The Honors 2026 Comes to The Grand at 81 Mary in Charleston
Charleston’s business community will gather on Thursday, April 23, 2026 for The Honors 2026, the Charleston Metro Chamber’s signature evening recognizing the organizations and leaders shaping the region. The event will be held at The Grand at 81 Mary in downtown Charleston, with check-in beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the program running 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The Honors is designed as a celebration and a connector—an opportunity for entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals to recognize standout leadership and community impact while also spending time with peers from across the Lowcountry. The Chamber describes the evening as a mix of recognition, networking, and entertainment, with award presentations across multiple categories.
What Happens at The Honors 2026
The Charleston Metro Chamber notes that The Honors is presented by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and is intended to highlight the businesses and individuals whose leadership, innovation, and service are moving the region forward. In addition to the awards themselves, the Chamber’s event listing emphasizes the broader feel of the night—an awards ceremony followed by a reception where attendees can connect with leaders from a wide range of industries.
For many attendees, the value is twofold. First, it’s a chance to learn which organizations are being recognized for growth, leadership, and community impact—often a helpful signal of who is doing interesting work in the Charleston market. Second, it’s an easy “one night” way to see a cross-section of the business ecosystem in one place, from founders and operators to established companies and community partners.
The Award Categories in 2026
According to the Chamber’s event page, The Honors 2026 will recognize impact across categories that include Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Non-Profit of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Community Impact Champion, and One to Watch. These categories are part of why the event resonates with such a broad audience: it reflects both long-standing excellence and emerging leadership in the Charleston region.
A Look Back: Examples of 2025 Winners
If you’re considering attending in 2026, it can be helpful to look at the type of organizations and leaders recognized in the prior year. In 2025, the Chamber announced LS3P as Business of the Year and Trio Solutions (TRIO) as Small Business of the Year, highlighting long-term excellence on one end of the spectrum and innovative growth and performance on the other.
The 2025 recipients also included organizations and leaders recognized for mission-driven impact and community leadership. The Chamber listed Charleston Hope as Non-Profit of the Year and Fetter Health Care Network as Community Impact Champion. On the individual leadership side, the Chamber recognized Renee Linyard-Gary (Roper St. Francis Healthcare) as Diversity Champion of the Year, and Brenna Lawrence (Brown & Brown) as One to Watch. The Chamber also listed Wawner Strategies as Innovator of the Year in 2025, reflecting the way the program spotlights business innovation and change-making in the region.
Those examples are useful not just as a recap, but as a preview of the types of leaders and organizations the event tends to bring together.
Event Details and Where to Confirm Updates
The Charleston Metro Chamber’s official event listing for The Honors 2026 includes time, location, attire guidance, and ticket information, and it’s the best source to confirm any updates as the date approaches.