These are the finalists. Online voting will open here tomorrow (25th Dec) at 9.00am and close at midnight on 31st January. Winners will be announced here at 2.00pm on 1st January 2009.

Judging from the nomination stage, voting will be fast and furious so please have patience is the site is occasionally slow.

ForArgyll.com is what it says - For Argyll - celebrating its richness and diversity. Help us to grow ForArgyll.com even more - by visiting it regularly for all sorts of news on and for Argyll - refreshed several times a day. Then we can afford our own dedicated server and voting speeds will be faster next year.

COMMUNITY AWARDS

Best community website

• Islay Weblog (Ron Steenvoorden)
  
• Islay Blog (Armin Grewe)
  
• Colintraive & Glendaruel
• Here We Are, Cairndow

Best community initiative

• Kintyre Forum
• Ardrishaig Community Council
• Ian Stuart, Andy Wallis and the Islay High School

Best community event

• Ceol Cholasa
• Lismore Armistice - ‘Coming Home Again’
• Walk Islay

WEBSITE AWARDS
Best Arts website

• ArtsFeastCowal
• Philippa Elliott Photography
• Robin Jenkins Literaray Award

Best heritage website

• Appin of Yesteryear
• Arrochar, Tarbet and Ardlui Heritage
• Here We Are, Cairndow

Best tourism website

• Islay Weblog (Ron Steenvoorden)
  
• Islay Blog (Armin Grewe)
  
• IMAGE, Inveraray Marketing Group

Best wildlife website

• RSPB Mara & Breagha
• Scottish Sea Ife Sanctuary, Oban
• Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust
• Argyll & Bute Biodiversity Partnership

Best ecommerce website

• Wallis Hunter Jewellery
• Loch Fyne Oyster Shop

Best Blog

• thewashingmachinepost
• Islay Weblog (Ron Steenvoorden)
  
• Islay Blog (Armin Grewe)
  
• Islay Birds Blog

Best local newspaper website

• Dunoon Observer and Argyllshire Standard
  
• The Buteman

GENERAL AWARDS
Best renewable energy initiative

• Islay Energy Trust
• Our Power, Cairndow

Best individual or group achievement

• Inveraray & District Pipe Band
• Helen Thompson  (UK Women’s Kite Surfing Champion)
• Angus Gray Stephens (13 year-old sailor in UK Topper Dinghy Squad)
• Susan Skelton (Best UK-wide student in Physics)
• Joanne Howdle (Former (just) Curator of Auchindrain Museum)
• Ian Brooke (6 Year coordinator of Walk Islay)

Best event

• Ride of the Falling Rain
• Easdale World Stone Skimming Championships
• Strachur Swamp Soccer World Championships
• Connect Music Festival
• Cowalfest
• Islay Walking Week

Best music and arts organisation

• Mull Theatre Company
• Fiddle Workshop, Lochgoilhead
• Easdale Village Hall Arts Programme
• Crear
• The Walking Theatre Company
• An Tobar Arts Centre
• Islay Black Bottle Pipe Band
• Inveraray & District Pipe Band
• Strachur Piping Association

Best sporting facility

• Machrihanish Dunes Golf Course
• Wild Diamond Windsurfing
• Tayvallich Sports Court
• Oban Canoe Club

Best Village Hall

• Tayvallich Village Hall
• Craignish Village Hall
• Easdale Village Hall
• Cairndow Village Hall

Best Accommodation

• Kames Hotel, Cowal
  
• An Taigh Osda, Bruichladdich
• Kilchoman Cottages, Islay
• Tarbet House, Loch Lomond

Best Restaurant

• Loch Fyne Restaurant, Cairndow
• The George Hotel, Inveraray 
• Inver Cottage, Cowal
• An Taigh Osda, Islay

Best Visitor Attraction

• Seafari Adventures
• Inveraray Castle
• Easdale Island
• Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary, Oban
• RSPB Loch Gruinart

Best potential for 2009

• Oban Airport
• The Walking Theatre Company
• The Eden Deli, Inveraray