Downtown festivals are getting a boost. A total of 15 new or recently started festivals are receiving an influx of funds from the Downtown BIZ's Host It Downtown program.

The first round of successful applicants have received nearly $78,000 in funding, with $72,000 more ready to go to new applicants.

The lucky festivals include: Wall-to-Wall, BBQ & Blues Festival, Aboriginal Music Week, and RibFest are among the successful applicants.

“50 festivals already run in the downtown, attracting well over 950,000 people annually, generating economic and social activity, activating our streets, and giving Winnipeggers great reasons to come downtown,” says Stefano Grande, Executive Director of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ. “Host It Downtown looks to build on this energy and attract even more visits into the heart of our city, with a greater focus on evening and winter. When people visit the downtown at all hours of the day, we are sure to see a more revitalized core and a local economy supported with a greater economic spend.”

The deadline for the next round of applications is Sept. 30.

The Host It Downtown funded festivals: