Nominations are underway in a number of categories as part of the 27th annual Biz X magazine awards.
People can nominate their favourite local businesses, organizations, professionals and events in Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island online.
There are 24 categories ranging from outstanding new business to retail shops, top restaurants, artist of the year, biz champ, social enterprises and more.
Any nominations in the people categories have to be for a nominee who is over 19 years of age, lives in Windsor/Essex County/Pelee Island.
For nominations in the business & service and retail, hospitality & entertainment categories they have to fit all criteria and not be part of a franchise or non-profit.
A complete list of all categories, official rules and more information can be found on the Biz X website as well.
Publisher Deborah Jones says nominations opened on July 31, and they've already received some great ones but they're hoping for more.
"We have some different things as well this year, like clean sweep janitorial, life coaches, who is the big cheese wheel on the block, awesome sauce. There's all kinds of local businesses now manufacturing some incredible barbeque and garlic sauces. We've got spooktacular Halloween fun, we've got some different things in there and we like to liven it up each year," she said.
Jones says they usually get between 200 and 250 nominees per year.
"And that's totally amazing, it's a lot of work but it's well worth it because we get to reward a lot of small businesses. And we do have for our voting poll with thousands of votes coming in, I think we're one of the biggest polls out there as well too. That will start September 17 at noon until September 24 until 5 p.m."
She says it's not a popularity contest, but rather winners are determined through a number of different criteria including their judging panel.
Winners will be notified when they read the magazine edition that follows the selection process.
"The winners are going to be contacted when they see the magazine. That's our goal right? To get people reading our magazine, and helping support everyone in our stories and all our advertisers. So that will be published in the November/December edition, that is usually out mid-November around about November 15 as well," Jones said.
The deadline to nominate is on September 9 at 5 p.m.