Nominations
Ended July 29th at 11:59 p.m.

Voting
Ended September 9th at 11:59 p.m.

Party
September 30th
Issue will be released early at the party

Issue
October 1st

PRICING:
VIP Advance • 9/3-9/29 • $95
VIP Day-Of • 9/30 • $120 (if available)

GA Advance • 9/3-9/29 • $55
GA Day-Of • 9/30 • $70 (if available)

LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE.

How will I know if I win? How will you contact me? I won last year and didn’t know!
After voting ends, we do our best to gather contact information for all winners. If you're a 2021 nominee and want to ensure we have your most up-to-date contact information, you can submit it here. We will contact all finalists via e-mail by September 17th with a $10 off promo code to join us at the party, where we'll release the Best of the Bay Issue a night early! All winners will be revealed in the Best of the Bay print and digital issue of Creative Loafing and online at cltampa.com on October 1st.

So, CL is hosting an Awards Party for 2021?
Yes! The party is on! Tickets are available for purchase here.

How wasn’t I nominated? I don’t understand. But I’m the best! You must hate us.
It’s important to keep in mind that the nominations you’re able to vote on during the voting phase are submitted by the PUBLIC. We held a three-week-long open nominations period in July where we accepted more than 75,000 nominations! This year, only the top 20 nominees with the most nominations moved on to the voting phase.

So, the nominations are submitted by the public? Does Creative Loafing choose any awards?
Yes! Best of the Bay is split up into two sets of awards: Readers’ Picks and Critics’ Picks. The Readers’ Picks Awards (what YOU get to vote on) are submitted and voted on by the public; the person/place/business/thing/etc. with the most votes in that specific category walks away with that title for 2021. The Critics’ Pick Awards are curated awards selected by Creative Loafing staff. We do not accept nominations for these awards and, instead, are some of our staff’s favorite things about the Tampa Bay area right now.

So, if I receive an e-mail that I'm a finalist, that has to mean I won “Best (fill in the blank)” for the Readers’ Pick, right?!
Fingers crossed, but not necessarily! You could have won a Critics’ Pick, so get excited that you're a finalist, and you’ll have to wait until the Best of the Bay Awards Party and issue is released to see WHAT you won! The issue will be released a night early at the party.

Will there be an awards ceremony at the party?
No, we do not host a formal awards ceremony. Instead, we party with the best! Best of the Bay Awards Party is a 21-and-up cocktail-style event featuring food and drink samples, local entertainment, and more. Awards will be available for pickup throughout the night and photo opportunities with your award(s) will be available. Plus, you get a unique opportunity to mix and mingle with Tampa Bay's best!

Is the party only for finalists and winners?
No! The party is open to the public! Anyone is welcome to sample the best, party with the best, and celebrate the best! If you love Tampa Bay, you'll want to be there.

What COVID-19 precautions will be taken at this year's party?
Capacity is limited and masks are encouraged. Please refer to CDC recommendations for COVID-19 and the Delta Variant. Any mask or vaccination requirements by the venue will be available here. The Best of the Bay Awards Party 2021 is committed to a safe and positive event experience for guests, vendors, and staff, and will adhere to CDC-recommended protocols. By attending this event, you agree that you and/or everyone in your party is currently vaccinated or will be vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of the event, or you understand the risks associated with attending an event and not being vaccinated.