The Village’s Biggest Night: Celebrating the 2026 Village Awards
On June 10, hundreds of people, including neighbors, Village Preservation members, supporters, awardees, and friends filled the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union for one of Village Preservation’s most beloved annual traditions: the Annual Meeting and Village Awards.
Often referred to as the “Oscars of the Village,” the event is a joyful celebration of the people, businesses, organizations, and institutions that help make Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo such extraordinary places. Each year, Village Preservation takes the opportunity to recognize those who enrich our neighborhoods through service, advocacy, creativity, community-building, and dedication to preserving the unique character of these historic communities.
This year’s ceremony was emceed by legendary performance artist and longtime downtown cultural icon Penny Arcade, whose wit, warmth, and deep connection to our neighborhoods made her the perfect host for the evening. Penny helped guide the audience through an inspiring celebration of the remarkable individuals and organizations whose work strengthens our community every day.
In addition to honoring this year’s awardees, the event provided an opportunity to reflect upon Village Preservation’s accomplishments over the past year, highlighting the organization’s ongoing work to preserve the architectural heritage, cultural history, and diverse communities of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo.
The 2026 Village Award recipients were:
- Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition — Regina Kellerman Award
- 11th Street Bar
- Tavern on Jane
- Carlos “Chino” Garcia, co-founder of CHARAS/El Bohio
- Jane’s Exchange
- St. Joe’s Soup Kitchen
These honorees represent the very best of our neighborhoods: community advocates, beloved local institutions, cultural leaders, and organizations dedicated to service and remembrance. Their contributions help ensure that our communities remain vibrant, welcoming, and deeply connected to their histories.
What makes the Village Awards so special is that they are not simply an awards ceremony—they are a community gathering. The evening brought together longtime residents, newcomers, preservationists, small business owners, activists, artists, elected officials, and neighbors from across our communities to celebrate the people and places that make these neighborhoods unlike anywhere else in the world.
Village Preservation extends its deepest congratulations to all of this year’s awardees and sincere thanks to everyone who attended. The tremendous turnout and enthusiasm demonstrated once again the strength of the communities we serve and the shared commitment to preserving and celebrating what makes them so special.
Thank you for joining us for this memorable evening. We look forward to continuing this tradition for many years to come and to celebrating even more of the remarkable people, places, and organizations that help our neighborhoods thrive.