Tourism Windsor Essex Launches Nominations for the 11th Annual Best of Windsor Essex Awards
Refreshed Categories, New Awards and A Live Celebration At the Capitol Theatre Reinvigorate The Annual Campaign
Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island is proud to open nominations for the 11th annual Best of Windsor Essex Awards, a community-driven celebration recognizing the region’s most loved restaurants, attractions, shops, festivals and visitor experiences – as submitted by the people who know them best. Nominations are open now at www.bestofwindsoressex.ca.
New this year, the awards introduce a revamped look and feel, a streamlined list of 25 award categories, and a refreshed focus aligned with current traveller trends. The program continues to highlight the places, people and experiences that inspire visitors to plan their trips – and locals to rediscover their own backyard.
“After 10 years, it was important for us to refresh the Best of Windsor Essex Awards to keep them relevant, topical and reflective of how people actually experience the region today” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island and CEO of Invest Windsor Essex. “The updated look, refined categories and new awards better align with current traveller trends, and the reasons people choose to visit – from food and culture to waterfront, festivals and overnight stays.”
New award categories this year include:
- Best Brunch Spot
- Best Global Flavours
- Best Sweet Treat
- Best Waterfront View
- Best Overnight Stay
- Best Brewery, Cidery or Distillery
- Best Waterfront Experience
- Best Festival, Event or Parade
- Best Shopping Experience
“What hasn’t changed is the heart of the program — it’s still driven by the voices of our community” said Gordon Orr. “The public input gives us true, authentic insight into where locals love to go, and that’s exactly what visitors want to explore when they come”
Nominations are open now at www.bestofwindsoressex.ca and will run through Sunday February 1st, giving locals the opportunity to nominate their favourite places to eat, drink, shop, stay and play. Nominations play a critical role in the process, as the top five most-nominated businesses in each category advance to the public voting stage.
Since its launch, the Best of Windsor Essex Awards have recognized more than 500 local businesses and have generated over 110,000 public votes in the past 10 years, reflecting the strong community support behind the campaign.
“The awards help us keep our storytelling fresh, relevant and grounded in real experiences” said Jason Toner, Vice President of Marketing and Communications. “The Best of Windsor Essex Awards are one of our most important tools for telling the story of our region. We use these awards all year long to profile what makes Windsor Essex special – helping visitors decide where to go, what to do and what to experience when they come.”
The awards are intentionally locally focused, offering authentic insight into what residents truly love and what visitors should be discovering. Winners will be announced and celebrated during a live awards event on April 14th at the historic Capitol Theatre, taking over the main stage for an evening dedicated to excellence across Windsor Essex.
For full award categories head to www.bestofwindsoressex.ca and get your nominations in before Sunday February 1st at 11:59pm
