Voting in the Lynchburg Living Best Of Readers’ Choice Awards is a great way to support the places you frequent and the people you love here in the greater Lynchburg area. We rely on readers like to you to determine who the best businesses and individuals are in our region in a variety of categories from everything Food & Drink to Home & Garden and beyond. Winners will be those who receive the highest number of votes overall in their categories at the conclusion of the contest. We thank you in advance for your participation and look forward to sharing the results with you in our January-February 2025 issue of Lynchburg Living!

The Lynchburg Best Of Awards: 

• Nomination Round: July 24th – August 17, 2026
• Finalist Round: August 21 – September 15, 2026

NOMINATE NOW

Rules and Regulations

• You may vote one time per category for the duration of the contest (a nomination counts as a vote!).
• Lynchburg Living reserves the right to modify any categories and/or contestants.
• A contestant may be nominated in a maximum of six categories. Any nominations following their sixth category will be removed.
• Duplicate Submissions by the same entrant will be subject to disqualification. Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different social media or email accounts, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that entrant’s entries and that entrant may be disqualified. All terms and conditions of any utilized social media apply. Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same social media or e-mail account. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. In the event of a dispute as to any social media or e-mail account, the authorized account holder of the email address used to register on the platform will be deemed to be the entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Each potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder.
• A contestant will be immediately disqualified if they are found guilty of violating one of the following contest rules:
  • Exchanging a good or service for votes (including bribes, sales, discounts, free, etc.)
  • Exploiting a competing contestant negatively for personal gain or votes
  • Participating in fraudulent voting (3rd party resources, fraudulent emails, etc.)

If you see someone guilty of any of the above, please report to jwood@vistamediainc.com. 

Dear Best of Lynchburg participant,
Congratulations on your nomination in our 2027 Best of Lynchburg Readers’ Choice Awards! To help you maximize your exposure we’ve created a convenient marketing toolkit for your use. Feel free to use these materials however best fit your brand.

If you’ll be posting on social media, we also encourage you to use the hashtag #BestOfLynchburg to join the community conversation and boost your visibility. We hope this toolkit helps you spread the word and celebrate your nomination in style. Congratulations again!

Instagram Post: [Download Here]

Instagram Story: [Download Here]

Facebook Cover: [Download Here]

Email Header: [Download Here]

Web Header: [Download Here]

QR Code: [Download Here]

Printable Flyer / Door Sign: [Download Here]

Earning a Best of Lynchburg award should be celebrated, and earning this recognition year after year earns a business a spot in the Hall of Fame.

To place in our Best Of Lynchburg Hall of Fame, a business, person, or place needs to have won a gold level award in a particular category for the majority of the years since VistaMedia first launched the contest in 2014. 

Flip through to see who is the best of the best in the region! 

(Voting for the 2027 Best Of Lynchburg Awards begins July 25 on LynchburgLiving.com.
Look for those winners in the January/February issue of Lynchburg Living!)

Every day, individuals across our community dedicate their time, talents, and passion to making Lynchburg a better place to live. Whether through advocacy, volunteerism, nonprofit leadership, education, healthcare, mentorship, or community service, these local champions work tirelessly to uplift others and create meaningful change.

Lynchburg Living is proud to recognize these extraordinary individuals through our 2026 Community Champions program. This recognition celebrates those who go above and beyond to strengthen our community, support those in need, and make a lasting impact on the lives of others.

Do you know someone whose dedication deserves to be recognized? We invite you to nominate the individuals who inspire, serve, and lead by example. Help us honor the people whose efforts make Lynchburg a stronger, more compassionate, and more connected community.

Submit your nomination today and help us celebrate the champions who make a difference every day.

The dates are : June 9 – August 4, 2026.

CLICK TO NOMINATE

We are thrilled to launch our annual Best Of Central + Southwest Virginia Weddings!

Our region has become an elite wedding scene filled with incredible venues, vendors, designers and so much more. However, it can be overwhelming for engaged couples to even know where to begin. The Best Of Central + Southwest Virginia Weddings is a way for our readership to determine who the BEST in the local wedding industry are so soon-to-be newlyweds can use the results as a reliable resource in their planning. Whether you’re voting based off your own wedding or a wedding you’ve attended, we want to hear from YOU on who you think is the best!

