Franklin County commissioners approved funding for local festivals, museums and theatres

County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a long list of festivals, events and tourist facilities that will be funded through the county’s Tourist development tax over the next year.

The tax – which was approved by local voters in 2004 – collects two percent on every home and hotel room rented in the county; that money is then used to enhance local tourism.

The county on Tuesday approved a list of 36 groups that will share in 72 thousand dollars in TDC funding.

TDC spokesman Curt Blair said there were more than 132 thousand dollars in requests, which is almost double what the TDC could provide.

All of the groups were funded at 53.7 percent of what they requested.

The list of recipients includes a number of well established events like the Carrabelle Riverfront Festival, Camp Gordon Johnston Days, the Apalachicola Antique Boat show and the Historic Apalachicola Home and Garden Tour.

There are also some newer events on the list including the Apalachicola maritime Museum Lecture Series, The Apalachicola Area Historical Society Ghostwalk, and the Crooked River lighthouse Lantern festival.

The commission also approved funding for 7 groups through the TDC’s sustaining grant award which is for year round tourist attractions like museums and theaters.

This year’s recipients of the sustaining grants include the Camp Gordon Johnston Museum in Carrabelle, the St. George Island and Carrabelle lighthouses as well as the Dixie Theater and Raney House in Apalachicola.

Two newer organizations also received tenthousand dollars in seed money from the TDC, those include the Carrabelle history museum and the City of Apalachicola Center for History, Culture and Art.

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