The City of Bothell has announced a new, $50,000 grant program aimed at bringing new, original events and activities to Bothell. We heard in last year’s Community Conversations “listening tour” that people want more events and want to boost the sense of community here. We’re also seeking to boost Bothell’s visibility as a place to stay to enjoy the city and the region’s amenities.

This is your opportunity to get involved. Many groups — from the Greater Bothell Chamber of Commerce, to UW Bothell and the city itself — already host successful events, ranging from various beer fests, block parties, wine walks, the Fourth of July parade and more.

Are you a member of a group that has always wanted to host an event or activity but need some seed money to get started? Have you thought about collaborating with other groups to expand existing events into two-day affairs that could bring overnight visitors to Bothell? Or what about ways to capitalize on our city’s assets to help more people enjoy them?

Bothell has many assets, from our parks and our beautiful historic buildings, to our active community and business groups. We’ve partnered with community groups to purchase the North Creek Forest and are working to buy the Wayne Golf Course to preserve it as the Wayne/Sammamish Regional Park. The historic Anderson School is now McMenamins’ bustling hotel/entertainment complex. Our community boasts many active not-for-profit organizations, such as The Greater Bothell Chamber of Commerce, the Northshore Rotary Club and the Kiwanis Club of Northshore.

We invite you to come up with ideas that capitalize on our community’s assets to produce the event or activity you’ve been wanting to do.

The new grant program, administered by the city’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, is funded through the city’s hotel/motel tax. Proposals will be evaluated based on several criteria, including whether the program would bring overnight visitors to Bothell. Applications are due Oct. 2. More details are available at www.bothellwa.gov/LTAC.

I encourage you to talk with others active in the community and apply. Together, we can build upon our great community vibe and make Bothell even more enjoyable for residents and visitors alike.

DeNae McGee is a tourism and events coordinator for the City of Bothell.