By Luisa Loi
La Conner Community News
The La Conner Town Council is being asked to approve up to $542,601 in lodging tax funds to support a variety of activities and efforts in the La Conner area.
After over two hours of presentations from local organizations on Thursday, each council member wrote down how much money they are willing to approve for each cause. The numbers will then be averaged and presented for a vote on Oct. 8.
Last year, the council approved about $260,000 in allocations. In an email, Finance Director Kim Buchanan expects the Town will have roughly $250,000 to allocate.
During the special meeting held at the Garden Club, Buchanan said that if by the end of the year there aren’t enough funds to cover all of the requests, she will have to make adjustments.
Mayor Marna Hanneman pointed out some of the organizations that asked for funds to support marketing efforts don’t have a strong online presence. Printed material can be costly to produce and bothersome to carry around; a simple QR code may fix those issues, she said. Councilmembers Annie Taylor and Ivan Carlson, on the other hand, found that while things like printed magazines are often left behind on places like ferries, people do read them. Another concern that came up was the overlap between some of the organizations and efforts.
Each organization presented their funding request along with a smaller amount if the Town is unable to meet the request. A full list can be found in the Hotel Motel Council Presentation packet, available on the Town’s website.
The Town of La Conner is also requesting $99,700 for supplies, utilities and staff to maintain the public restrooms and replace half of the public trash bins around town, plus $15,000 to replace Maple Hall’s low quality sound system.
According to Thomas, the Rainbow Bridge lights are at the end of their life. The Council can either decide to invest $185,000 for color-changing lights that would match holidays and events like the Seahawks games, or $16,000 to replace the existing ones.
The La Conner Chamber of Commerce is asking for $100,000. Aside from marketing, visitor services, business promotions and special events, the Chamber plans to develop a magazine on where to stay, dine, shop, enjoy arts and culture, and more in La Conner.
The publication, which would be developed in 2027 in partnership with La Conner Community News, would be distributed in hotels and ferries in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, according to Chamber Director Mark Hulst.
If the Town can’t pay the full amount, the Chamber is alternatively asking for $95,000 which could limit the Chamber’s ability to fully implement marketing initiatives and “impede” the production and distribution of the publication, according to the Chamber’s application.
La Conner Thrives is requesting a total of $30,000. These funds would include $20,000 for Ol’ Blue, a vintage-style, air-conditioned and ADA-compliant trolley bus that will transport people during town events and that the nonprofit also plans to rent out for private events. The bus transported about 200 people during the Fables Faire, according to Director Nicky McGarity.
Thrives’ second ask, $5,000, would fund Pride Month activities — an exhibit highlighting the history of Pride Month at the La Conner Swinomish Library, the La Conner Drag Show, and Pride Picnic at Hedlin’s Family Farm.
Thrives is asking for $6,000 to support the Ghouls and Fools Haunted Party, “a night of storytelling, food and costumes” hosted by O’Neils Confectionary, and the Fables Faire; the “Haunted Trolley” will also make its debut in October. For the “Heritage Holidays,” a series of events celebrating different traditions from a variety of cultures in the area, Thrives asked for $2,000.
The La Conner Vendors Market, which made its debut this summer at the La Conner Marina, is asking for $5,000 to move to First Street next year, pay for a photographer or videographer to promote the event, and extend live music performances.
The Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum is requesting $10,000. In 2027, the museum will celebrate its 30th anniversary with an anniversary festival, as well as exhibitions, lectures, workshops and visiting artists. The funds would support travel costs to bring artists from around the country and the globe, hire more staff, marketing and promotion efforts, and upgrade the museum’s education room.
The Skagit County Historical Museum is requesting $9,226 that would be spent on radio, print, direct mail and social media promotions. The theme of this effort would be celebrating the harvest season in the county, encouraging people to visit and stay in La Conner and to explore the farmland and local food.
Earlier this year, Skagit County cut roughly $162,000 in funds to the museum.
“There is really no way with the current financial situation that this sort of project could become self-supporting,” Director Jo Wolfe wrote in her funding request to the Town Council.
La Conner Live is requesting $13,000, which organizer Gloria Hulst said is “essential” due to bands being more expensive due to higher costs of fuel and living. The nonprofit also hopes to bring more big bands and is planning a cultural day in partnership with the Swinomish Tribe.
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is requesting $8,000 for day-to-day necessities like utilities, staff salaries, insurance, taxes, rent, technology, as well as marketing efforts.
The Skagit Art Association, a nonprofit that gives scholarships to art students graduating from Skagit Valley College, is asking for $2,575 or $1,800 to promote “Art in a Pickle Barn.” This show is held every year at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and features handmade art by members and scholarship recipients.
The lodging tax fund would help the Lincoln Theatre expand outreach to areas such as South Puget Sound, the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver B.C. The $6,000 from the Town would also allow for opportunities to partner with local hotels, inns, restaurants and businesses in La Conner to offer membership discounts and promote each other.
The Skagit Community Band, which has several performances at Maple Hall and Gilkey Square, is asking for $1,800. The band does not charge admission and relies solely on donations and grants. The funds will be spent on renting Maple Hall, as well as to cover janitorial fees and advertising.
The La Conner Arts Foundation, which runs the yearly Art’s Alive! Festival, is requesting $8,600. The Children’s Museum of Skagit County is asking for $2,500 to promote events and programs. The Northwest Agriculture Business Center is asking for $25,500 for the Skagit Farm to Pint Fest & Tidewater Boil, a celebration of hyperlocal beer and the local fishing and farming community that is held at the end of September.
Luisa Loi is a general assignment reporter at La Conner Community News.
