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Home & History festival draws regional visitors; Nevada Preservation Foundation reports growth, three‑year grant details
Summary
Nevada Preservation Foundation reported July 28 that the Home & History festival drew visitors from 12 states, achieved strong survey results and secured a three‑year, step‑down grant from the Centennial Commission, beginning with $171,500 in year one.
The Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial received a final report July 28 from the Nevada Preservation Foundation on Home & History Las Vegas, the foundation’s multi‑day historic‑homes festival.
Paige Figembaum, executive director, and Amy Raymer, board president, said the event (held May 1–4, 2025) included more than 30 programs and 38 separate events across walking and driving tours, seminars and marquee home tours. “This is actually our tenth year of Home and History,” Figembaum said. The foundation said attendees came from 12 states and that returning guests made up about 80% of the crowd.
Survey results, the foundation said, were favorable: 98% of respondents said they would recommend the festival and return next year. Figembaum and Raymer told commissioners the festival’s media reach grew substantially — the foundation reported reaching roughly 800,000 people on Facebook during the event cycle — and that local media coverage included KLAS, KVVU and the Las Vegas Review‑Journal.
Funding and grant structure were a focus of commissioners’ questions. Commissioner Louise Helton asked about the new three‑year award the foundation received from the Centennial Commission. Figembaum said the first‑year payment was $171,500; she said the grant is a step‑down structure and that the second year was budgeted at about $130,000 with a further reduced amount in year three, but the third‑year figure was not specified in the presentation. Figembaum said the foundation rolled over some funds and is actively pursuing sponsorships to reduce reliance on the Centennial grant.
Commissioners discussed cost per attendee; Helton noted that using the first‑year grant figure and an attendee estimate of about 1,600 yields roughly $107 per person in Centennial support, a calculation Figembaum acknowledged and said the foundation is working to reduce through sponsorships and monthly programming to expand year‑round reach.
The foundation confirmed the next Home & History weekend is scheduled for April 16–18, 2026, and asked commissioners to save the date. Figembaum and Raymer said they will continue outreach to expand attendance and diversify funding sources.
Why it matters: Home & History positions Las Vegas’s mid‑century neighborhoods as cultural assets and brings visitors and local participants to historic neighborhoods. The festival’s funding level and attendance figures are relevant to the commission’s multi‑year grant budgeting.
What’s next: The foundation will continue sponsorship development, roll over unspent funds into the next year as allowed by the grant arrangement, and return to the commission in future meetings with updates on attendance and revenue.
