While we were busy celebrating the release of our annual Best of Kansas City winners this summer, the 2026 National City and Regional Magazine Awards, presented by the City and Regional Magazine Association, wrapped as well.
Judged by 100 editors, writers and media professionals from some of the country’s most respected publications and media organizations—including The Atlantic, Better Homes & Gardens, ESPN, Food Network, Food & Wine, Forbes and The Washington Post—the competition recognizes the best work being produced by city and regional magazines across the country.
This year, Kansas City magazine took the top prize for mid-size regional magazines in two categories: Cover Excellence and Food or Dining Feature Package. Our food coverage earned another nod this year, with the magazine’s “Savor” section being named a finalist for Food or Dining Section.
For cover excellence, we submitted the months of July, August and November. Judges called them “eye-catching and thoughtfully designed.”
July was our Best of Barbecue issue, which featured barbecue legend Ollie Gates on the cover. The issue’s barbecue feature also won the Food or Dining Feature Package category. Gates was photographed at his iconic restaurant Gates Bar-B-Q by Samanth Levi; the cover was designed by Kevin Goodbar, and cover headlines were written by Dawnya Bartsch.
August’s cover, The Big Muddy, called attention to the issue’s feature package that took an in-depth look at the Missouri River. The cover was shot on location by Ian Simmons and designed by Goodbar, and cover headlines written by Bartsch.
November’s cover featuring KC roller derby players Biohazard, Hellvetica and Kimbo Slicerr was photographed by Samantha Levi and designed by Goodbar, and headlines were written by Bartsch.
The winning food feature, Holy Smokes, was all about KC barbecue, highlighting the best ’cue in the metro, and “was inspired by our desire to show every bit of Kansas City’s barbecue scene,” says Tyler Shane, who led the team of BBQ critics and writers that included Devan Dignan and John Martellaro.
“From seeking out old-school barbecue joints that laid the groundwork for our city’s legacy to determining which craft style does it best, working on this feature required extensive research, travel and devouring pounds and pounds of smoked meats,” says Shane. “To have our work recognized by the CRMA is an honor not just for us but for Kansas City and our iconic cuisine.”
The judges called the package “unforgettable due to great pacing, passionate writing and big, confident photography.”
The feature was researched and written by Shane, Dignan and Martellaro; photography was by Zach Bauman, Samantha Levi and Clayton Steward; headshot illustrations were by David Babcock; design was by Goodbar; and editing was done by Bartsch.
Thank you to our readers. Whether you’ve been a dedicated subscriber since our early days as 435 Magazine or just discovered us through our social channels, there would be nothing to write about without you.
Our mission has always been to use great storytelling, photography and design to help our readers celebrate our city’s triumphs, tend to its faults, and revel in the things that make it unique. Here’s to another year of doing exactly that.
