Social Fest launches RGV Creator of the Year award

Social Fest is launching a new award aimed at recognizing the Rio Grande Valley’s growing community of social media and digital content creators.

The organization announced Thursday the creation of the inaugural RGV Creator of the Year Award, which it describes as the first award dedicated exclusively to a creator rooted in South Texas.

Nominations opened Aug. 27 and will continue through Sept. 21. Any creator based in the Rio Grande Valley is eligible, and there is no minimum follower requirement, opening the competition to creators regardless of the size of their online audience.

“The RGV has always had world-class creators. They just haven’t always had a stage. This award changes that,” Yaw Sam, co-founder of Social Fest Experience, said in a news release Thursday. “We’re not bringing an award to the Rio Grande Valley, we’re building one from it.”

The winner will be determined through a combination of public voting and an independent judging panel. 

The inaugural winner will be announced live Nov. 13 at the McAllen Convention Center during the closing of Social Fest 2026.

The award adds a competitive element to the two-day Social Fest conference, scheduled for Nov. 12-13. The event focuses on social media, digital marketing and the creator economy, bringing together creators, entrepreneurs and brands for speakers, breakout sessions, live podcasts, panels and networking.

The organization says its broader mission is to provide small-town creators, culture-driven brands and underrepresented voices with resources and strategies to grow their audiences and businesses online.

Nominations for RGV Creator of the Year can be submitted through Sept. 21. 

For full details, eligibility requirements, and to submit a nomination, visit socialfestcreatorawards.com.

Editor’s note: The Rio Grande Valley Business Journal is a partner of Social Fest 2026.