Somewhere in Marathon, a business owner is already refreshing their browser. Another is quietly texting every friend they’ve ever met. A third is pretending they don’t care at all.
The Best of Marathon is back.
Winning one of the Middle Keys’ most recognizable plaques – or even being named a finalist – comes with countless perks. Bragging rights. Local prestige. Reverse aging (allegedly). Infinite Googleability (we made that word up, and we don’t care).
As we approach our 16th annual awards show, Keys Weekly is beyond honored to recognize the finest our islands have to offer, determined by the people who know them the best. We say it every year, but our only job is to count the votes – the winning ultimately comes down to YOU and the locals who love you.
In a partnership extending all the way back to our first ceremony in 2008, we’re beyond proud to partner with the Rotary Club of Marathon, raising more than $150,000 for charitable causes while crowning more than 1,000 winners.
“One of the things that makes this event so meaningful is that it supports organizations doing incredible work right here in our own backyard,” said Keys Weekly publisher Jason Koler. “Beyond that, the Best of Marathon has always been about bringing the community together. Every year we’re amazed by the number of people who take part in the voting, not just here in the Keys but from around the world. Last year we saw votes come in from five continents and more than a dozen countries. Then the awards gala gives everyone a chance to come together in one room, celebrate the people and businesses that make Marathon special, and simply enjoy each other’s company. It’s a night that reminds you how connected this community really is, and every dollar raised goes back to the Marathon Rotary Club to support projects that make a lasting difference.”
Call your friends and get ready to click like you’ve never clicked before – the Best of Marathon is back. Here we go!
Photos by NATALIE DANKO/Keys Weekly
HOW THE VOTING WORKS
Nominate Your Favorites: July 23 – Aug. 9
Log in to keysweekly.com starting on Thursday, July 23 at noon until Aug. 9 at midnight to nominate your favorites in each category. Voters can vote once per day for all categories. So visit often, or daily, throughout the nomination process to propose your favorite finalists.
The top three vote-getters in each category are placed on the finalists’ ballot. Contrary to the annual rumor, we do not create the top three. You, the voters, decide the finalists from among your nominees, each and every year. Nominations will end at midnight on Sunday, Aug. 9, so make sure your voice is heard before then.
Vote for the finalists: Aug. 20 – Sept. 6
The top three finalists in each category make the 2026 BOM ballot. The highest vote-getter among the three finalists in each category receives the Best of Marathon Award.
Voting for the finalists in each category begins at noon on Aug. 20 at keysweekly.com and ends Sept. 6 at midnight. During this stage, voters can submit one ballot per day. So visit keysweekly.com often throughout the process and submit one ballot a day.
The Awards: Sept. 19
The 16th annual Best of Marathon awards celebration, this year on Saturday, Sept. 19 at a venue to be announced, has become one of the most popular events in town. Tickets are not generally made available to the public due to demand. Winners, dignitaries and finalists are the first ones invited to attend, and additional guests are selected from a first-come, first-served waiting list. To be placed on this list, please email patti@keysweekly.com.