Voting will take place from May 1 – June 21, 2026.

We will accept write-in nominations until June 1, but keep in mind that your nomination counts as your vote.
Please allot 72 business hours for your approved nominated vote to appear in the pre-populated choices on the ballot. 

Rules and Regulations

• You may vote one time per category for the duration of the contest (a nomination counts as a vote!).
• We reserve the right to modify any categories and/or contestants.
• A contestant may be nominated in a maximum of six categories. Any nominations following their sixth category will be removed.
• A contestant will be immediately disqualified if they are found guilty of violating one of the following contest rules:
• Duplicate Submissions by the same entrant will be subject to disqualification.
• Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different social media or email accounts, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that entrant’s entries and that entrant may be disqualified. All terms and conditions of any utilized social media apply.
• Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same social media or email account.
• Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification.
• In the event of a dispute as to any social media or email account, the authorized account holder of the email address used to register on the platform will be deemed to be the entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address.
• Each potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder. 
• Exchanging a good or service for votes (including bribes, sales, discounts, free, etc.)
• Exploiting a competing contestant negatively for personal gain or votes
• Participating in fraudulent voting (3rd party resources, fraudulent emails, etc.)
• If you see someone guilty of any of the above, please report to ethan@vistamediainc.com

By participating in the Best Of Central + Southwest Virginia Weddings, your email address will automatically be added into our Lynchburg Scene e-newlsetter and any wedding related lists at the conclusion of the contest. You may unsubscribe at any time.

GENERAL VOTING INQUIRIES

Q: I tried to vote and did not receive the security code, where is it?
A: Please check your SPAM folder. Codes are sent from a 3rd party vendor named CitySpark Support and sometimes get sent to SPAM.

Q: How many rounds of voting are there?
A: There are TWO rounds of voting

During the first round, also called the nomination round, you can write in absent businesses and individuals and your write in nomination will count as your vote. Or if the nominee you wish to vote for is already present, you may simply vote for them instead.

During the second round, also called the finalist round, only the businesses and individuals that received enough votes/nominations in the previous round are advanced and no new write ins are allowed. The finalists that advance to the final round then compete one last time to determine the results.

Q: Do I have to vote in both the nomination and finalist round?
A: If a nominee advances to the final round and you wish to support them then yes, you will need to vote in both rounds. Voting totals reset to zero at the start of the final round.

Q: Why does the ballot page direct me to another website to vote?
A: Voting is being conducted using a 3rd party platform that applies enhanced security measures to better ensure valid voting activity. Your information is secure.

Q: Am I buying or signing up for anything by voting?
A: You are not buying anything by voting, but registering to vote does include opt-in consent to be added to free email newsletters and other communications from the magazine. You may opt out of these communications at any time using the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email.

Q: Why do I see a nomination more than once in the same category?
A: During the nomination round write-in responses occasionally create a temporary secondary listing. These additional listing are merged over time, pending manual review, which is typically completed within 72 business hours.

Q: I noticed a business that is closed on the ballot, what should I do?
A: While extensive efforts are made to remove closed businesses from the ballot, some occasionally slip through the cracks. Please report it using the form below. Thank you.

BUSINESS INQUIRIES

Q: Why isn’t my nominee / business appearing on the ballot?
A: During the nomination round businesses that are written in will appear on the ballot within 72 business hours, pending review and approval by our staff in each instance. If you believe your business is missing, please try clearing your browser history and check again before reporting it to us using the form below.

During the finalist round only the businesses that received the highest number of nomination votes AND met minimum threshold requirements are listed on the ballot, and all write-in activity is closed.

Q: Why is my business missing from the finalist ballot?
A: The finalists who advance are those that receive the highest number of nominations AND meet a minimum threshold requirement. If your business does not appear on the final ballot, it is because it did not meet the minimum requirement, or it was outpaced by other nominees in its category.

Q: What is the minimum nomination threshold needed to advance?
A: That information is confidential, but individual category thresholds are set on a sliding scale to ensure fairness to smaller / niche businesses.

