socastcmsRssStartOldies 100.9 News staffsocastcmsRssEnd
The winners are in for Bay of Quinte’s fifth Best of the Bay campaign, and Brighton is shining bright this year.
The community voted throughout November for their favourites and the votes have officially been tallied, the Bay of Quinte Marketing Regional Board has announced.
This year’s campaign rallied more than 1,700 votes to shape winners in 274 categories across the Brighton, Quinte Belleville, Greater Napanee and Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory areas.
The full rundown of winners has been released online, but this year’s contest shone a light on about 50 Brighton businesses alone.
Organized by the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board, the initiative sets out to celebrate the region’s local small businesses, spaces and events, with categories like “Best Restaurant, Best Spa, Best Golf Course and Best Park.”
New this year, votes were cast by communities instead of regionally in an effort to highlight more businesses in individual communities, noted organizers, adding this also means more are being recognized.
“It’s been really fun to see all the new winners across our region,” said Anna Fraiberg, the board’s content and communications manager. “For the last four years, the majority of the winners were in Belleville and Quinte West because those communities have the largest populations so there are just more people voting there.
“We’re excited to be able to shine a light on more businesses and attractions in Brighton, Greater Napanee and Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory now. There are so many amazing things across the BoQ that are worth visiting.”
Several businesses this year also became five-time winners including Tomasso’s Italian Grille, Burger Revolution, the Boathouse Seafood Restaurant, Wannamaker’s Bakeshop, Vivacious Clothing and Day Spa and Lafferty’s Menswear.
The board said winning businesses will get a physical and digital Best of the Bay decal to display in their storefront windows and online, along with bragging rights for being named the Best of the Bay by the community.
Voters were also entered into a $100 gift card draw of their choice for winning locations. The lucky winners include Paul Jennings, Sue Scott, Kim Vansteen, Hailey Robson, and David Francis.
