Lake Winnipesaukee can deceive you at times. For a body of water billed as New Hampshire’s largest lake — and a glance at the map will confirm that it is, no doubt — the lake can feel much smaller than those maps suggest.
It’s a popular theme, this side of the pandemic, to say “welcome back.” But like most of us in the Lakes Region… we never left. Through it all, our local businesses have maneuvered through federal, state, and local guidance. We could not be more excited to share with you all the people and places our audience has voted BEST!
This marks our third year that we have asked individuals and businesses to nominate and vote for their favorites. Between March 2 and March 12, we received over 2,127 nominations in 183 categories from business owners and their fans.
Voting was open from April 13 through April 30, when we received 198,179 votes, 27% more than 2020. Votes were cast by 34,778 unique voters, which is 25% more than 2020. There were 1,247 individuals and businesses competing, and we are excited to present 249 individuals and companies, awarding Gold and Silver in the 183 categories.
The top ten categories represented 23% of the votes this year. In ranking order, they were Customer Service, Real Estate Agent, Hair Salon, Lunch Spot, Real Estate Team, All-Around Restaurant, Place to Work, Place to Buy a Gift, Live Theatre, and Bank/Credit Union.
The Lakes Region continues to see engagement through mobile devices. Of the votes cast, 63% were from a smart phone, 32% from desktop, and 5% from a tablet. Reaching our digital mobile market has never been more important and through The Laconia Daily Sun and Best of the Lakes Region, we deliver!
We know that this has been a challenging year, and we also recognize that some local businesses made the tough decision to close. Others have reimagined how business will be accomplished, and several have opened for the first time. The pandemic has forever shaped how we all approach business.
Producing a contest this size takes a dedicated local team and committed businesses. We are humbled and honored that the Bank of New Hampshire, along with all our advertising partners, makes this possible.
We could not bemore proud to salute and pay tribute to the great businesses that were voted best in their individual categories. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote. We encourage you to explore the new BestoftheLakesRegion.com and engage with our winners. Some may be familiar, and some may be new to you. All will welcome your business. Be sure to congratulate them for being voted Best of the Lakes Region.
Lake Winnipesaukee can deceive you at times. For a body of water billed as New Hampshire’s largest lake — and a glance at the map will confirm that it is, no doubt — the lake can feel much smaller than those maps suggest.
Whether you’re heading out for an afternoon cocktail party or a two- week offsh...
As we all adjust to a new lifestyle that may include social distancing, a great way to get out into the world in a safe and responsible way is with a family boat.
Having a primary home, or a second or third can make summer or long weekends best. In Laconia, you can still have waterfront lake living for well under a million dollars.
As boaters everywhere do their best to navigate these uncharted waters, we’ll do our best to serve as a reliable resource in answering some questions about boating during the coronavirus.
