Acceptance speeches ranged from teary and emotional to wildly humorous but they shared one thing in common – the heartfelt gratitude of the recipients to the staff, customers and community that support them.

The celebration evening was held at Dapto Leagues Club, as 209 finalists and their guests enjoyed a three-course meal and entertainment by Greg Gould, Kirrah Amosa and Alex Marcel.

Greg is one of Australia’s most exciting entertainers, connecting with the audience through his powerhouse vocals and charismatic stage presence.

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Kirrah Amosa has been an active performer for the past 10 years and was recently in the tour of The Bodyguard The Musical.

Illawarra Mercury was on hand to capture all the excitement as the finalists were announced, complete with images on the big screen, followed by huge cheers as the winners’ names were read out and they took to the stage to claim their trophies. The highlight was the Business of the Year announcement.

Awards founder and Precedent Productions managing director Steve Loe said the evening was a huge success.

“There was an electric atmosphere throughout the night,” he said. “The finalists’ excitement was palpable and, as always, people celebrated not just their own success, but cheered for everyone else in the room.

“It was a sell-out event, as usual, which goes to show just how popular Illawarra and South Coast Business Awards are with the community.

“Our MC Paul Hancock kept the evening flowing smoothly and numerous people came up to me during and after the event to say how much they enjoyed themselves.”

Mr Loe congratulated all the winners and finalists on their success.

“The Local Business Awards exist to recognise the vital role business people play in the lives of their communities,” he said. “While only one business from each category can be recognised as a winner, the achievements of all finalists are worth being recognised and celebrated.

“Of course, the awards are only possibly with the support of major sponsors, Dapto Leagues Club and support sponsors, Warilla Grove Shopping Centre.”