This year’s annual Best of Enid 2025 has come to a close, and it was a night to remember! With prizes, raffles, great food, amazing people, and competitive spirits, the night was full of fun and excitement!
The Best of Enid 2025 was a sold-out event, and the house was packed! With more sponsorships than ever before, it’s safe to say everyone was hungry for the win this year, and that hunger reflected in the votes! This year’s BOE event significantly passed last year’s voting count, and the categories were closer than they’ve ever been. Up until the last day and last hour, the winners were flipping back and forth as everyone vied for that top spot, and the results this year may have shocked a few. With some categories flipping from the usual, numerously awarded winners to newly established businesses and individuals – the competition was strong this year.
In addition to the heat of voting, the community support was vast and evident! With a sold-out event and a plethora of sponsorships, the energy in the room was vibrant! A special thanks to Gold Sponsors, Ediger’s Diamonds, Unleashed Pet Grooming, Park Avenue Thrift, American Cannabis, Hayley Hudson with Integris Health, Vargas Roofing, Ramco Undercar Specialist, and Choice Hospice, and to Silver Sponsors, Enid C-Star, Ladusau Evans Funeral Home & Crematory, Tinker Federal Credit Union, and Renah Gibson with St. Mary’s. There were also 12 table sponsors and numerous individual ticket sales as well; the best of the best truly showed up and showed out. For events like this, it takes a village, or, in this case, a community! Local MC, Kegan Tuohy, kicked the night off with fun high spirits, and he led the evening as he navigated his way through each of the winners. Photographer Kaci Carpenter was also present again, and DJ Robert Gober gave the evening it’s own soundtrack.
The fun of an event like the Best of Enid is the diverse crowd it brings in. People who may not have known each other otherwise shared tables, celebrated one another’s victories, and uplifted everyone involved in the process. And with the premise of the event being a competition, it’s refreshing to see people come together as they did. However, community is one thing Enid never lacks in, so it’s no surprise that the event had that same familiarity and feeling of community.
The doors to BOE25 opened at 6:00pm, and the crowd came in shortly after. For dinner, lasagna and chicken alfredo were served as the main course, along with potatoes, broccoli breadsticks, and a salad. Desert was also served, and a slice of cheesecake, of any kind, always hits the spot. In addition to the amazing food, there was also a cash bar, which was run by Stride Bank Center, and a nice beverage was the cherry on top to the nights courses.
The show began shortly after the doors opened and dinner was served, and Publisher of Enid Monthly, Robert Faulk, introduced the evening. Kegan took the stage again briefly after and kicked off the evening with the first award. As the awards went out and the winners were announced, the spirits within the room never wavered – everyone was truly happy for one another. With phenomenal raffles spread throughout the evening, businesses weren’t the only thing winning, and trophies weren’t the only prizes. With prizes like a pearl bracelet and handbag, courtesy of Ediger’s Diamonds, and a decanter set with a $150 gift card to Rock Island Liquor & Wine, courtesy of Rock Island Liquor & Wine, some of the raffles winners felt like bigger winners than those who actually won. The prizes also included ticket vouchers to a showing at Stride Bank Center from Stride Bank Center, a certificate for a deluxe facial from Enchanted Beauty Wellness Spa, and a Blackstone Grill donated by Ace Hardware.
The night moved along swiftly, and the MC never missed with a joke, whether he was referring to the winner of a category with some lighthearted fun or touching on the current events of Enid, his humor lit up the room. If the night were to be given a theme, it would’ve been gratitude. Every winner who approached the stage to receive their award was not only proud and overjoyed but also thankful and appreciative. Being deemed the best of the best by your own community is no small feat, and the winners from the Best of Enid 2025 were very aware of that. Squire & Cindy’s Kitchen took home the award for Best BBQ, and they were up against tough competition as they competed against Swadley’s Bar-B-Q and Blaze’s BBQ, in addition to the other nominees. When their name was announced, you could feel the joy radiating off of them as they approached the stage, and their appreciation was palpable. Cindy of Squire & Cindy’s Kitchen sates, “Thank you Enid for supporting our dream and allowing us to be part of your events and special moments. God has blessed us immeasurably.”
Allie Nails at D Pro Lash was also a pleasantly surprised winner of the evening. In her short year as a nail technician, she not only competed against some of the best, she also competed against entire salons, with DNT Nails & Spa and Enchanted Beauty Wellness Spa being the other finalists in the category. In her acceptance speech, she made sure to express her gratitude, especially in highlight of her relatively new found profession.
One of the speeches that continues to echo that theme of gratitude was given by Best of Enid 2025 winner for Best Roofer, Vargas Roofing. As they accepted their award, they highlighted the other finalists in the category and shared the spotlight expressing their thankfulness. Wess & Jolene Gray Portraits took home Best Photographer at the event, and they echoed the sentiments of Vargas Roofing as they shared the spotlight with the other finalists within their category and shared their journey of how they got where they are today.
Boho Teepee took home the win for Best Boutique, and owner, Tani, stated, “What an honor to win in this category and against such steep competition! Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us. We are so blessed to be a part of the Enid community.”
The Best of Enid being a competition drives the fun – it motivates the community and businesses alike. But regardless of the outcome, there are no losers. Yes, someone will take home a trophy and be deemed the “Best of the Best.” However, simply being nominated itself is the biggest reward. Being seen and recognized by not just your peers but your customers and friends is a feeling of validation that everyone needs once in a while, especially in trying times where things can get a little hectic. After all, who doesn’t love a pat on the back followed up by “We see you, and you’re doing great,” and that’s the entire premise of the Best of Enid – recognition.
Beyond the gratitude, recognition, validation, and competition, the Best of Enid is also a night to have fun, and that was a big part of the Best of Enid 2025. As the line to the bar rarely ceased to exist, members of the community had dinner, networked, got a couple of drinks, and celebrated. Stela Jantzen from Gold Sponsor Park Avenue Thrift stated, “This is always such a fun event to attend! The community coming together to celebrate each other and cheer each other on. Thank you Enid Monthly for having this wonderful event.” Best Hair Salon winner Bloom Hair Studio shared Stela’s sentiments. Shianne Royal with Bloom continued with, “We look forward to the Enid Monthly’s Best of Enid event every year. Great food, good vibes, and a night out is always a good time.”
To echo those same sentiments, the Best of Enid would not be a thing nor exist if it weren’t for the businesses and individuals that compose Enid. Without the community and the places that make Enid a fun place to work, play, and eat, there wouldn’t be anything to recognize or anyone to compete for you or with you. Therefore, the Best of Enid is you, and it’s your neighbor, and it’s your competitor, and it’s the stranger you pass at the grocery store. Enid is a collection of businesses, people, and organizations who all share a similar mission and love – maintaining and bettering Enid while loving it in the process.
A special thanks to everyone who made the night possible. Readers for keeping up with all things Enid Monthly, voters who fought hard for their favorites to win, businesses who gave the voters something to fight for, and to everyone and thing who made the event itself possible, including sponsors, ticket purchases, Stride Bank Center, and the businesses who donated prizes. Until next year!
