HOUGHTON — Registration and nominations are now open for the Keweenaw Community Spark Plug Awards Dinner, to be held on Thursday, March 12, at the Memorial Union Ballroom in Houghton.

The Keweenaw Community Spark Plug Awards celebrate and recognize outstanding local businesses, organizations, community projects, and individuals for their contributions and achievements over the past year. The event is organized and hosted by the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce, MTEC SmartZone, Keweenaw Young Professionals (KYP), Copper Shores Community Health Foundation, and the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA).

Community members are encouraged to submit nominations for businesses, organizations, projects, and individuals that made significant strides and demonstrated excellence throughout 2025. Nominations can be submitted online by visiting the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce website at www.keweenaw.org. The deadline to submit nominations is 3 p.m. Feb. 11 p.m.

Nominations are sought in the following categories:

• Growth – Company that has seen significant growth in employment and/or sales during the previous year.

• Customer Service – Recognized by the community, other businesses, and customers for providing superior customer service.

• Innovation / Transformation – New or existing company pursuing new products or services that hold great promise for local economic growth and employment.

• Project of the Year – A high impact project that is notable within the community and will provide lasting benefits to businesses and community members.

• Young Professional of the Year – A person under the age of 40 who made significant strides in our community and in their profession in 2025.

• Community Contributor of the Year – A person who has made strides in the development of our community.

• Hometown Hero of the Year – An individual that went above and beyond to help keep our community safe during the previous year.

• Youth Contributor of the Year – A school-aged individual that helped spark an improvement in our community through community service during the previous year.

Winners for each category will be selected by a committee made up of board members from the hosting organizations.

The event is open to the public. Individual tickets are $60, and reserved tables for eight are available for $440. Sponsorship opportunities are available to provide recognition while supporting the success of this important community event. For more information or to register for the event, please visit www.keweenaw.org or contact the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce office at (906) 482-5240.