And now...the moment you've all been waiting for! Hundreds of you voted for your family's top go-to choices to enrich and entertain your kids and the businesses that just make your life as a parent easier in the inaugural Lynchburg Macaroni Kid Gold Daisy Awards! Lynchburg Macaroni Kid is super excited to join our sister Macaroni Kid sites across the nation in 2018 for these coveted awards.
Voting ended on Feb. 24 and we've spent the past week reviewing all of the entries and tabulating the votes. So, without any further ado, here are the WINNERS of Macaroni Kid's Gold Daisy Awards -- VOTED FOR BY YOU as the most beloved local businesses for kids and families.
THE CATEGORIES
Enrich and Exhaust Your Kids
Art, Theatre, Music, or Dance Lessons
1. Forest Dance Academy wins with 42.5% of the votes
2. Academy Center of the Arts
3. Dance Music Creation
Gymnastics and Martial Arts
1. Elite Athletics wins with 41.9% of the votes
2. Dynamic Gymnastics
3. Blue Ridge Martial Arts Academy
Youth Sports Program
1. Jamerson YMCA wins with 55.6% of the votes
2. Lynchburg Little League
3. Central Virginia United Soccer
Entertain Your Kids
Family Friendly Festival or Event
1. Day in the Park and Lynchburg Hillcats tied for the win with 38% of the votes each
2. Lynchburg Christmas Parade
Place for Indoor Fun
1. Amazement Square wins with 67.2% of the votes
2. Bounce About of Lynchburg
3. Kids Cove
Place for Outdoor Fun
1. Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre wins with 37% of the votes
2. Putt Putt Fun Center
3. Riverside Park
Best Park or Trail
1. Blackwater Creek Trail System wins with 48.8% of the votes
2. Peaks View Park
3. Riverside Park
Celebrate with Your Kids
Birthday and Party Venues
1. Amazement Square wins with 62.8% of the votes
2. Kids Cove
3. JJs Playground at West Lynchburg Baptist Church
4. Elite Athletics
Birthday Sweet Treats
1. Robin's Custom Cakes & Cupcakes wins with 63% of the votes
2. Kissed Cupcakes and Mrs. Joy's Absolutely Fabulous Treats tied for second place
Birthday Party Entertainer
1. Royal Princess Virginia wins with 56.9% of the votes
2. Balloon Dude Travis
3. Fancy Fairy Celebrations
Family Photographer
1. Katlin Dodgion Photography wins with 66% of the votes
2. April B Photography
3. Kayla Elizabeth Photography
Feed Your Kids ... and Yourself
Restaurant for Breakfast or Lunch
1. Market At Main wins with 41.7% of the votes
2. Carol's Restaurant (formerly Carol's Place)
3. Cracker Barrel
Family Friendly Restaurant
1. Chick-Fil-A Wards Road wins with 60.7% of the votes
2. La Carreta
3. La Villa
Date Night Restaurant
1. Shoemakers American Grille wins with 48.9% of the votes
2. The Crown Sterling
3. Olive Garden
Best Frozen Yogurt or Ice Cream
1. Mister Goodies Homemade Ice Cream Boonsboro wins with 56.6% of the votes
2. Sweet Frog
3. Sluggo's Sundae Drive
Take Care of Your Kids (services)
Childcare Center
1. Liberty Christian Academy (LCA) Early Learning Center wins with 58.8% of the votes
2. Elizabeth's Early Learning Center
3. Hearts & Hands (former Graves Mill ELC)
Preschool
1. Heritage United Methodist Preschool wins with 34.4% of the votes
2. Blue Ridge Montessori School
3. St. Andrew Preschool
Take Care of the Family (shopping)
Kids Clothing Store
1. Once Upon a Child wins with 59% of the votes
2. The Children's Place
3. Baby B's
Ladies Clothing Store
1. Winey Chicks wins with 59.4% of the votes
2. Divine Designs & Delights
3. Patriotic Peacock
Locally Owned Shopping for Unique Gifts
1. Givens Books & Little Dickens wins with 38.6% of the votes
2. Accents Flags, Gifts, Home & Garden
3. Farm Basket
Wellness for Your Family and Pets
Dental Practice
1. Forest Family Dentistry wins with 40.6% of the votes
2. Children's Dentistry & Orthodontics of Lynchburg
3. Central Virginia Family Dentistry
Pediatric Practice
1. F Read Hopkins Pediatric Associates wins with 44.4% of the votes
2. Richeson Drive Pediatrics
3. Central Virginia Family Physicians
Orthodontic Practice
1. Children's Dentistry & Orthodontics wins with 56% of the votes
2. Central VA Orthodontics
3. Mark E Blanchette
Women's Health Practice
1. Women's Health Services wins with 39.5% of the votes
2. Forest Women's Center
3. Lynchburg Gynecology
Family Medical Practice
1. Central Virginia Family Physicians wins with 84% of the votes
2. Wyndhurst Family Physicians
3. Forest Direct Primary Care
Eye Doctor Practice
1. Piedmont Eye Center wins with 57.1% of the votes
2. Hartman Eye Care
3. St. Clair Eye Care
Veterinary Practice
1. Peaks View Animal Hospital wins with 36% of the votes
2. Lake Forest Animal Hospital and Riverside Veterinary Hospital tied for second place
One Last Thing ... or Two
Best New Restaurant (Opened in 2017 or 2018)
1. Bootleggers wins with 54.3% of the votes
2. The Water Dog
3. Fire & Hops Taphouse
Best Kept Secret in Lynchburg
1. Old City Cemetery wins with 51.2% of the votes
2. Gazebo and Overlook at Candlers/ Liberty Mountain
3. The Motherhood Collective Playgroup
Winning businesses will be notified this week. The winners' certificates will be awarded within the next two weeks and all winning businesses will be recognized for an entire year in the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid Business Directory.
A live drawing for a $25 gift card to a local business of the winner's choice will take place later this week on Facebook, using email addresses of ALL who voted in this year's Lynchburg Macaroni Kid Gold Awards. The winner will be notified by email. Thank you to all who voted for your favorite local businesses!
