Arts and Culture
Best Camp for Kids
1st: Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh
6926 Hamilton Ave., Homewood and 1101 Western Ave., North Side
humaneanimalrescue.org
2nd: South Park Children's Theatre
3rd: Carnegie Science Center
Best Cartoonist/Illustrator
1st: Happy Lil Canvases
happylilcanvases.com
Cute, colorful, and quintessentially Pittsburgh describes happy lil canvases, a small, lesbian-owned business operated by Jess Schweitzer. The self-described “pittsburgh sticker girl” puts a cartoonish, often irreverently political, queer-friendly spin on all the iconic food, sports mascots, and landmarks that define the city, with decals featuring the Eat’n Park Smiley cookie, Mr. Yuk, and more. Declare your hatred for the current president and love for Heinz by slapping a “Tr*mp Eats Hunt’s” sticker on your water bottle or laptop, or choose from any number of items dedicated to the beloved racing pierogies of PNC Park. Find happy lil canvases items online or at a number of local gift shops, including love, pittsburgh and Kards Unlimited. - Amanda Waltz
2nd: Toadstool Sticker Co.
3rd: Rob Rogers
Best Charity Fundraising Event
1st: Burn in Health @ Death Comes Lifting
deathcomeslifting.com
2nd: Living to Laugh suicide prevention show
3rd: Milkshakes & Cookies - Mid Atlantic Mothers Milk Bank
Best Comedian
1st: String and the Beans
instagram.com/stringandthebeans
2nd: Zach Funk
3rd: Select Start
Best Creative Photographer - Boudoir
1st: Dawn Hartman
dawnhartmanphotography.com
2nd: Amber Rae Photography
3rd: Body Art Boudoir
Best Creative Photographer - Editorial
1st: Carla Cardello
carlacardello.com
2nd: Nikki Wiser (CrazyCityLady)
3rd: Stephanie Strasburg
Best Creative Photographer - Events/Sports
1st: Digital Noise Photography (Tony Kozinko)
facebook.com/DigitalNoisePhotography
2nd: Sweater Bob
3rd: Ava Grace Studios!
Best Creative Photographer - Family/Children
1st: Carolyn Doyle Photography
carolyndoylephotography.com
2nd: Keep Pittsburgh Dope/Chancelor Humphrey
3rd: Kurtz Photography
Best Creative Photographer - Landscape/Nature
1st: Bob's Roadtrip Adventures
instagram.com/bobsroadtripadventures
2nd: Nikki Wiser (CrazyCityLady)
3rd: Carolyn Doyle Photography
Best Creative Photographer - Portraiture/Fashion
1st: Dawn Hartman
dawnhartmanphotography.com
2nd: Ava Grace
3rd: Cory Runyan
Best Dance Studio - Adult
1st: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Dance & Fitness
2900 Liberty Ave., Strip District.
pbt.org
2nd: Firewall Dance Theater
3rd: JP Gallery
Best Dance Studio - Kids
1st: Art in Motion
1001 Main St., Sharpsburg.
artinmotionpgh.com
2nd: Dance Unleashed
3rd: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School
Best Dance Troupe - Burlesque
1st: Smokin’ Betties Burlesque
instagram.com/smokinbetties
2nd: The Velvet Hearts
3rd: The Coven of Misfits
Best Dance Troupe - Kids
1st: Studio G Dance Center & Team
995 Greensburg Pike, Forest Hills.
studiogdancecenter.com
2nd: Alumni Theater Company
3rd: JP Gallery
Best Drag Performer
1st: Anemia Blunt
instagram.com/anemiablunt
2nd: Dixie Surewood
3rd: Snoozy Q
Best Fashion Designer
1st: Lydia B. Kollins
instagram.com/foreheadbrows
The style of local drag performer Lydia B. Kollins is as spooky as her namesake, the character Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice. Her signature costumes, many of which were showcased during her appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race, spin the bizarre imaginings of filmmakers John Waters and David Lynch into creations replete with faux fur, shiny satin and polyurethane, black lace, and funky patterns. Now that her fame has grown, will the close relationship with her design process continue? In an interview with the PopHorror media site, Kollins said, “I’ve been recently working with a lot of great designers. But I do make pretty much everything that I wear. I try to. I love the creation aspect.” - Amanda Waltz
2nd: Kiya Tomlin
3rd: Kati Grimes - Topaz Thimble
Best Film Festival
1st: Pittsburgh Independent Film Festival
pghindie.com
2nd: Grossfest
3rd: Three Rivers Film Festival
Best Filmmaker
1st: Madeline Deering
instagram.com/mdeering095
The Pittsburgh indie film community mourned the loss of Madeline Deering, who passed away on June 13, 2025, at the age of 36. Based on the outpouring of condolence messages, both on social media and on her obituary page, it’s clear Deering meant a lot to local DIY horror filmmakers, who considered her a friend and colleague. A graduate of the Douglas Education Center’s Digital Film Factory in Monessen, Pa., Deering wore many creative hats — her credits include writing and directing Bathtub Shark Attack, acting in Gore Orphanage, and producing a handful of projects. Her posthumous Best of PGH win stands as a touching tribute led by people like former Best Filmmaker winner Steve Rudzinski, who encouraged people to vote for her in a Facebook post. - Amanda Waltz
2nd: Wendy Whittick
3rd: Lily Ekimian Ragheb & Ahmed T. Ragheb (Studio Ragheb)
Best Gallery for Local Artists
1st: Brew House Arts
711 South 21st St., South Side.
brewhousearts.org
2nd: Redfishbowl
3rd: Associated Artists of Pittsburgh
Best Independent Movie Theater
1st: Row House Cinema
4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville.
