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- Community members can vote for their favorite businesses on the ballot and compete for a gift card.
- The awards are the program’s sixth this year and 80 winners will be chosen and celebrated at a gala this summer.
Get ready to vote for your favorite metro Detroit businesses and organizations.
The Detroit Community Choice Awards are back for 2026, and as members of the local community, you can help pick winners in 80 categories this year.
“The Detroit Community Choice Awards celebrate the businesses that truly earn the trust and loyalty of our community,” said Ashley Wright, vice president of sales, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News.
“For businesses, participation represents more than recognition — it’s validation from the customers and neighbors they serve every day,” Wright said. “Powered by the Detroit Free Press, a legacy news brand with nearly 195 years of history in this region, the awards carry a level of credibility and community pride that only a trusted local institution can deliver.”
The 2026 contest and winners’ gala will be the competition’s sixth. The last contest featured 105 categories, with one winner per category.
Mike Palmer, owner of Premier Pet Supply, a metro Detroit business that was named Best Pet Store at the 2025 gala, said, the Community Choice Awards “is an honor not only to be a part of but absolutely to win. Winning an award that is entirely community driven is both humbling and exciting.”
He added, “The team did such a great job throughout the campaign promoting the contest, which brought a lot of attention and eyes on our business. We proudly displayed and posted our accomplishment, which further validated our family business to the people of metro Detroit.”
In a letter sent to businesses in March, Wright and Nicole Avery Nichols, editor and vice president, Detroit Free Press, described the contest, produced by USA TODAY Network Ventures:
“The Community Choice Awards is a seasonal program that seeks to shine a spotlight on outstanding businesses in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties,” the letter said.
The letter also highlighted how the process to choose winners has changed this year:
“This year’s ballot features pre-screened, eligible businesses, with the community selecting winners from five nominees per category. Businesses qualified by meeting minimum standards, including a 4-star Google rating, at least two years in operation, and an active website or Facebook Page.
Where the public comes in is through voting.
Community members from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties ages 18 or older can vote for their favorites through the event website. Voters also can compete to win a $250 gift card. For more information on eligibility to vote and more, go to the www.yourchoiceawards.com/detroit, which will go live when voting begins April 1.
The 80 businesses that win will be announced July 21 and “will be honored at an exclusive awards gala” in Detroit, and will be “highlighted in a special print section and online winner’s directory,” according to the letter sent to businesses.
Voting runs through April 30.
