LOGAN – It’s time again for residents across Northern Utah to let their voices be heard. Nominations open Wednesday at noon for the annual Best of Northern Utah contest, giving residents across Northern Utah the opportunity to recognize their favorite local businesses.
Presented by Alpine Cleaning & Restoration, the community-driven contest returns after a record participation year in 2025, when 1,681 businesses were nominated across dozens of categories and residents cast more than 924,000 votes.
Kent Frandsen, president and CEO of Cache Valley Media Group, which organizes the contest, said the event is designed to shine a light on the heart of the region’s economy.
“Local businesses are the heartbeat of our community, and they deserve all the recognition we can give them,” Frandsen said. “The Best of Northern Utah contest gives the community the opportunity to celebrate those businesses and employees who regularly go about their day taking care of customers and providing amazing service.”
The contest is administered by Elite Insights, a third-party company that manages similar community recognition campaigns nationwide. Organizers say the independent oversight helps ensure a consistent, transparent process from nominations through final voting.
Organizers encourage community members to nominate the businesses and professionals they trust most — from hidden gems that deserve wider recognition to long-standing local legends.
“This is how we recognize the best businesses in town,” Frandsen said. Nominations open Wednesday at noon and can be submitted at BestofNorthernUtah.com.
Frandsen emphasized that businesses do not purchase nominations or awards. Winners are determined solely by community participation through the official nomination and voting process.
The contest highlights the places residents recommend without hesitation and strengthens local economic and civic pride throughout Cache Valley and Northern Utah.
After the nomination phase, the public will have time to vote on hundreds of businesses across dozens of categories. Gold and Silver winners will be announced in June with the publication of the 2026 Best of Northern Utah magazine.