It’s time for the Maggy Awards!

Cary Magazine‘s most popular feature, the awards that generate lots of buzz and thousands of votes each year.

New to the Maggys? No worries, we’ve put together this FAQ just for you!

Vote Now!

What exactly are the Maggy Awards?

Think of them as readers’ choice awards. We began recognizing the Best of Western Wake in 2006 and the Maggys have grown every year since. The Maggy Award winners will be published in the April issue of Cary Magazine.

Still confused? Check out the 2023 winners here.

How are the winners chosen?

The voting process will take place this year from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, by online ballot. We ask readers to name their favorite people and places in 60-plus categories, which may change year by year. Those receiving the most votes in each category become the winners.

May I vote more than once?

While we appreciate the enthusiasm and support of your favorite local business, unfortunately you may only vote once. Final votes are tallied based on one ballot per valid email address.

How can I suggest a category for next year’s ballot?

We revise the ballot every year to reflect the community support for each category. If you have a suggestion for the 2025 Maggy Awards, please shoot us an email at editor@carymagazine.com.

Are advertisers given precedence?

No. Winners are determined solely by reader votes.

But several winners are advertisers in the magazine.

True, some frequent advertisers are also recurrent Maggy Awards winners. Many businesses also choose to run “thank you” advertisements to show appreciation for our readers’ support.

Are local businesses given preference?

Yes! Year after year readers have encouraged us to feature more local businesses as Maggy Awards recipients. We recognize that local establishments likely don’t have the widespread recognition of national chains, so in order to honor those local-first requests, we ask readers to place their votes for locally-owned restaurants, shops and service providers.

Why are there still some national chains?

The ballot does include locally-owned franchises of national brands. We also include national brands that are based in North Carolina.

I disagree with one of the winners. I had a bad experience!

No business is perfect. Even the best are bound to have off days. Consider giving the winners another chance to redeem themselves.

I missed the voting process this year. How can I find out about it for future years?

Subscribe to our email newsletter and follow Cary Magazine on social media, so you won’t miss our announcements regarding the voting timetable.