We’re at the point in the Wigan Business Awards calendar when everything starts to feel real.
Last Thursday, we brought this year’s finalists together at The Edge for a relaxed networking event, sponsored by previous Wigan Business Awards winners Lowton Creative Workwear and Merchandise.
The idea is pretty simple.
Give people a chance to meet before awards night, have a proper chat and enjoy being part of the finalist journey without having to think about interviews.
And it works.
Bringing the 2026 Finalists Together
The room had exactly the kind of energy we hoped for.
People introducing themselves, catching up with familiar faces, meeting businesses they had only ever seen online and having conversations that probably would not have happened otherwise.
That is one of the things we love most about the awards.
Yes, there are winners on the night. Of course there are.
But the Wigan Business Awards has created something around the competition too.
Every year, businesses meet through the awards and go on to work together, recommend each other, support each other and stay connected long after the trophies have been handed out.
Thursday was a chance for this year’s finalists to start doing that now.
There are 116 finalists across 23 categories this year, representing businesses, charities, community organisations and individuals from across Wigan Borough.
Some are well established. Others are still growing. Some already know half the room and some walk in knowing nobody.
That mix is part of what makes the finalist cohort so good.
Everyone has taken a different route to get there, but everyone in the room had one thing in common: they had put themselves forward, made it through the process and earned their place in the final.
More Than Awards Night
There is something special about getting people together at this point, before the nerves of awards night kick in.
The finalist journey is more than waiting to see whose name is read out.
It is also about visibility, confidence, new connections and becoming part of a wider local business community.
That is why events like this probably matter more than the ceremony itself.
Because they give people space to talk without the pressure of pitching, selling or competing.
Sometimes the most useful thing that comes from an awards process has nothing to do with the trophy.
Previous Winners Supporting This Year’s Finalists
It also felt right to have Lowton Creative Workwear and Merchandise supporting the event.
As previous Wigan Business Awards winners themselves, they know what the finalist journey feels like from the other side.
That ongoing involvement is a big part of what has helped the Wigan Business Awards community grow.
A huge thank you to the Lowton Creative team for helping us bring everyone together.
The Countdown Is On
Awards night will be here before we know it.
There will be nerves, excitement and a lot of anticipation when the envelopes start opening.
For now though, we want this year’s finalists to enjoy this bit.
You made the final.
You are part of the 2026 Wigan Business Awards cohort.
And Thursday was a reminder that there is plenty of value in that before a single winner is announced.
