Dauphin County Commissioners infuse more than $2.3 million into tourism

The tourism industry in Dauphin County got a boost of more than $2.3 million from the Dauphin County Tourism Grant Program. 

 The grant awards approved by the Dauphin County Commissioners ranged from $500 to $1 million, with distribution to 77 projects that promote community, diversity, education, and sustainability in the region.  

“This is a great list full of programs and projects that preserve Dauphin County’s vibrancy,” said Dauphin County Commissioner Chair Mike Pries. “We have great expectations that this funding will make Dauphin County even more attractive as both a travel destination and place to raise a family.” 

“We stretch these dollars as far as we can to reach as many deserving projects as possible, while still providing impactful sums to recipients,” said Chad Saylor, commissioner. 

Applications were due March 1. 

“Our goal was to be as inclusive as possible with these grants, and we achieved that,” Commissioner George Hartwick III said. “Sports programs, concert and entertainment events, historical groups, cultural celebrations – these initiatives will reach a lot of people and families.” 

Visit Hershey & Harrisburg received a $1 million award for initiatives and efforts to attract visitors to the region. 

Dauphin County Library System received a $75,000 award for the “Your Place to Belong” project. 

The other recipients include:  

• Borough of Steelton – $20,000 for Steelton Fest 
• Brothers & Sisters Making a Difference – $4,500 for BMD Summer league 

• Camp Hebron – $14,000 for marketing/gravel, shower/bath trailer 
• Capital Area Girls on the Run – $2,000 for afterschool program/5k event 
• Capital Area Selects – $7,500 for opportunities through baseball participation 
• Central PA Figure Skating Club – $7,000 for RSI competition fees 
• Central PA Friends of Jazz – $5,000 for Jazz Walk and concert series 

• Central PA Youth Ballet – $20,000 for The Nutcracker Performance 
• Civic Club of Harrisburg – $20,000 for Women’s History Garden 
• Courtyard of Honor, Inc. – $25,000 for a permanent memorial located downtown Hershey 
• Courtyard of Honor, Inc. – $5,000 for its project “On the Rocks” 
• CREDC – $75,000 for tourism related business 

• Cyrene Lodge #169 – $5,000 for the PA State Association IPOEW 97th Annual Convention 
• Dauphin County EDC – $40,000 for Cultural Fest 
• Dauphin County Library System – $75,000 for its Your Place to Belong Project 
• Dauphin County System of Care Community Partners – $7,000 for Neighboring Festival 
• Driven From Within – $3,000 for its semi-pro basketball showcase/2023 male summit 

• Eastern PA Hockey – $10,000 for the Troopers Helping Troopers Tournament 
• Fit4ever365 – $2,500 for professional boxing at Zembo 
• Friends of Fort Halifax Park Inc. – $2,000 for Colonial Fort Halifax Festival 
• Friends of the PA Farm Show Foundation – $10,000 for the 207th PA Farm Show 2023 
• Handles Entertainment – $10,000 for Weekend Wednesdays 

• Harrisburg Area Riverboat Society – $10,000 for enhancements, printing and marketing, Veterans Cruise support 
• Harrisburg Area YMCA East Shore Branch – $2,000 for the Harrisburg Marathon 
• Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District – $2,000 for seasonal banners 
• Harrisburg Rugby Football Club – $2,500 for floodlighting at Sunset Park 
• Harrisburg Young Professionals – $5,000 for its 2022 Beautification Project 

• Harrisburg University – $30,000 for the Riverfront Park Concert Special Project Series 
• Hershey Figure Skating Club – $3,500 for summer competitions 
• Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country – $50,000 for its social media campaign expenses 
• Hershey History Center – $10,000 for its tourism enhancement program and Beautification project 
• High School Sports Live – $40,000 for its high school sports live 

• Historical Society of Dauphin County – $10,000 for a restoration project 
• Hummelstown Area Historical Society – $5,000 for the creation of video vignettes 
• Invica LLC – $5,000 for a talk show event 
• Juneteenth Celebration – $10,000 for a partnership between Dauphin County, City of Harrisburg, and UPMC 
• JAB Promotions – $3,378 for professional boxing event expenses 

• Keystone Human Services – $12,000 for furnishing and equipment for a new training room 
• Lower Paxton Community Foundation – $1,500 for its 4th Annual Christkindlemarket 
• Market Square Concerts – $2,500 for the nine concert series 
• Metro’s of Tomorrow Youth Barber Academy – $2,000 to provide children with educational opportunity to learn about barbering 
• Middletown Area Historical Society of Dauphin County – $1,000 for its annual craft fair 

• Millersburg Borough – $1,500 for the 2022 fireworks 
• Millersburg Borough – $1,500 for public movie screening in MYO Park 
• Millersburg Borough – $500 for a brochure project 
• Millersburg Ferry Boat Association – $5,000 to enhance marketing 
• MOSELF – $5,000 for the urban baseball program 

• Motorama Productions, Inc. – $20,000 for show expenses 
• PA Football – $7,000 for the awards programs 
• Narcisse Theatre Company – $2,500 for the Italian Lake Free Theatre Series 
• Ned Smith Center for Nature & Art – $2,000 for the Ned Smith Festival 
• NRA – $100,000 for the Great American Outdoor Show 

• Open Stage of Harrisburg – $20,000 for its Visibility Project 
• PA National Horse Show Foundation – $100,000 for show expenses 
• Platinum Smoke, LLC – $15,000 to upscale the cigar and bourbon event 
• Robert M. Jackson Veterans Center, Inc. – $20,000 for the Gospel Fest/Jazz Under the Stars Concert 
• Senators Partners LLC d/b/a Harrisburg Senators – $75,000 for marketing and promotional plan, 2022 

• Shades of Greatness Inc. – $10,000for a 3-day event for local sports celebrities 
• State YMCA of PA Inc. – $5,000 for the Annual PA Youth and Government Model Legislative & Judicial Convention 
• Sweet Ride Transportation, Inc. – $20,000 for marketing/advertising, labor/operating 
• The Cave Anti-Bullying Foundation – $10,000 for several tournaments to raise funds for program 
• The Coexist Gallery – $2,000 for the Steelton Cannabis Health Expo 

• The Foundation for Enhancing Communities – $10,000 to increase visitor and tourists’ awareness of appreciation for City 
• The National Civil War Museum – $50,000 for marketing and new educational programs 
• The Performance Zone Inc. d/b/a The Field – $4,000 for Cocoon Steelton PA: The Migrations of Many 
• The Singer’s Lounge Community Partnership Inc. – $10,000 for The Singer’s Lounge Junior Showcase 
• The Vineyard & Brewery at Hershey – $60,000 for its four-concert series 

• Township of Derry ICDA – $10,000 for the New Year’s Eve Celebration 
• Travel Champs/Hershey Jr. Bears Pee Wee Cup – $30,000 for the International Youth Ice Hockey Tournament 
• US Bulgarian Chamber in Harrisburg – $7,000 for its series of virtual programs 
• Veterans Outreach of PA – $3,000 for the reimbursement of a purchased trailer 
• Visit Hershey Harrisburg – $1,000,000 for marketing 

• Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts – $30,000 for marketing and new educational programs 
• World Affairs Council of Harrisburg – $5,000 to encourage international travel to Central PA 
• YMCA Camp Curtin – $1,500 for the Bigger than Basketball Event 
• Young Professionals of Color Great Harrisburg – $5,000 for Juneteenth HBG 2022