2026 Viewer’s Choice Awards Timeline
July 7 – July 28
Nomination Round
August 12 – September 9
Voting Round
October 29
VCA Gala @ Ground Zero Blues Club
The Mississippi Gulf Coast's Largest People's Choice Awards
Countdown to 2026 VCAs
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Meet our 2026 VCA Sponsors
Why Participate?
Last Years Stats:
- 28,000+ Total Nominations
- 164,000+ Total Votes
- THOUSANDS of local participants
Why Businesses Participate
Build Awareness
Earn Community Recognition
Recruit Employees
Generate New Customers
Defend Their Title
Celebrate Their Team
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Nominations Open | July 7 |
| Nominations Close | July 28 |
| Voting Opens | August 12 |
| Voting Closes | September 9 |
| Winners Announced | September |
| VCA Gala | October 29 |
2026 VCA Groups and Categories
- Asian Cuisine
- BBQ
- Bar
- Bakery
- Bloody Mary
- Boiled Crawfish/Shrimp
- Breakfast
- Butcher
- Brewery
- Brunch
- Burgers
- Chef
- Coffeehouse
- Daiquiri Shop
- Dessert
- Dinner
- Donuts
- Food Truck
- Grocery Store
- Happy Hour
- Ice Cream
- Italian Cuisine
- King Cake
- Liquor Store
- Lunch
- Mexican Cuisine
- Outdoor Dining
- Oysters
- Pizza
- Po-Boy
- Seafood Cuisine
- Snowball
- Steakhouse
- Sushi
- Vegan/Vegetarian
- Accounting Service
- Architecture Firm
- Auto Service/Repair
- Automotive Detail
- Bank
- Barber Shop
- Boat Repair
- Campground/RV Park
- Car Wash
- Cleaning Service
- Computer Repair
- Contractor/Construction
- Credit Union
- Dry Cleaner
- Electrician
- Event Planner
- Funeral Home
- Hair Salon
- Heating and Air
- Home Builder
- Insurance Agency
- IT Services
- Jewelry Repair
- Landscaping/Lawn Service
- Law Firm
- Med Spa
- Mobile Phone Repair
- Mortgage/Home Loan
- Motorcycle & ATV Repair
- Moving Company
- Nail Salon
- Painting Company
- Pest Control
- Pet Boarding/Grooming
- Photographer
- Plumber
- Pool Company
- Printing Company
- Quick Oil Change
- Real Estate Agent
- Real Estate Group
- Roofing Company
- RV Dealership
- Security Company
- Tire Shop
- Towing Service
- Veterinarian
- Videographer
- Window and Glass Repair
- Tutoring
- Chamber of Commerce
- Community Event
- Community Partner
- Downtown
- Animal Rescue
- Church/Place of Worship
- Festival
- Podcast
- Print Publication
- Private School
- Radio Station
- School District
- Non-Profit Organization
- Best Place to Work
- Tourist Attraction
- Trade/Technical School
- Assisted Living/Memory Care
- Audiology Clinic
- Boot Camp
- Cardiology Clinic
- Chiropractic Center
- CrossFit Gym
- Dance Studio
- Day Spa
- Dental Clinic
- Dermatology Clinic
- ENT Clinic
- Eye Clinic
- Gym/Fitness Center
- Home Health Agency
- Hospice Agency
- Hospital
- Laser/Skin Care
- Lasik Surgery
- Martial Arts Training
- Massage
- Medical Clinic
- Medical Weight Loss Clinic
- Mental Health Service
- OB/GYN Clinic
- Orthodontics Clinic
- Orthopedic Clinic
- Palliative Care Agency
- Pediatric Clinic
- Personal Trainer
- Pharmacy
- Physical Therapy Clinic
- Physician
- Plastic Surgery Clinic
- Rehabilitation
- Retirement/Independent Living
- Urgent Care
- Yoga/Pilates/Barre Studio
- Antique Store
- Bargain Store
- Boat/Watercraft Dealer
- Boutique
- Bridal/Formal Wear
- Children’s Consignment
- Cigar Shop
- Clothing Consignment
- Clothing Store
- Eye Glass Store
- Flooring/Carpet
- Florist
- Furniture Store
- Gift Shop
- Hardware Store
- Home Appliance Store
- Home Store
- Jewelry Store
- Mattress Store
- Men’s Clothing Store
- Motorcycle Dealership
- Music Store
- New Car Dealership
- Pawn Shop
- Pet Store
- Plant/Garden Supply
- Pre-Owned Car Dealership
- Sporting Goods Store
- Tattoo Gallery
- Art Gallery
- Bookstore
- Casino Players Club
- Casino Resort
- Casino Sportsbook
- Children’s Party Venue
- Date Night Spot
- Family Entertainment
- Fishing Charter
- Golf Course
- Hotel Property
- Live Entertainment
- Live Theatre
- Loosest Slots
- Museum
- Nightlife
- Wedding Venue
Download Your Marketing Toolkit:
Nomination Round Advertising Opportunities
Starter Package: Perfect for businesses looking to build awareness and encourage nominations.
INCLUDES:
1 Category Sponsor
300×250 Ballot Ad
Access to VCA Marketing toolkit
Growth Package: Designed for businesses wanting greater visibility during nomination season.
INCLUDES:
Up to 3 Category sponsorships
300×250 Ballot Ad
20 :30 TV Spots
30 “Nominate Us” Promo Spots
Access to VCA Marketing Toolkit
Premium Package: Maximum visibility and category ownership for businesses ready to stand out!
INCLUDES:
1 Group Sponsorship
Up to 5 Category sponsorships
300×250 Ballot Ad
40 :30 TV Spots
50 “Nominate Us” Promo Spots
Newsletter Inclusion
Access to VCA Marketing Toolkit
How Voting Works
Our VCA Process is broken into 3 phases that are as such:
Step 1
During our nomination period (July 7th – July 28th), viewers can nominate their favorite businesses, once a day, every day, in each category.
Step 2
Similar to the nomination phase, during the voting period (August 12th – September 9th), viewers can vote on the top 4 nominees in each category, once a day, every day.
Step 3
After the voting period is closed, our third-party platform will tally up the votes, and the business in each category will be named their respective categories 2026 VCA winner. We will announce winners at our VCA Gala on October 29th at the Ground Zero Blues Club in Biloxi, MS.
NEW FOR 2026
This year we are excited to announce we have the option to integrate custom text-to-vote keywords!
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Winners are picked by our third party software, and based on highest number of votes for the business in their respective category. We encourage businesses to notify their customers to nominate and vote for them in this time.
No you do not need to advertise to win. We would however, encourage businesses to consider advertising if they’d like to have increased visibility during nomination and voting periods.
Our third party platform that aggregates votes, will tally up businesses with the most votes to determine the winners of each category.
Yes, you can vote once per day, every day, in each category.
Our third party platform works to prevent any fraudulent votes during the VCA period.
The top 3 businesses in each category will be notified ahead of time, and we will announce and celebrate our winners at the VCA Gala at Ground Zero Blues Club, Oct. 29th.
Winners receive recognition, digital assets they can use to celebrate their win, the opportunity to attend our VCA Gala, and most of all, bragging rights!
Past Winner Hall of Fame
