It's almost our birthday, and we'll cry if we want to. But the only tears shed last week would have been happy ones as Mayor Linda Gorton announced the recipients of 250Lex Cultural Grants.

The 250LEX committee said they received 88 applications requesting up to $1.3+ million. A total of $300,000 will be shared amongst 18 organizations to create meaningful, tourism-focused programming to celebrate 250 years of Lexington. The recipients will be tasked with hosting events that engage + educate residents and visitors about Lexington's businesses, community, and culture.

Here are the winners, in alphabetical order —

A Sense of Place
Allegro Dance Project
Black Yarn
Bluegrass Youth Ballet
Carnegie Center
Casa de le Cultura
Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra
Christine Kuhn
Faulkner-Morgan Archive
Greenroom Exchange
Jeff Hoagland
Keeneland Library Foundation
Kentucky Humanities
Lexington Children’s Theatre
M’Power Rhythm
Marafiki Center
Mary Todd Lincoln House
OperaLex