A bear’s sense of smell is measured in miles
With nostrils 100 times more sensitive than ours, imagine the whiffs WNC’s furry neighbors are getting this spring, as they come out of hibernation — basically all that our region has to offer — from traditional barbecue to the international flavors that emanate from downtown.
While our noses aren’t as strong as a bear’s, our communities are strong. Immediately after Tropical Storm Helene ripped through Western North Carolina, we came together to rebuild. And while work remains in terms of repairing our area’s infrastructure, hope springs eternal and the work continues.
This year’s Best of WNC survey offers an opportunity to celebrate the local individuals, organizations and businesses that are helping make our region what it is and what we are striving to be.
This April, vote for the Best of WNC. Vote your local passions and knowledge. The online ballot covers hundreds of topics and issues. And don’t be daunted — you can skip categories that you’re either unfamiliar with or uninterested in. Of course, we do ask that all participants complete at least 30 questions.
Once you’ve completed your ballot, keep an eye out for this year’s winners. We’ll announce them in August. We’ll also be hosting our annual Best of WNC party that month. That’s when we celebrate AVL strong, WNC strong!
These are the rules for the 2025 Best of WNC Readers’ Poll:
- The official voting period is Monday, April 1 , through 11:59 p.m. (midnight) Tuesday, April 30.
- Your ballot must have at least 30 valid answers completed to be counted (Responses like “don’t know” and “NA” don’t count).
- You have seven days to complete your ballot. After seven days, your ballot will be automatically closed and submitted.
- One ballot per reader. We reserve the right to reject any ballot we deem fraudulent.
- Read and follow section and category instructions.
Have a problem voting? Call us Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at 251-1333. Or e-mail us at bestof@mountainx.com
A few important points before you get started…
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- All categories are free-choice write-in. However, the ballot has an autocomplete drop-down menu for most categories, to improve your voting experience (and our vote-tabulation process). When you type 3 or more characters in an answer field (for most categories), you’ll be offered a drop-down list of answers to choose from. If you don’t see the answer you want, just ignore the list and type your own answer.
- You can take a break from voting by clicking the “Resume Later” button, which allows you to close your ballot and return later. You have seven days to complete your ballot.
- Save your ballot-registration email — it contains the link you’ll need to return to your ballot (until you complete your ballot by clicking “Submit”).
- To return to your unfinished ballot, click the link in your original ballot-registration email that you received when you initially registered.
- To get started, scroll down to the bottom of this page and click on the link.
Got a business you think should be voted Best of WNC? Want to help promote your favorite places? Here are links to download printable promotional materials PDF and online “Vote Now” Web Graphics.
