By Luisa Loi
La Conner Community News
The La Conner Town Council approved the allocation of $310,775 in lodging tax funds, slimming down what numerous organizations had hoped to receive to support a plethora of activities bringing tourist dollars to local businesses.
Among the largest requests was the Chamber of Commerce’s ask for $100,000 — or, alternatively, $95,000 — to fund tourism promotion, rent and operate the visitor’s center, and launch a La Conner magazine for tourists that would be developed in 2027 in partnership with La Conner Community News. During Tuesday’s meeting, council members generally expressed skepticism about the need for a magazine, as the town could be marketed to visitors through social media. It ultimately allotted $87,000 to the chamber.
In an email, Chamber Director Mark Hulst said the chamber will have to take a look at its own budget, discuss sponsorship opportunities and explore other funding sources before determining how to proceed with the magazine. The La Conner Thrives Association, whose ask totaled $30,000, is receiving $3,000 for fall activities, $2,550 for Pride Month, $1,500 for Christmas activities, and $3,000 for the La Conner Vendors Market — an initiative led by Katie Beardsley. Whereas Thrives requested $20,000 for its vintage-style trolley bus, which transported over 200 people during Fables Faire and Friends of Bigfoot Fun Fest on Sept. 12, the council is granting the organization’s partial funding request of $10,000. The Skagit County Historical Museum, which the council acknowledged was cut almost entirely from Skagit County’s 2027 budget, is seeing its full funding request of $9,226 nearly fulfilled, with the council agreeing on $9,000. The council also approved:
- $7,000 for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, fulfilling the organization’s partial request;
- $7,500 for the Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum, which is $500 short of meeting the museum’s partial funding request;
- $12,250 for the Museum of Northwest Art, which originally requested a minimum of $15,000;
- $8,000 for the La Conner Arts Foundation’s “Art’s Alive!” event, which requested $8,500 or up to $8,800;
- $99,700 for the town’s public restrooms and $15,000 for Maple Hall’s sound system, meeting their respective full funding requests;
- $16,000 for the lights on the Rainbow Bridge, as opposed to $185,000 for color-changing lights;
- $8,000 for La Conner Live concert series, for which a minimum of $10,000 was requested;
- $750 for the Skagit Artists, who had requested a minimum of $1,800;
- $5,000 for the Lincoln Theatre, fully meeting the partial funding ask;
- $1,800 for the Skagit Community Band, meeting the full funding request;
- $1,125 for the Children’s Museum of Skagit County, or $100 short of meeting the partial funding request;
- $7,000 for the Northwest Agriculture Business Center, which had requested $25,500 or $20,400 for the Skagit Farm to Pint Fest & Tidewater Boil;
- $600 for audit/advertising.
Luisa Loi is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
