City approves $65,000 grant to Beautiful Paducah for Barbecue on the River; nonprofit reports $319,387 in 2024 charitable contributions

The Paducah Board of Commissioners on Jan. 28, 2025 approved a municipal order authorizing a $65,000 agreement with Beautiful Paducah Inc. to support Barbecue on the River 2025 and heard the nonprofit’s recap of 2024 results.

Whitney Revelat Wallace, identified as cofounder and executive director of Beautiful Paducah, told the commission that Barbecue on the River 2024 raised $319,387.82 for local and regional charities and that, with Beautiful Paducah’s first year as host, the event’s three-year charitable total surpassed $1 million ($1,035,644.53). Wallace said city funding "was absolutely critical for the survival and continuation of the festival in 2024" and that the city contribution paid for a portion of infrastructure, paid-volunteer labor programs for nonprofits, public security, free public seating, and utilities.

Wallace described continuing costs for temporary infrastructure—plumbing, power, fencing, portable restrooms—and said until the festival has a permanent site with reliable infrastructure, Beautiful Paducah expects continued financial strain. She told the commission the group aims to return the festival to a parking-lot location temporarily and, ultimately, to a permanent home within the riverfront public-space plan tied to the city’s build grant.

Commissioners noted the city also provides operational costs for the event—overtime, waste removal and other city services—that are not always listed in the grant payment. The municipal order authorizing the agreement for $65,000 passed by unanimous roll call; staff said the payment would be split into two disbursements (before and after the event).

Wallace said Beautiful Paducah plans outreach to Murray State University for a student economic-impact study to quantify visitor spending, hotel usage and other economic effects. The commission requested staff to finalize and execute the agreement and continue coordinating event logistics with the nonprofit.