By Thurston Chronicle staff
Thurston County last week announced the recipients of the 2026 Lodging Tax Awards.
The Lodging Tax is a sales tax paid by people who stay overnight in a lodging establishment such as a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast facility, or campground.
The Lodging Tax may be awarded to organizations to promote tourism events, locations, and activities for the purpose of attracting visitors to Thurston County.
The county’s Lodging Tax Advisory Council estimated that there was roughly $250,000 in tax dollars to be distributed this year.
The Thurston County Board of Commissioners approved the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee’s award recommendations during its March 31 meeting.
This year’s awardees are:
- FIFA Fan Zone: $84,000 for event logistics, marketing and event coordination.
- Thurston County Fairgrounds: $73,920 for to advertise for the Thurston County Fair, entertainment at fair, signage at the fairgrounds, communications planning, and fairgrounds maintenance for accessibility.
- Experience Olympia and Beyond: $45,360 for the Tenino Agriculture Innovation Park, South County Visitor Kiosk and Thurston Bountiful Byway Hub, as well as expansion of "The Future is Rural" conference and development of the Thurston County Craft Beverage Experience.
- Thurston County Economic Development Council: $27,720 for the Tenino Agriculture Innovation Park, South County Visitor Kiosk and Thurston Bountiful Byway Hub, as well as expansion of "The Future is Rural" conference and development of the Thurston County Craft Beverage Experience.
- Town of Bucoda: $15,000 for Boo-Coda Spook-tacular Halloween festival operations, RV park upgrades and to pay for administrative staff.
- Funk Festival: $12,600 for marketing and promotion, payment for artists, transportation during the event and event signage.
- Discover Lacey: $8,400 to rent a visitor center and pay for website domains and design, signage, table tents, radio tents and various prizes.
- Tenino Chamber of Commerce: $8,400 for marketing and for event support at Oregon Trail Days and Tenino Family Fun Day.
- Grand Mound — Rochester Chamber of Commerce: $7,560 to pay for a contractor for product development of Heritage Museum, development of a driving tour website, signage and marketing.
- Washington Center: $7,560 for marketing and promotional efforts.
- Wolf Haven International: $6,720 for advertising.
- Procession of the Species: $6,720 for program outreach, media services, marketing, studio rental space and administrative support.
- Olympic Air Show: $6,720 for marketing and event support.
- South Sound Block Party: $6,720 for event support.
- Hands On Children’s Museum: $6,720 for promotional marketing.
- Washington Senior Games: $3,360 for advertising and event support.
- We Love Rainier: $3,360 to fund event support for a bluegrass festival.
- Regional Athletic Complex: $2,520 to pay umpires for the AUSA 12 U Fastpitch tournament.
- Backyard Bricks: $840 to pay for swag bags and prizes at a two-day event bringing together adult fans of LEGO for competitions and interactive exhibitions.
