The second annual Best of Camp New York Awards will open nominations on July 1, inviting campers to recognize their favorite campgrounds across New York while introducing new award categories and expanded recognition for the 2026 program.
The awards, organized by Camp New York, will accept nominations through July 31. Public voting is scheduled to run from Aug. 7 through Sept. 7, concluding on Labor Day.
Winners will be announced Sept. 28 during the organization’s Annual Conference in Lake George.
According to the announcement, the awards are designed to recognize campgrounds that provide outstanding camping experiences across the state, with campers submitting nominations through an online form available on Camp New York’s website.
One of the most significant changes for 2026 is an expansion of the Best Overall Campground category. Instead of selecting a single winner, the program will recognize three campgrounds based on park size. Separate awards will be presented to small, mid-sized and large parks, a change organizers said was made in response to participant feedback.
The organization also introduced a new category, Best Campground for Long-Term/Full Season Stay. The award is intended to recognize campgrounds that provide exceptional experiences for seasonal campers and guests who stay for extended periods.
Camp New York is encouraging member campgrounds to promote the awards during both the nomination and voting periods by inviting campers to participate. Campers can nominate campgrounds in the categories they believe best reflect their experiences.
To support participation, the organization has prepared a promotional toolkit for campground operators. The materials include printable flyers for common areas, ready-to-use social media posts, promotional graphics for both the nomination and voting periods, tips for encouraging guest participation, and a category description and eligibility guide.
To qualify for nomination and voting, a campground must be a Camp New York member in good standing.
In addition, organizers have limited consecutive wins for individual categories. Under the program rules, a campground may receive the same “Best of” title for no more than two consecutive years, a measure intended to allow more campgrounds to be recognized through the annual awards program.
The 2026 awards mark the second year of the Best of Camp New York program, with organizers seeking nominations throughout July before advancing to public voting in August and early September.