rowhousecinemas.com
2nd: Dependable Drive-in
3rd: Manor Theatre
Best Museum
1st: Senator John Heinz History Center
1212 Smallman St., Strip District.
heinzhistorycenter.org
2nd: Carnegie Museum of Natural History
3rd: The Andy Warhol Museum
Best PA County Fair
1st: The Big Butler Fair
1127 New Castle Rd., Prospect.
bigbutlerfair.com
2nd: Crawford County Fair
3rd: Washington County Fair
Best Poet
1st: Rachel Ann Bovier
instagram.com/rachel_ann_bovier
2nd: Chiina Bloodmire
3rd: Chozen Lyricistress (Sharell Johnson-Kacprzyk)
Best Sports Club
1st: Queer Scouts
instagram.com/queerscoutsclimb
The mascot for Queer Scouts, an LGBTQ climbing club, isn’t a rock-climbing titan but a tiny, rainbow unicorn. Beyond bouldering up rock walls, the club was created with broader goals in mind: to build connection and create a more inclusive and diverse outdoor sport community. When the club isn’t at its base at Pittsburgh’s ASCEND rock climbing gyms, Queer Scout members are out on adventures like scaling the sandstone at McConnells Mill State Park, or hosting mixers, meet-ups, and monthly affinity sessions. Free after-hours climbs dedicated to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and QFTW (Queer, Femme, Trans, Women) individuals help ensure any aspiring outdoorsperson can enjoy safe, judgment-free time to climb. -Rachel Wilkinson
2nd: Forge Rugby Club
3rd: Pittsburgh Babes on Bikes
Best Street Artist
1st: Sweater Bob
artbysweater.net
Sweater Bob — the artist moniker of Jordan Howell — has built a name with his signature “galaxy paintings.” While he may have earned the title of Best Street Artist, supported by his photography, art demos, spray-painted works, and appearances at various events, his resume extends into poetry, music, and art therapy. His work, including his recent portraits on his artbysweater Instagram account, extends into supporting and showcasing fellow local artists, as well as poets, writers, performers, and organizations like 1Hood. From the street to the studio, Sweater Bob has become a positive figure in the local art scene, boosting his own image and that of those around him. -Amanda Waltz
2nd: Max GEMS Gonzales
3rd: Ashley Hodder
Best Street Fair/Block Party
1st: Allentown Night Market
allentownnightmarket.com
2nd: Bellevue Night Market
3rd: August Wilson Birthday Celebration Block Party
Best Theater Company
1st: Arcade Comedy Theater
943 Liberty Ave., Downtown.
arcadecomedytheater.com
2nd: South Park Theatre
3rd: Pittsburgh Public Theater
Best Theater Company - Adult
1st: Arcade Comedy Theater
943 Liberty Ave., Downtown.
arcadecomedytheater.com
2nd: City Theatre
3rd: South Park Theatre
Best Theater company - Kids
1st: South Park Theatre
Corner of Brownsville Road and Corrigan Drive, South Park Township.
southparktheatre.com
2nd: Gemini Children's Theater
3rd: Penny Arcade Theater
Best Theater Production - Adult
1st: Speed The Musical - Keanu Beleeves
2nd: Barefoot in the Park - Little Lake Theatre
3rd: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - South Park Theatre
Best Theater Production - Kids
1st: Matilda - Pittsburgh CLO
pittsburghclo.org/shows/matilda-the-musical
2nd: Wanda B. Meighnaybor - Carnegie Stage
3rd: The Sound of Music - Northside Players Junior
Best Visual Artist - Digital Media
1st: Happy Lil Canvases
happylilcanvases.com
2nd: Toadstool Sticker Co.
3rd: Skull Butter Arts
Best Visual Artist - Fine Art
1st: James Wodarek
jameswodarek.com
2nd: Feel The Rain Studio - Emily Glass
3rd: Skull Butter Arts
Best Voguer
1st: Hazell Azzer
instagram.com/hazell__frappe23
2nd: Cole
3rd: Kiss Ebony
Best Wedding Photographer
1st: Beth Barbis
bethbarbis.com
2nd: Megan McGreevy Photography
3rd: Maya Lovro
Best Writer
1st: Chiina Bloodmire
instagram.com/chiina_bloodmire
At the intersection of literature, spirituality, sexuality, and fierce queerness lurks Chiina Bloodmire. Her slam sensibilities have won her laurels at area spoken-word competitions, and her dark poetry has appeared in local journals and zines. While Pittsburgh’s small-but-mighty literary world can be as siloed and self-absorbed as other local scenes, Bloodmire has opted instead to build a Gothic vault as welcoming as it is intimidating. Catch her weaving her spell at Poetry Lounge and local slams. -Colin Williams
2nd: Jill Cullen
3rd: Tom Scioli