Partner Zone

Partners, this is the place to stay updated on time sensitive announcements, upcoming deadlines, news you need to know! Don't have CVBuzz coming to your inbox? Sign-up to receive the weekly e-blast!

Join us for Savor Stark Restaurant Month and showcase your culinary creativity! Visit Canton will promote participating restaurants through a month-long marketing campaign featuring paid media, social content, and a digital passport.

Locally owned Stark County Restaurants are invited to create a “Three for $25,” “Three for $35,” or “Three for $45” prix fixe menu. Participation requires two $25 gift cards for marketing giveaways, plus displaying campaign materials and sharing posts on social media.

Deadline to submit your offer: January 23, 2026

Have a question or need assistance about how you can participate? Reach out to Allison Gromofsky,allisong@visitcanton.com.

Click Here for More Information & Offer Submission Form

📅 Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026
🕓 Time: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Stark County Home & Garden Show | Center for Performance - Hall of Fame Village

As tourism season heats up, Visit Canton will host the America's Playing Field Destination Showcase at the Stark County Home & Garden Show. On Friday, March 13, Visit Canton will feature a countywide display highlighting all that Stark County has to offer. On Saturday, March 14, FREE Exhibitor Booths will be available for industry partners to showcase attractions, events, and summer activities to thousands of attendees looking for things to do throughout the season.

Why should you participate?

• Showcase your attraction to local and regional audiences seeking summer fun.
• Engage with industry partners, vendors, and suppliers, that can lead to new collaborations and partnerships.
• Promote seasonal job openings and career opportunities.

Interested in participating? Please Submit an Exhibitor Interest Form

Visit Canton’s Grant Programs provide funding to support events, projects, and initiatives that attract visitors to Stark County. Applications for 2026 projects open September 10th, giving partners the chance to strengthen tourism impact and create memorable experiences. Learn more about eligibility, criteria, and how to apply on the Visit Canton Grant Landing Page.

2026 Cultural Tourism Grants

The ArtsinStark/Visit Canton Cultural Tourism Grant program will invest up to $200,000 in 2026 to support arts and cultural events, programming, and marketing initiatives that drive regional visitation and visitor spending.

Grant Program Highlights:

• Competitive awards of up to $20,000 per project (max $20,000 per organization per cycle).

• Projects must increase attendance from outside Stark County, enhance events with arts & cultural elements, and foster collaboration.

• Applications must be submitted 90 days before project execution; projects must be completed in 2026.

2026 Event Support Grants

Visit Canton’s Event Support Grant program is designed to increase regional visitation and economic impact through visitor spending by supporting sporting events & tournaments, conferences, professional meetings, expos, and complementary experiences tied to qualifying events.

Grant Program Highlights:

• Events must have a minimum commitment of 125 Stark County hotel room nights and/or 400-day visitors from outside of Stark County.

• Competitive awards of up to $10,000 per event, pending available funds.

• Applications must be submitted at least 90 days before the scheduled event.

• Events must be hosted within the 2026 calendar year.

Reserve your space by September 19th for Early Bird Savings!

Visitor spending has reached $1.37 billion annually in Stark County, with over 1.5 million overnight stays! Visit Canton’s Official Travel Guide is the publication to reach this growing customer base.

2026 Guide Features

• Visit Canton will publish two publications to highlight seasonal attractions, special events, and holiday happenings.
  • Spring/Summer guides will be published in February 2026
  • Fall/Winter guides will be published in September 2026.

• One rate includes advertisements in both guides with the opportunity to update ad creative.

• Special Event Section with the opportunity to feature your event in print + digital issues.

• A total of 75,000 guides will be distributed throughout the year via diverse channels.

The Official Visit Canton Travel Guide is Visit Canton’s #1 print fulfillment piece. It's distributed at hotels and attractions throughout Cleveland, Akron, Canton, and Amish Country. It’s also delivered by request to interested visitors, distributed at special events, and shared with tournament and conference planners.

• Early Bird Bonus - Save 10% | September 19
• Ad Space Reservation Deadline | October 3
• Artwork Due | October 17

Stark County Partners Media Kit

Regional Partners Media Kit

Contact Nichole Cardinale at ncardinale@glstudios.com to reserve your space today!

Business and Event Listings Updates and New Partner Onboarding: Allison Gromofsky, allisong@visitcanton.com

Website Updates and Social Content Requests: Willis Brienza, willisb@visitcanton.com

Exploreboard Maintenance and Updates, Welcome Center Brochures, and Travel Guide Requests: Gabe Baker, gabeb@visitcanton.com

Grants, Industry Partner Programs, Marketing and Promotions Opportunities: Allison Gromofsky, allisong@visitcanton.com

The America 250-Ohio Commission website now features a dedicated landing page where you can list your community’s 2025-2026 America 250 events. Submit your events anytime using this calendar submission form to increase visibility and support statewide promotion.

Let's put Stark County on the map - don't miss this FREE opportunity! Submit your America 250 Ohio events here.

Visit Canton Partner Huddle
Thursday, January 15 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | VIRTUAL

Visit Canton State of the CVB
Thursday, February 26 from 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Massillon Museum

Find out more information and register to attend.

We want to see your best shots!

Whether it's a scenic view, a fun event, or your latest photoshoot, upload your photos and videos to help us showcase what makes our area a great destination.

Upload Directly to Visit Canton, or use the submission further down this page!

Have you been featured in the news? Let us know!

• Partner Benefits & Industry Resources
• Event Planning Resource Guide

Visit Canton uses a technology platform to aggregate event listings from Google-indexed data. If your event is listed on Eventbrite, Ticketmaster, Facebook, or your website, it may already be listed. View the Event Guide for more information on the automation process.

If you prefer to submit your event manually, please submit event details here.