Objective
The Explore NB Event Fund supports established festivals/events of two (2) consecutive days or longer that demonstrate a tourism impact in their area.
Eligibility
Festivals/events must demonstrate that a minimum of 15% of their attendees live at least 75 kms outside of the community where the festival/event is being held by submitting collected postal codes of attendees from the previous year.
Festivals/events being held in peak tourism season (the months of June, July and August, inclusively) must have a minimum of 500 postal codes from the previous year collected to be eligible to apply. Festivals/events being held outside of peak tourism season must have a minimum of 250 postal codes from the previous year collected to be eligible to apply.
All festivals/events must be prepared to collect 6-digit attendee postal codes and submit them as part of the final report, in an Excel document.
Festival/event ticket sales must be open to the public and have at least two (2) consecutive days of varied paid programming. Festivals/events that do not charge admission are not eligible for this fund.
All organizations applying for funding must maintain a non-profit status, be of sound financial standing and have no obligations to the Government of New Brunswick. Non-profit status will be verified through the Service New Brunswick Corporate Registry. For more information, please visit: Incorporation of Non-Profit Companies.
Deadlines
Festivals/events occurring from April 1 – Sept. 30, 2026, must apply prior to May 4, 2026. Applicants will be notified by May 29, 2026.
Festivals/events occurring from Oct. 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027, must apply prior to August 17th, 2026. Applicants will be notified by September 18, 2026.
Project Costs
Eligible:
Costs associated with the execution of the event are eligible. The total budget for the event must be $10,000 or higher.
All eligible project costs must be incurred between the date of application and March 31, 2027.
Non-Eligible Events:
Meetings and conventions
Sporting events
Fishing tournaments
Trade shows
Markets
Craft Fairs
Free events (events that do not charge admission / do not have a ticketing system)
New events (all applicants must have at least one year of postal code data collected)
Beer/Wine/Spirits Festivals
Repeat programming (e.g., multiple performances of the same production, recurring tours)
Non-Eligible Expenses:
Amount of HST refundable
Financing of a deficit
Debt Repayment
Bank and financial fees
Please note: Festivals/events receiving funding from the Explore NB Event Fund will not be eligible to receive funding from other provincial funding programs, such as programs administered through the provincial Arts & Culture Branch, and the Regional Development Corporation (RDC) Community Investment Fund (CIF). Festivals that do not meet criteria for the Explore NB Event Fund are encouraged to explore other provincial funding programs.
Level of Investment
Level of investment will be calculated based on 6-digit attendee postal codes submitted from the previous year’s event/festival, and the percentage of attendees from 75km away or more. A minimum of 15% of attendees coming from 75km away or more is required. Please see below table for levels of funding based on submitted postal codes. The amount of funding will not exceed 25% of total projected expenses. Please note that if expenses listed in the final report are lower than projected expenses, the second payment will be adjusted to reflect the revised total expenses.
| Number of Patrons | TIER 1 Low 15%-19% | TIER 2 Regular 20-24% | TIER 3 High 25%+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250-300* | $ 2,000.00 | $ 2,750.00 | $ 3,850.00 |
| 301-400* | $ 3,000.00 | $ 4,250.00 | $ 5,500.00 |
| 401-499* | $ 4,000.00 | $ 5,500.00 | $ 7,250.00 |
| 500-600 | $ 5,000.00 | $ 6,750.00 | $ 9,000.00 |
| 601-700 | $ 6,000.00 | $ 8,000.00 | $ 11,000.00 |
| 701-800 | $ 7,000.00 | $ 9,250.00 | $ 13,500.00 |
| 801-900 | $ 8,000.00 | $ 10,500.00 | $ 15,750.00 |
| 901-1000 | $ 9,000.00 | $ 12,000.00 | $ 18,000.00 |
| 1001-1100 | $ 10,125.00 | $ 13,500.00 | $ 20,250.00 |
| 1101-1200 | $ 11,250.00 | $ 15,000.00 | $ 22,500.00 |
| 1201-1300 | $ 12,375.00 | $ 16,500.00 | $ 24,750.00 |
| 1301-1400 | $ 13,500.00 | $ 18,000.00 | $ 25,000.00 |
| 1401-1500 | $ 14,625.00 | $ 19,500.00 | $ 25,000.00 |
| 1501-1600 | $ 15,750.00 | $ 21,000.00 | $ 25,000.00 |
| 1601-1700 | $ 16,875.00 | $ 22,500.00 | $ 25,000.00 |
| 1701+ | $ 18,000.00 | $ 24,000.00 | $ 25,000.00 |
*Please note that these levels of funding only apply to festivals/events occurring outside of the months of June, July and August.
Application Process
Fill in the application form using the THC Smart Simple Platform.
Successful Applications: Successful applicants will receive a letter of offer outlining the terms and conditions that apply to the financial contribution. The official decision on the application will be communicated to the applicant in writing.
The first instalment of 50% will be released to applicants once the project is approved and the signed letter of offer is returned to the department. The remaining funds will be released upon submission of a final report and supporting financial documentation. Standard Information Announcements of approved projects must be signed off by the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture.
THC reserves the right to make the list of successful projects public once the applications have been approved.
Contact information
For more information on the program, please contact: subventionfestivalgrant@gnb.ca.