Forty communities emerge from a nationwide pool of entries representing the best of American spirit and character
KIRKLAND, Wash., March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — After months of nationwide participation and hundreds of thousands of votes, Parade, one of the country’s most iconic national media brands for over 85 years and Steller, the leading platform that connects travel videos to trip-planning and booking, are proud to announce the 40 finalists in the search for America’s Favorite Small Town.
The competition celebrates the charm and unique character of communities across the U.S. with populations under 250,000 leading up to this year’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. With voting now officially closed, 40 communities have emerged as the top contenders representing the best of America’s small towns.
The Final 40: Celebrating the Heart of America
Finalists include towns such as Lodi, California; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Fredericksburg, Texas; Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Dunedin, Florida, and represent a diverse cross-section of the U.S., from coastal gems and historic mountain towns to vibrant main streets and creative traditions. The towns were selected based on their compelling stories and public support.
To view the complete list of 40 finalists, visit https://americasfavoritesmalltowns.parade.com/.
The finalists will now move forward for review as the competition prepares to crown regional and national winners.
Giving Small Towns a Platform for Local Impact
Finalists are currently being showcased to an audience of over 130 million potential travelers on Parade.com, Steller.co, and on their combined social platforms—providing these communities with unprecedented national exposure.
“These 40 small towns truly capture the stories and traditions that bring people together,” said Lisa Delaney, General Manager and Chief Content Officer of Parade. “We are honored to give these communities a platform to show the rest of the country why they are so beloved.”
“The level of engagement we’ve seen has been incredible,” said Pete Bryant, CEO of Steller, adding that videos submitted by the towns were viewed over 2.4 million times during the competition. “The finalists’ videos highlight the incredible diversity of travel experiences across the U.S. We are thrilled to celebrate these towns as we head toward determining a final winner.”
The Road to the 250th Anniversary
Each finalist will be featured in Parade’s “Favorite Small Towns in America” special print issue and across Parade and Steller’s digital and social channels. A winner will be announced from each region on June 1, 2026, and the national winner will be crowned on June 12, 2026.
The National Winner will receive:
- Official Branding: The ability to promote the achievement with the “Favorite Small Town in America” badge and signage.
- The Grand Prize: A Parade x Steller activation at the winning town’s July 4th celebration, complete with potential celebrity appearances, sponsor giveaways, and national media coverage.
To view the 40 regional finalists, as well as all of the other participating small towns, visit https://americasfavoritesmalltowns.parade.com/.
About Steller
Steller, headquartered in Kirkland, Wash., is the market leading travel planning platform that guides travelers from inspiration to planning and booking through authentic experiences of their favorite creators. Steller’s patent pending platform distributes millions of pieces of bespoke, worldwide video content that can be found and booked on the Steller app. Learn more at www.steller.co and stellerforbusiness.com.
About Parade
Parade, the premium legacy entertainment and lifestyle brand, has been enlightening, delighting and inspiring audiences for more than 85 years. Parade is owned and operated by The Arena Group Holdings, Inc (NYSE American: AREN), a brand, data and IP company that builds, acquires and scales high-performing digital assets. Arena combines technology, storytelling and entrepreneurship to create deep content verticals that engage passionate audiences across sports & leisure, lifestyle and finance. Through their portfolio of owned and operated brands including Parade, TheStreet, Men’s Journal, Athlon Sports, ShopHQ and the Adventure Network (Surfer, Powder, Bike Magazine and more), they deliver trusted content and meaningful experiences to millions of users each month. Visit thearenagroup.net to learn more.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/parade-and-steller-announce-finalists-for-americas-favorite-small-town-302705277.html
SOURCE Steller
