The Bench Brewing Company in Beamsville has been granted $64,000 in government funding to support its event Bench Winterfest.
The funding is part of the Ontario government’s $3.4 million spend to support local events across the province.
“Festivals and events like Bench Brewing make important contributions to communities like ours, creating local jobs, boosting the economy, and giving us all the opportunity to experience what Ontario has to offer right in our own backyard,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
“The Bench Brewing Company is thrilled to be a recipient of funding from the Reconnect Festival and Event Program,” said Matt Giffen, Founder of the Bench Brewing Company. “We are grateful for the support of our local political and community leaders and thank the Minister for championing Ontario’s heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries.”
Ontario’s investment will support 27 events and initiatives, including Bench Winterfest, through the Reconnect Festival and Event Program, which was launched in October. These events will be approved as part of the $9 million fund to help municipalities and organizations deliver safe and innovative community-oriented events.
“The pandemic continues to disproportionately impact tourism and culture – two major industries that normally connect us to each other and bring our communities to life,” said Lisa MacLeod, Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. “It is critical that we support organizations that are finding new ways to engage and reconnect Ontarians with their local communities while creating local jobs.
The program was originally launched in October, but the deadline to apply to the program was extended by three weeks to Dec. 22 at 5 p.m.
“I’m pleased that the government’s deadline extension will allow more organizers to apply for this funding, supporting a sector that will be critical to both our social and economic recovery,” said Oosterhoff.