Each year, our readers vote for their favorite area businesses, services, fun destinations, dining establishments, entertainment venues, local celebrities, and just about anything you can imagine.

Want to know where you can find Simply the Best burger? Simply the best martini? Arts attraction? Handyman? It all can be found in the August “Simply the Best” issue of Harrisburg Magazine.

In conjunction with the August issue, each year we host our “Simply the Best Gala” which found its humble beginnings 11 years ago as a way to commemorate and acknowledge the achievements of those chosen as our readers’ favorites – I believe at that time there were perhaps a dozen winners.

Today, our Simply the Best gala has truly evolved into a highly-anticipated event of enormous proportions with over 800 attendees and 20 restaurants showcasing their signature dishes for our guests enjoyment.

To further heighten the significance of the event itself, some years back Harrisburg Magazine decided to up the ante and create sponsorships, whereas, the dollars raised through the generosity of the sponsors would be donated to a chosen charity.

Through the years the charities were varied;  Muscular Sclerosis, United Cerebral Palsy, Pinnacle Health Foundation, South Central PA Food Bank, and most recently, Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, but all were engaged with equal importance. We are proud to say that we have raised approximately $250,000 for these charities since 1999.

2009 promises to be our simply the best gala to date as Harrisburg Magazine will celebrate its 15th Anniversary with a black-tie affair.

“Thank you!” to the 2008 SIMPLY THE BEST Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors
GIANT Foods LLC
Lehman Volvo

Silver Sponsor
Capital Bluecross

Contributors
Flowers and Flowers
Mountz Jewlers

Media Sponsors
WHP-CBS Channel 21
WINK 104
Smooth Jazz 92.7
LAMAR

Event Sponsors
Radisson Penn Harris Hotel & Convention Center
JDK Catering
Blooms By Vickry