KC People’s Choice Awards returns for seventh year: ‘Our own Grammys’
One of the biggest nights celebrating local and Black businesses and creatives in Kansas City will take to the stage this weekend for its seventh year.
The Kansas City People’s Choice Awards are just days away, with a networking event on Friday and the awards ceremony on Sunday. With over 60 categories, voters each year pick who they believe is the best in careers ranging from real estate, education, and fitness training, to creative categories like best DJ, best vocalist, and best tattoo artist.
Terrell Ray, the founder of the awards, posted on Facebook that more than 1,000 tickets have been sold for Sunday’s ceremony.
The first year of the awards was held in the Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts. Ray didn’t think the show would get to its seventh year, the first year the show will be held in the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts.
“It just fits exactly what we’re wanting as far as giving Kansas City our own Grammys,” Ray said about the venue. The KCPCA has been at The Midland Theatre for its past iterations.
As the event has grown, so has the local support, Ray said.
“The biggest part of the growth has been just businesses welcoming in, and being appreciative of it,” he said. “Receiving their awards or trophies, their plaques, hanging them in their wall, in their facilities, in their businesses, and that right there alone is such an overwhelming feeling of love and support.”
Awards are also coveted by finalists, like Essence Haygood, who made it through several rounds of voting to vie for a title.
Haygood is a finalist for best hair braider for the second consecutive year. Haygood’s barbershop where she works, Officially Chopped Barbershop, won best barbershop last year. She is self-taught and has been braiding hair since she was a child, as her family’s de facto hair stylist.
Haygood has been braiding at Officially Chopped for nearly four years. Winning the award would give her the validation to continue pursuing her goals in hair care, she said, which could include cosmetology school, so she can learn more skills.
“I’ll be really excited. It would mean a lot,” Haygood told The Star. “Only being three years in the game, it’s some people that have been in the game way longer than me.”
Friday’s networking and social event will be held at Elevation Grille from 8 to 11 p.m. The public will be able to network with nominees, local leaders and residents.
The Kansas City People’s Choice Awards begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, with red carpet arrivals and the ceremony at 3:30 p.m. at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets begin at a little under $35, and are available at kcpcawards.com and on the Kauffman Center’s website.
The awards show’s dress code is formal wear. The red carpet will be livestreamed via Facebook and Instagram.
