The second annual Latino Business Awards is coming up at the end of the month, and voting is now open for dozens of categories, including Best Restaurant, Best Food Truck, Best Michelada, and the highly competitive Best Taco. More than 50 awards will be handed out to area business owners, entrepreneurs, and community leaders when the results are announced live during the awards ceremony on July 29 at the Arlington Theatre.
Last year the inaugural show was packed, and organizer Andy Gálvez from Miranda Entertainment is excited to bring back the same energy with even more nominees in the running for the awards — and bragging rights — this time around.
Gálvez, who was born in Guatemala and has lived in Santa Barbara for more than two decades, started the awards show in 2022 as a way to bring the Latino community together to celebrate themselves and enjoy a night in the spotlight and on the red carpet. Before starting his own entertainment company, he was a musician and remembers attending red carpet events like the Latin Grammy Awards.