Events

PA Wilds Champion Award nominations due by April 6

The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc. (PA Wilds Center) is pleased to announce that DuBois Country Club in DuBois, Clearfield County, will be the location for the 2026 PA Wilds Dinner & Awards. Planned for Thursday, July 30, this special event is the premier networking opportunity in the Pennsylvania Wilds. The theme for this year’s event is “The Power of Partnerships.”

Located along the I-80 Frontier landscape within the Pennsylvania Wilds region, the DuBois Country Club served as the venue for the annual PA Wilds Dinner in 2017 and 2019. The nonprofit will return to the venue for 2026, using its spacious facilities and convenient location as the backdrop for the night’s celebration.

“It has been several years since our event was held at the DuBois Country Club, and we are excited to return to this beautiful venue. The space offers plenty of room and a stunning view of the nearby lake and golf course,” said Abbi Peters, COO of the PA Wilds Center. “We move the event’s location around the 13-county PA Wilds region each year, and Clearfield County’s central spot within our region makes it easy for folks from both eastern and western sides of the PA Wilds to attend, as well as state partners from Harrisburg. The DuBois Country Club’s convenient location near Interstate 80 also allows quick access to some of our region’s key assets.”

A table the 2019 PA Wilds Annual Dinner and Champions Award celebration at DuBois Country Club. Photo by Mickayla Poland.

Held by PA Wilds Center and the PA Wilds Planning Team, the dinner provides a chance to recognize winners of the Champions of the PA Wilds Awards and get an update on the effort to grow the region’s outdoor recreation economy. The Champion Awards celebrate individuals, organizations, communities and businesses that are making a positive impact in the PA Wilds region by helping to grow and sustainably develop the outdoor recreation economy and nature tourism in the PA Wilds. Their efforts help create jobs, diversify local economies, inspire stewardship and improve quality of life.

The nomination period is still open for the PA Wilds Champion Awards. There are nine award categories open for public nomination at www.PAWildsCenter.org/nominate. Nominations made by end of day April 6 will be considered for this year’s awards.