Community Corner
'The Liberty Bells' Awards Now Open For Voting
Vote for restaurants, cultural institutions, neighborhoods, and more in the second-annual Visit Philadelphia "The Liberty Bells" awards.
PHILADELPHIA — Voting for Visit Philadelphia's second annual "The Liberty Bells" awards is now open.
The Liberty Bells aim to recognize the city’s most beloved attractions, businesses, and cultural institutions that make Philadelphia Philadelphia. And winners are all chosen by Philadelphians.
With more than 1,600 nominations submitted, this year’s awards feature a lineup of finalists across ten categories, from "The New Must-Visit in Philly’s 4.0 Food Scene" to "The Only Locals Know."
Find out what's happening in Philadelphiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Voting is open online here and will remain open through March 21. Winners will be announced March 25 on Visit Philadelphia’s social media channels.
“Philadelphians take great pride in their city, and there’s no one better to champion the businesses, attractions and people who make this region a must-visit destination," Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia, said. "Celebrating what makes Philadelphia special strengthens our sense of community, and that enthusiasm is contagious. Visitors feel it, experience it and are inspired to come back for more."
Find out what's happening in Philadelphiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Visit Philadelphia Social Media Director Eric Cortes came up with The Liberty Bells in winter 2023 as the award season (Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, etc.) approached.
"I love award shows," Cortes told Patch. "I may not know all the nominees, but the thrill is exciting."
Around that time, someone suggested to Cortes doing an award for Visit Philadelphia.
"I put my thinking cap on," he said. "Philly is an award-winning city, and many people from here are award winners. I thought, 'why not launch our own awards?'"
The inaugural awards in 2024 resulted in about 1,200 nominees, and eventually about 30,000 votes by the public. See 2024's winners here.
Cortes said this year, nominations came in at about 2,000, and he hopes to get even more votes from the public for this year's finalists, which are all listed below.
To determine finalists in each category, Cortes spent hours combing through nominations.
Businesses, institutions, and more with the most nominations were named finalists.
"The power is with the people," he said.
There are no judge panels for these awards, as Cortes said the Visit Philly team did not want to create any bias in the process.
"They submit, we count," he said of the public nominations.
And nominees have been elated to learn they have been bestowed the honor by the public.
"When we announce nominees, most send great feedback, saying it's exciting and great to be nominated. But they want to win," Cortes said. "There's a lot of pride in nominees and finalists, and pride is contagious. When [nominees] are proud, they make a better experience for everyone."
Some categories this year are a bit different from last year's. For example, in 2024, one category was "Neighborhood with the Biggest Personality," But this year, we have "Most Slept-On Neighborhood."
"A lot of people came together to make these awards feature diverse offerings and make categories fun in general," Cortes said.
While big-time award shows have categories such as "Best Picture and "Album of the Year," Cortes and the team looked to put a Philly twist on the traditional categories.
But, there will always be pillars of the awards, such as focusing on restaurants and attractions.
Cortes hopes The Liberty Bells continue to grow, and that they will help elevate what makes Philadelphia special.
"I wish every single resident and visitor knew about The Liberty Bells," he said. "They build momentum and civic pride. If someone in West Philly knows the perfect business, they should nominate and vote for them. We want people to have the power."
He went on to say should the budding award program grow, Visit Philadelphia would love to add more categories and even possibly introduce a live event featuring nominees and finalists.
New this year, Visit Philadelphia has introduced the official Liberty Bells icon — a take on one of the city’s most recognizable symbols. The illustrated bell, sporting star-shaped shades, embodies Philly’s spirit and signature attitude.
Below are The Liberty Bells categories and finalists for this year:
The New Must-Visit in Philly’s 4.0 Food Scene
We’re talking about the best new restaurant in Philadelphia.
Philly’s Cultural Powerhouse Award
This museum, gallery or institution is leading the way in making Philly a cultural destination.
The “In Pursuit” Award (for changemakers)
This person or organization is working hardest in the community to create change and move us toward a more perfect union.
The Philly Event That Makes Your Year Every Year
You circle the date for this hands-down, can’t-miss, most Philly event of the year.
- Mermaids at Adventure Aquarium
- Philadelphia Mummers Parade
- The Tapcracker at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre
The Theater That Gives NYC A Run for Its Money
Big Apple? Big whoop. The must-see shows are right here.
The Museum/Attraction Most Worthy of Your Membership
Being a card-carrying member here gives you the most bang for your buck.
The Hotel Lobby with the Best Vibe
This is the hotel space most worth checking out while you’re checking in.
Most Slept-On Neighborhood
If you haven’t visited this ’hood recently, it’s time to change that.
The Only Locals Know Award
Knowing about this place means you’re officially “from here.”
The Best Spot to Score Philly Swag
This is the place you hit first for all your Philly gifts.
"Philly loves a good debate—whether it’s the best neighborhood, hottest new restaurant or top skyline view," Eric Cortes, senior director of social media of Visit Philadelphia, said. "People rep their favorites on social media all year long, so The Liberty Bells are the perfect way to make it official. With awards season in full swing, we’re excited to celebrate the best of Philly—and, of course, give the winners some well-earned bragging rights."
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
