The grants offered through the Regional Event Fund identify investment in regional events as key to growing the NSW regional visitor economy.

The Regional Event Fund was established in 1996. The program is a mechanism to grow regional visitation by assisting events that contribute to the unique character of regional NSW to market themselves to visitors from outside of their Local Government Area.

Since its establishment, the Regional Event Fund has supported more than 650 events with more than $17 million in funding.

Destination NSW manages the fund and provides support to regional events through three streams:

Incubator Event stream: New events in their first or second years can receive up to $20,000 of seed funding to support activities that are likely to establish an event as a driver of visitation.

Flagship Event stream: Emerging events running for over two years can receive grants of $20,000 to increase their profile and encourage visitation. Events that have already received the maximum of three annual grants will be eligible for grants of $30,000 over three years.

Event Development stream: Established and proven events that have previously received and completed triennial funding through the Flagship Event stream can receive grants of up to $50,000 to support growth initiatives in the event’s strategic plan.

Flagship Event stream recipients

Event nameLocation
Henty Machinery Field DaysHenty
It's On! Under the Gums | Goin' to Gil Festival Weekend 2026Gilgandra
Snowies Multisport FestivalThredbo
Glenworth Grazing FestivalGlenworth Valley
EAT Festival Sapphire CoastMerimbula
Beatlesfest Bathurst
Tocal Field DaysTocal
Gravel n Granite 2027Tenterfield
Sculptures in the GardenMudgee
StoryFest 2027Milton
Cementa26Candos
Newcastle Fringe Festival 2027Newcastle
Strawberry Fields 2026Tocumwal
Soundboks Oz Grom Open Lennox Head
Words on the Waves Writers FestivalCentral Coast
Grazing Down the LachlanForbes
New Annual 2026Newcastle
Festival of W 2026Wagga Wagga
Crank It UpBateman's Bay
Steampunk GoulburnGoulburn
Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival of ArtsGrenfell
OpenField Arts FestivalBerry
The Big Chill FestivalArmidale
Casino Truck ShowCasino
Tweed Coast Enduro and Pottsville Beach TriathlonPottsville
Winter Wine FestivalGerringong
Savour the TweedTweed Heads
Newcastle Food MonthNewcastle
WinterSun FestivalMerimbula
Hunter Valley Wine & Beer FestivalCessnock
Orange Chamber Music Festival 2027Orange
Huskisson Beer & BBQHuskisson

Incubator Event stream recipients

Event nameLocation
NaturellementEttalong
Impact FestivalLake Macquarie
Seven Valleys Wild Food FestivalLithgow
Pours in the PortNewcastle
Newcastle Tuna & Seafood Festival 2026Newcastle
Southern VoicesGoulburn
Barragga YanggaBarragga Bay
The Nightcap TableDorroughby
The GigOrange
Bidgee BricksWagga Wagga
Jam ExchangeBowral
Night at the MuseumTemora
Sea OtterBateman's Bay
Canola Gateway FestivalJunee
The Three Rivers Treasure TrailMaitland, Morpeth, Raymond Terrace, Dungog
Jackalope Block PartyNewcastle
Pearls & PlatesBroken Bay
Twilight MarketBathurst
Sow Good FestivalUlladulla
Rainbow in the OutbackBroken Hill
Tarago Medieval FaireTarago
BX l Bathurst Experience - Harvest After DarkBathurst
Southern Highlands Thoroughbred WeekWallaby Hill

Event Development stream recipient

Event nameLocation
Woolgoolga Curryfest Woolgoolga