The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce will celebrate 78 years of progress at its Annual Dinner on February 6, 2026 at the Gas South District Grand Ballroom. This special event, presented by Northside Hospital, will recognize the year’s business success while honoring a dozen leaders who have made a legacy-defining impact on Gwinnett.
The 2026 honorees include:
- Citizen of the Year: John Michael Levengood, Law Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC;
- Public Service Awards: Jim Brooks, Evermore Community Improvement District; State Rep. Chuck Efstration, District 104; T. Lanier Levett, Gregory B. Levett and Sons Funeral Homes and Crematory; Joy M. Mitchell, Office Creations; and Ginger Powell, Gwinnett Hospital System Foundation and Northside Hospital Gwinnett;
- D. Scott Hudgens Humanitarian Award: Street Grace;
- James J. Maran International Award: Price Industries;
- R. Wayne Shackelford Legacy Award: Robert “Bob” Baroni, former manager of the City of Lawrenceville; Randall W. Dixon, founder and former board chairman of Precision Planning, Inc.; and Dick Goodman, former chair of Gwinnett County Public Library Board and former council member of the City of Suwanee; and
- Ambassador of the Year: Lisa Thompson, Thompson Hypnotherapy, LLC.
The event will be emceed by President and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett Nick Masino.
Gas South District is planning chalk arts festival
Gwinnett will see a chalk arts festival in March. Gas South District, in partnership with Sugarloaf Community Improvement District and the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning, will host Draw the District: A Chalk Arts Festival on Saturday, March 7. It will bring a free, community-wide celebration of art, culture, and creativity to the area.
The festival will transform outdoor spaces at Gas South District into an open-air gallery featuring live chalk art from students, individual artists, businesses, and organizations. Participants will compete in a juried chalk art competition with prizes awarded across multiple categories.
In addition to live chalk art, Draw the District will include a small artist market, food vendors, and family-friendly interactive elements. The event will also feature live
performance moments throughout the afternoon. Draw the District will take place alongside several major campus areas, creating an engaging, high-energy atmosphere throughout the day. Draw the District is free and open to the public. Artist registration details, performance announcements, and additional event information can be found by clicking here.
That same weekend, the 2026 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament games and Fan Fest activities will be underway at Gas South Arena, while Gwinnett Ballet Theatre presents Cinderella at Gas South Theater with two performances.
