TU’S 2021 Best Of poll is coming soon

“Daddy, is it safe to go back in the water?” Well, not yet. But maybe it’s safe to look at the water and see it as something that we can splash around in someday soon. And with that in mind, we bring you the 2021 Times Union Best of the Capital Region readers’ poll!

With 100 categories to help find the best of the best in four overall sectors of Capital Region life — dining out, goods and services, arts and entertainment, and best of the rest — this year’s reader poll aims to shine a hopeful light on the near future, supporting what we love about this region. Last year’s poll ended just days before society started to shut down. Our favorite park and waterfront site will survive the coronavirus, but others — local organizations and businesses — need the shout-out just to survive.

What’s different?

There are several new categories, some of which reflect this past year’s pandemic. Some categories were temporarily dropped (how can we vote on best live concert?), but with hopes of their speedy return.

What’s the same? That’s up to you. Are you out to defend your favorites from last year or are there others out there hoping to topple past winners? It’s in your hands.

Nominations open on Friday, Jan. 22, and close on Friday, Feb. 5, for this year’s poll. Visit timesunion.com/bestof2021 to see our rundown of categories. There are no predetermined choices.

Write in your nominations for best family restaurant, best home builders, best to-go cocktails and more.

If you already see the place or person you wanted to nominate, you can just click on that submission and it counts as an added vote. You can only nominate once per category online. (A print version of the nomination ballot will appear in the

Unwind sectionon Sunday, Jan. 24.)

We will tally up the nominations and come up with our finalists in each category. The top 5 — or more, in case of any ties — will be posted for the final voting period which runs Monday, Feb. 22 to Thursday, March 4. That round will determine the final winners. On that round, you can vote once a day per category.

A bonus for anyone who participates: We will give $1,000 each to two randomly selected people — one who submits a nomination and one who votes in this year’s poll. We will publish the winners and the ranking of those finalists in a Best Of magazine on April 22. We’ll also share all that on timesunion.com.