Another year of the Fraser Valley Music Awards has come and gone, celebrating some of the region’s best musicians.
The 11th annual award ceremony took place on July 16 at Abbotsford’s Jam in Jubilee event series, with dozens of local artists nominated and more than $10,000 in prize money distributed.
One of the biggest winners of the evening was Abbotsford’s Nelly P., who received $1,027.66 of the prize pool and won both the Fan Vote Award and Excellence by a BIMPOC (black, indigenous, multiracial, and people of colour) Artist.
Nelly P. also set the Fraser Valley Music Awards record for the biggest share of fan votes, earning more than 10 per cent of the total votes.
All 37 finalists received a share of the $10,170 prize pool, with the number of votes determining the amount per artist.
Coming in a close second place for the Dakota Leslie Memorial Fan Vote was Chilliwack’s Adam Cebula, who walked away with a total prize of $898.40.
Cebula also won Country Artist of the Year at his first-ever Fraser Valley Music Awards and closed out the evening with an acoustic performance amid a thunderstorm.
Another first-time nominee who walked away a winner was White Rock’s Monica Gregory, who took Hip Hop/R&B Artist of the Year.
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The total list of winners at the 2026 Fraser Valley Music Awards includes:
• Punk/Metal Artist of the Year — Quickness (Maple Ridge)
• Hip Hop/R&B Artist of the Year — Monica Gregory (White Rock)
• Classical Artist of the Year — Zeke Morales (Abbotsford)
• Singer-Songwriter Artist of the Year — Mark Hildebrand (Langley)
• Rock Artist of the Year — Tess Anderson (Surrey)
• Experimental Artist of the Year — DJ Elixir (Mission)
• Country Artist of the Year — Adam Cebula (Chilliwack)
• Blues Artist of the Year — Dale Sawatzky (Langley)
• Alternative/Indie Artist of the Year — Jiya Notta (Surrey)
• Gospel Artist of the Year — Amy Van Bergen (Surrey)
• Jazz Artist of the Year — Morning Glories (Mission, Langley, and Surrey)
• Pop Artist of the Year — Danny Baylen (Langley)
• Excellence by a BIMPOC Artist — Nelly P. (Abbotsford)
• Excellence by an Indigenous Artist — Joe Gundrum (Chilliwack)
• Excellence by a Female Artist — Carly Reirson (Abbotsford)
• Excellence by a Queer Artist — The Out Seer (New Westminster)
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One of the speakers at this year’s event was Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman, who voiced his support for programs like Jam in Jubilee and the Fraser Valley Music Awards.
“Events like this give families and residents a much-needed night out without the cost of admission,” said Banman.
“I strongly support events that bring people downtown, create opportunities for local performers, support vendors and businesses, and give our community a reason to gather together.”