Q: I did not receive a security code when I tried to register my business, where is it?
A: Please check your SPAM folder. Codes are sent from a 3rd party vendor named CitySpark Support and sometimes get sent to SPAM.

Q: I purchased a custom voting link, how do I get it?
A: The link appears on screen right after you purchase it and is included in your email receipt. If you did not save it and need it sent to you please let us know using the form below.

Q: My custom voting link stopped working, what do I do?
A: Please let us know using the form below and we will troubleshoot it for you.

Question Still Not Answered?

>>> Contact Support <<<

The Virginian Hotel’s elegant ballroom was filled to capacity on February 20 as Best Of winners, sponsors, and attendees gathered for an unforgettable evening.

Guests enjoyed an exceptional culinary experience, thanks to 221 Tap and Table, Downtown Cairo, Fleming Mountain Grill, Long Mountain Grill, Market at Main, My Dog Duke’s Diner, Skyline Grill at The Virginian Hotel, The Sweet Fox Baking Studio, The Virginian Hotel, and William & Henry Steakhouse. 

The celebration continued on the dance floor as winners and guests sang and danced the night away to the incredible sounds of The Chapstix. Laurie Gulluscio of Gold Thread Marketing & Events and Megan Lucas of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance graciously emceed the event.

A special thank you to our sponsors BrightStar Care, Firefly Fiber Broadband, Ashwood Manor Designs, Beacon Credit Union, and Stacey Angel Real Estate for making the event possible.

Photos by Ashlee Glen.

Join us at the 2026 Lynchburg Living Best Of Party!

SEE EVENT RECAP HERE

When: January 31, 2026 | 6-9 p.m. Where: The Virginian Hotel

Come celebrate the winners of the 2025 Lynchburg Living Best Of Readers’ Choice Awards! This event is going to be extra special and extra fun! The event will feature live music to dance the night away, as well as delicious bites from local restaurants and cash bars. Plus, there will be a raffle off at the event with the raffle proceeds benefitting a local charity.

Each ticket includes:

• Tastings from all restaurants
• A drink ticket
• Live entertainment: Local Call Band
• General seating at a table

Tickets:  NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE DOOR!

Participating Restaurants:

• Downtown Cairo
• Market at Main
• My Dog Duke’s Diner
• Skyline Grill at the Virginian
• Virginian Hotel
• William & Henry Steakhouse

Entertainment:

• Live music from Local Call

Summary. To create the list, the Lynchburg Living contracted DataJoe Research to facilitate an online peer-voting process and Internet research process. DataJoe Research is a software and research company specializing in data collection and verification, and conducts various nominations across the United States on behalf of publishers. To create the list, DataJoe Research facilitated an online peer-voting process. We paired this with an Internet research process to identify success characteristics. DataJoe checked and confirmed that each published winner had, at time of review, a current, active license status with the appropriate state regulatory board. If we were not able to find evidence of a lawyer’s current, active registration with the state regulatory board, that lawyer was excluded from the list. In addition, we checked available public sources to identify lawyers disciplined for an infraction by the state regulatory board. These entities were excluded from the list. Finally, DataJoe presented the tallied result to Lynchburg Living for its final review and adjustments.

Final note. We recognize that there are many good lawyers who are not shown in this representative list. This is only a sampling of the huge array of talented professionals within the region. Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding lawyers in the region. We take time and energy to ensure fair voting, although we understand that the results of this survey nomination and Internet research campaign are not an objective metric. We certainly do not discount the fact that many, many good and effective lawyers may not appear on the list.

Disclaimers. DataJoe uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. DataJoe does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate. DataJoe does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. All rights reserved. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without written permission from DataJoe.

Questions? For research/methodology questions, contact the research team at surveys@datajoe.com.

The Lynchburg Living Best Of Awards are the result of an online voting contest on lynchburgliving.com, held from August-September 2025.

Voting took place for the entire duration of the contest with write-in nominations accepted for the first few weeks. Readers could vote one time per email address in as many or as few categories that they preferred. The winners listed inside this section are the ones that received the most votes.