Waterford Business Awards 2026

Waterford Chamber holds the Waterford Business Awards 2026 at the Tower Hotel on The Mall on Friday 13 November 2026, running from 7pm into the evening. The awards are the Chamber’s flagship annual gala, recognising businesses and individuals from across the city and county in categories spanning small business, exporter, employer, sustainability and community contribution, among others. Entries and nominations open well in advance of the night itself through the Chamber’s own submission platform, with a shortlisting and judging process ahead of the black-tie dinner where winners are announced. The Tower Hotel, on the quay near the Mall, is one of the city’s main event venues and a regular host for the Chamber’s larger set-piece evenings, with a function room large enough for the several hundred guests these awards typically draw from the local business community. For businesses across Waterford, the awards function as one of the more visible nights in the civic and commercial calendar, sitting alongside the Chamber’s regular breakfast briefings and networking evenings as its biggest annual event. Waterford Chamber represents businesses of all sizes across the city and county, from small independent traders to large employers, and the awards categories are designed to reflect that spread rather than favouring any single sector. Past winners and finalists are typically announced in the weeks running up to the dinner, building anticipation ahead of the night itself, and the event doubles as a networking opportunity in its own right, with tables often booked by companies as a way of bringing staff and clients together for the evening.

What to expect

A formal awards dinner and ceremony starting at 7pm, with a drinks reception followed by dinner and the presentation of awards across multiple business categories. Expect a black-tie or smart formal dress code, several hundred guests from Waterford’s business community, and a structured programme of category announcements through the evening rather than an informal networking format.

Getting there

The Tower Hotel is on The Mall in Waterford city centre, overlooking the river and within walking distance of the main shopping streets and the Viking Triangle. The hotel has its own car park, and additional public parking is available nearby for guests driving in.