The Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism (DOEDT) announced the recipients of the Visit SoSi Tourism Sponsorship program, a reimbursable funding opportunity tailored for stakeholders seeking to host programs, projects, and events and attract new visitors to Danville and Pittsylvania County.
16 organizations received sponsorships, which aim to foster partnerships between local tourism stakeholders, encouraging individuals to create new experiences to elevate community presence and support the local economy.
“We are thrilled to announce these tourism sponsorships and celebrate the diverse and exciting events, festivals, outdoor competitions, and more coming into our region,” said Tourism Manager, Lisa Meriwether. “Through these sponsorships, a greater number of visitors are being reached and exposed to the unique attractions and abundant delights in Danville and Pittsylvania County. We congratulate every organization that has put forth the time and effort to plan these programs, projects, and events.”
Priority was given to applicants who showcased how their initiative increased visitations and/or exposure of Danville and Pittsylvania County through promotional efforts.
Jonathon Holbrook, President of the Friends of the Old West End, speaks about the upcoming Old West Porch Fest in April of 2025. “Hosting a music festival in our neighborhood is a fun way to show off the amazing architecture and talented people that call this place home. The tourism sponsorship we received will allow us to make sure that our Porch Fest reaches the largest audience possible.”
Alisa Davis, Chatham First President, also comments on their organization’s sponsorship project. “Chatham First is so thankful for the support of Visit SoSi, as we develop a walking tour with printed brochure and webpage. This feature will allow us to share all the things that make our town special with many visitors, as well as locals. We hope to expand this to include a walking tour of our historic burial park, and our historic business district.”
"Through this program, we are proud to support events and initiatives that showcase the innovation, creativity, and commitment of our local businesses and organizations in attracting a wider audience to the region,” stated Corrie Bobe, DOEDT Director. “Investing in both existing and new attractions not only draws visitors from outside, but also enriches the quality of life for our residents. This approach is essential to our strategy for promoting economic growth and business diversity across Southern Virginia."
See the full list of Tourism Sponsorship recipients below.
|
Organization Name |
Event Name |
Amount Awarded |
|
Five Forks Creators Guild |
Old West End Art Crawl |
$2,500 |
|
Chatham First |
Walking Tour of Chatham Burial Park |
$4,000 |
|
Friends of the Old West End |
Old West Porch Fest |
$5,000 |
|
Danville Storytelling Festival |
Danville Storytelling Festival |
$6,700 |
|
Lauren Cressell, Steven Scott |
Three Sisters Marathon |
$10,000 |
|
Bright Leaf Brew Fest |
Bright Leaf Brew Fest |
$10,000 |
|
Danville Concert Association |
The Sainted Trap Choir |
$10,000 |
|
Danville Harvest Jubilee |
Danville Harvest Jubilee / Riley Green in Concert |
$10,000 |
|
Danville-Pittsylvania Cancer Association |
Bridge2Bridge |
$10,000 |
|
Retro Hospitality |
Bee-cause Danville Matters: Growing Visitation to Our Region |
$10,000 |
|
Retro Hospitality |
The Holbrook Hotel: A Hip and Historic Stay in Danville |
$10,000 |
|
Rooster Walk |
15th Annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival |
$10,000 |
|
Smokestack Theatre Company |
Smokestack Cinema |
$10,000 |
|
Southside Soccer Club |
Southside Rec Classic |
$10,000 |
|
The Sport Management Group |
UCI Mountain Bike Weekend |
$10,000 |
|
VIRginia International Raceway |
IMSA Weekend |
$10,000 |
The Visit SoSi Tourism Sponsorship portal is currently closed, with an anticipated reopening date of late 2025. Click here to learn more about eligibility: https://www.visitsosi.com/tourism-sponsorship/
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About the Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism
The Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism is responsible for leading the city of Danville’s tourism efforts by branding and promoting the city and Pittsylvania County to
differentiate it from other regional competitors through advertising, promotions, trade events, and visitor experience initiatives to stimulate economic growth for the region. To learn more about the Visit SoSi brand and regional attractions, visit https://www.visitsosi.com/.