Those with ideas for new public activities may join longtime event organizers in applying for funding from the Festus Tourism Commission in its next round of grant considerations.
The deadline to apply for a grant is noon Oct. 23, and the commission will hold its next pitch meeting Nov. 2. Applications may be obtained at the city of Festus website at festusmo.gov.
On Nov. 9, the commission will discuss who will be awarded grants and how much money they will be awarded. Both meetings begin at 3 p.m. and take place at Festus City Hall, 711 W. Main St.
Rhonda Gerstner, the commission’s vice chairwoman, said she urges people to apply for the grants for events scheduled to happen in Festus or, in some cases, in the surrounding area.
“It never hurts to ask,” Gerstner said.
She said applicants should keep in mind that the main focus of the tourism commission is to attract people to Festus in support of local businesses.
“We like to try to help businesses get started and bring new business to the city,” she said. “Tourism brings people to town.”
Support of local businesses include: bringing in people to shop, encouraging dining and supporting local events and attractions, according to commission officials.
“We like to encourage diversity,” Gerstner said. “We just had Worship in the Park (a Christian music festival), which is beautiful and completely different from the Main & Mill StreetFest (an all-day music festival offering different genres). We welcome that. We want diversity.”
The commission funds its grants with revenue from a 5 percent hotel-motel tax charged when people stay at the city’s hotels or motels.
During the last round of grants in May, commission members voted to award $237,057 in grants (out of $290,358 requested).
Among those awarded grants during the May 2026 round were: $35,000 for expansion of the Lenhard Family Light Show held during the Halloween and Christmas seasons at Larry G. Crites Memorial Park; $20,000 for the Taytro’s Twin City Mardi Gras Parade on Feb. 6, 2027; and $11,800 to Spotlight Community Theatre for two of its productions.
Barb Lowry, the Festus recreation and tourism director, is a frequent recipient of commission grants on behalf of the city for the many events she organizes, such as the WinterFest set for Dec. 5.
Some grant requests are for physical items. For instance, Tom Vogel with the Festus Main Street Association sought and received a grant of $18,750 for permanent string lighting over Main Street to promote nighttime activity at Main Street businesses. The commission awarded the grant contingent on the association receiving approval of the city, which has occurred.
The grants work on a reimbursement system, so if a group awarded a grant does not use any or all of the funds designated by the commission, the remaining amount remains with the commission.
The commission’s chairwoman for the last several years, Pat Parsons, finished her latest term on the commission at its May 18 meeting. That was also the last meeting for commission member Mike Cage, the former Festus mayor.
Commission members are restricted to two consecutive three-year terms.
Michelle Vaughn, the city of Festus finance director and the Festus Tourism Commission treasurer, said the commission members will choose a new chairman at their upcoming meeting.
The current commission consists of Gerstner, Jeff Adams, Michelle Hohmeier, as well as new members Andy Held and Kirk Mooney, who are the replacements for Parsons and Cage.