This year’s competition inspired submissions from every state in the country, more than doubling the number of entries from the 2022 competition. In its second year, #LoveYourNeighborhood introduced new competition categories to highlight beloved features of neighborhoods, from the local businesses that anchor their communities, to the furry and feathered creatures that fascinate their human neighbors.
This year’s grand prize winner is Jose Soares from Florida, representing the #NeighborhoodCreatures category, for his photo of more than 30 dogs smiling into the camera to celebrate their canine buddy’s birthday.
“We love dog photography and doing class pictures,” said Jose Soares, Grand Prize winner and co-owner of WoofPack Miami, a dog training, boarding and day care business. “Buoy, the birthday boy, is very special to us; he was our motivation to take this one specifically.”
Here are the additional winners chosen for each of the remaining competition categories:
Crimson clover fields
Stealing home
Lori Norris, Laurelwood neighborhood, OR
Erin Gorman, Sycamore Canyon Village neighborhood, CA
Egger’s Ice Cream
Chicago Harbor Lighthouse
Stacy McGowan, Annadale neighborhood, NY
John Hohenadel, Peterson Park neighborhood, IL
All winners will receive a prize package including a MasterClass subscription and a Nextdoor coffee table book. The Grand Prize winner will be awarded a professional camera kit, $500 in gift cards, and a feature in Nextdoor's global coffee table book. Four additional finalists will also receive $100 in gift cards.
Submit your entry by posting a photo with the hashtag #LoveYourNeighborhoodContest between April 23 through May 15.
Neighbors on Nextdoor will vote for their favorite of the finalist submissions to identify our Grand Prize winner.
A judging panel will choose five category finalists. To see the categories, click here.
Sarah Friar is Chief Neighbor and Executive Officer of Nextdoor. Prior to Nextdoor, Sarah served as Chief Financial Officer at Square and Senior Vice President of finance & strategy at Salesforce. Named as of one of the most influential female tech executives in Silicon Valley, California, Sarah was awarded the prestigious accolade OBE in 2019 for services to entrepreneurship and financial services.
Clayton Gladieux started PawBoost after a personal experience with a lost dog. He's been an animal lover from day one, growing up alongside his best friend Jake, the sweetest (and most doofy) yellow lab. These days, Clayton is a proud pet parent to Socks, a former neighborhood cat who he adopted 7 years ago. Everyone who meets her falls head over heels.
A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, Film and Television, Ms. Charles received a B.A. and M.F.A. from the program. Committed to offering students every opportunity to receive a college-level media education, she wrote original honors curricula for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and Inglewood Unified School District (IUSD). As Adjunct Faculty at West Los Angeles Community College, Robyn launched a union training program preparing high school students for industry with OSHA-regulated safety and grip and rigging training. To accomplish her goal of bringing this level of training to underrepresented communities on a broader scale, Charles launched Education Media, LLC.
Francesca Austin is a retired Federal Regional Emergency Manager. She worked for the Dept of Veterans Affairs in NY, MA and CA and decided to remain in CA post her 2014 retirement. Francesca enjoys walking, gardening and used to be a runner. She volunteers at WildCare, a wild animal and bird rescue in San Rafael, CA. Now Francesca explores various neighborhoods with her family and her Australian Cattle Dog. On vacations she and her family also head to small towns here and around the world that are surrounded by hot mineral pools and hiking trails.
Calling all furry, feathered, and four-legged flatmates! Capture the cutest creatures in your home and around your neighborhood and share their charm with your neighbors.
Submit your best shots of neighborhoods that have your heart, even if you don't live there. Let's celebrate the diversity of communities beyond your backyard!
Capture the passion of community coming together. Love local sports or have a favorite neighborhood dance squad? Show us your pride-worthy local events.
Local businesses are the cornerstone of every neighborhood. From your favorite farmer's market to your daily coffee shop, shoutout to support your favorite local go-to's.
From photoworthy landmarks to one-of-a-kind murals, secret hikes to secluded beaches. Show us the local spots that make your neighborhood yours.
Everyone is invited to enter. Head to Nextdoor and post a photo inspired by one of the categories with the hashtag #LoveYourNeighborhoodContest.
Judging will be completed in two rounds. First a panel of judges will review the submissions and select finalist entries for each of the five categories. Then neighbors on Nextdoor will vote for their favorite of the finalist submissions to identify our Grand Prize winner. Nextdoor neighbors will be notified when and where to vote when voting opens.
The category winners will be announced on May 17. The Grand Prize winner will be announced on May 24.