The Milton-Freewater Chamber Downtown Alliance — MFCDA— will host its annual community award banquet Friday, Feb. 24, the first time since 2020.

The awards banquet will be at 109 N.E. 5th Ave., in the Milton-Freewater Community Building. The banquet starts at 5:30 p.m.

For $65, participants can register online. According to the news release, the annual awards banquet is the largest annual fundraising event for MFCDA.

“The awards banquet is a time-honored tradition honoring the people, organizations, and projects who invest their time, energy, and monies to make the community a better place to live,” the release said. “The first awards banquet was held in 1949 by the Milton-Freewater Area Chamber of Commerce, and it was held every year since, until the last banquet held on February 21, 2020.”

During the pandemic, the Milton-Freewater Area Chamber of Commerce and the Milton-Freewater Downtown Alliance combined to form the MFCDA.

The theme of the award banquet is Jewels & Gemstones: A Cut Above.

According to the news release, participants will experience elaborately decorated tables, a five-star supper, locally crafted wines and beers, and a silent auction with the purchase of a ticket.

The award categories are: Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Youth of the Year, Educator of the Year, Agriculturalist of the Year, Viticulturalist of the Year, Brick & Mortar Rehabilitation Project of the Year, the Golden Pioneer Honor, and Outstanding Special Project.

The MFCDA Awards include Business of the Year, Philanthropist of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and MFCDA Hero.