Tourism Events Grant Funding

The Explore Kirkland Tourism Program grants marketing and operations funds to programs like special events and festivals that demonstrate the ability to attract visitors from over 50 miles away and generate overnight stays. The program supports and promotes events that showcase the city’s best assets while fostering a love of Kirkland, inspiring guests to come back multiple times. This funding seeks to support events that create a safe, inclusive, and welcoming community, and gives serious consideration to programs that are likely to or have proven track records of bringing visitors to the City. The program is funded by the lodging tax collected by Kirkland hotels, motels, and short-term rentals.

Online applications accepted through Monday, July 21 at noon. If you have any questions about this application process, please contact Tourism Program staff at: tourism@kirklandwa.gov.

2025 Tourism Program Funded Events:

History of City of Kirkland's Tourism Funding

Where does our tourism funding come from? The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 67.28.180 provides authority for cities to adopt a lodging tax. The City of Kirkland has adopted a 1 percent lodging tax rate and may invest these revenues into events or programs that attract visitors to Kirkland. The City’s Tourism Program has awarded funds to special events, festivals and programs that have demonstrated the ability to attract visitors from over 50 miles away and generate overnight stays, fulfilling the primary goal of the Tourism Program to support events and activities that showcase the City’s best assets while fostering a love of Kirkland that inspires our guests to come back time and time again. These overnight stays not only improve the tourist environment of Kirkland, they also contribute to the revenues sustaining the tourism program budget.

Kirkland’s Tourism Program has been in operation since 2002. During that time, over $1.2 million has been granted to tourism events and programs with $60,000 as the proposed annual funding to the program. These funds are awarded for the marketing or operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists to Kirkland. The TDC looks supportively at new events, events that promote diversity and inclusivity, while also giving serious consideration to events with proven track records for bringing visitors to the City. For questions, please contact the Tourism Program at tourism@kirklandwa.gov.

Questions: For questions or additional information, please contact Tourism Program staff at: tourism@kirklandwa.gov.