluated based on their ability to generate tourism impact, provide community value, and contribute to the long-term growth of Granville County as a destination.

Together, these programs reflect the Granville TDA’s commitment to supporting both short-term visitation through events and marketing, and long-term tourism development through capital investment.

Those interested in applying or learning more are encouraged to visit the Granville County website or contact:

Angela Allen

Tourism Director

Granville County Tourism Development Authority

919.693.6125

angela.allen@granvillecounty.org 

Experience Granville Initiative: https://www.granvillecounty.org/897/Experience-Granville-Initiative

Tourism Mini-Grants: https://www.granvillecounty.org/839/Tourism-Mini-Grant-Program

Tourism Sponsorships: https://www.granvillecounty.org/896/Tourism-Sponsorship-Program

TownTalk: Music, Peppers, Pumpkins And More In Granville County

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What do hot peppers, pumpkins and live music have in common? They’re all going to be featured in festivals and events over the next couple of months in Granville County, and Tourism Director Angela Allen shared all the details on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

Main Street in downtown Oxford transforms into a music venue on Friday, Aug. 9. Soule and the Super Band will perform from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Bring a lawn chair, get comfy and enjoy the tunes.

A couple of weekends after that, music lovers can head over to the Armory at the corner of MLK Jr. Avenue and Spring Street for the inaugural Next Door Music Festival on Saturday, Aug. 17.

The festival will take place outside on the grounds of the Armory, Allen said. and will feature six bands performing from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Allen said the music festival gained traction after several local business people were tossing ideas around, and the next thing she knew, the idea became a reality. There will be more than a dozen vendors on site with collectibles, toys and games available on festival day. And, she explained, festival proceeds will go to a local charity.

It’s not too early to mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 21, either. That’s the day the annual Creedmoor Music Festival is scheduled to take over downtown Creedmoor, providing lots of music genres from gospel to country and everything in between.

And any time is a good time to visit Cedar Creek Gallery outside Creedmoor, Allen said. The gallery is open seven days a week, and on Aug. 23, visitors will get to see the gallery’s 2024 crop of glass pumpkins, created by local glassblowers. Lisa Oakley’ is set to unveil her limited-edition pumpkin that weekend, as well.

There will be glassblowing demonstrations going on outside, and hundreds of pumpkins ready for purchase in the front room of the gallery through Oct. 31.

Destinations like Cedar Creek Gallery have long drawn visitors from outside Granville County, and Allen said she is pleased to see a similar trend at other events that have taken root over the years throughout the county.

“Thirty or forty percent of the crowd may not even be from Granville County,” she said. She’s delighted to see more people that she doesn’t know at festivals, concerts or retail establishments because it means that more folks are coming from farther away.

Take the annual Hot Sauce Festival, for example.

“It’s the coolest thing that’s SO hot in Granville County,” Allen said. And this year, the festival will span two days – Friday, Sept. 6 and Saturday, Sept. 7. AND, Allen said, organizers have added a salsa category to the competition.

But that’s not the only new addition. The Friday events run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature glow-in-the-dark putt-putt, vendors and music as a lead-in to the daylong Saturday activities – which this year will stretch from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Kids can enjoy a rock-climbing wall, carnival rides and games in the Fiery Fun Zone, she said.

Adventurous souls can sample all the pepper-inspired tastes, from craft beer to ice cream.

Allen won’t be participating in the popular pepper eating contest, “but I’m brave enough to watch it,” she quipped.

Hot sauce enthusiasts from all over show up for the festival, she said.

“This is the hot spot,” she said.

Visit www.visitgranvillenc.com to learn about all the upcoming events throughout the county.

(This is not a paid ad, but Granville Tourism does advertise on WIZS.com.)

Granville Haunt Farm Named Top N.C. Attraction By State Travel Industry Association

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When Grey Blackwell started the Granville Haunt Farm nine years ago, he just wanted to give folks a fun – and entertainingly scary – experience around Halloween. Since that first season, the seasonal event has grown into the “anchor” for fall events in Granville County. Blackwell and The Haunt Farm were recognized recently as the North Carolina Attraction of the Year by the N.C. Travel Industry Association.

“When we started Granville Haunt Farm…we never anticipated the impact we would have on tourism in Granville County,” Blackwell said. He credits Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen and the county’s Tourism Development Authority for helping to elevate the Haunt Farm’s popularity.

“We’re grateful for their partnership in helping us bring memorable experiences to our visitors and humbled to receive this award.”

Necessity is the Mother of Invention, they say, and Blackwell pivoted his walk-through event to a drive-through during the COVID-19 pandemic. And he hasn’t looked back.

Vehicles fill the field-turned-parking-queue on the weekends, waiting their turn in line.

In just a few short years, the “Drive-Through Drive-In” attraction has gone from a beloved local event to an attraction that draws visitors from across North Carolina and beyond. The unique attraction generates about 20,000 customers a year and has led to the creation of a spinoff Christmas Farm Drive-Through that brings more than 9,000 visitors to the county.

In 2023, the Granville Tourism Development Authority’s marketing objective for the Haunt Farm was to direct even more people to its website. The campaign resulted in a total of 550,000 impressions, a 93 percent increase in traffic, 95 percent increase in users and a 116 percent increase in number of page views.

To learn more, contact Allen at angela.allen@granvillecounty.org or 919.693.6125. See a complete listing of events at www.visitgranvillecnc.com .

Visit https://www.granvillehauntfarm.com/ and https://www.granvillechristmasfarm.com/ to read more about Blackwell’s events.