Philly Mag Receives 18 National City and Regional Magazine Award Nominations
From civic journalism to food coverage to design, we’re very excited about the CRMA nominations this year.
Three of our covers from 2024 that were nominated for a CRMA this year
We’re thrilled to report that Philadelphia magazine has received 18 nominations in the 2025 National City and Regional Magazine Awards. The annual City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA) competition, held in conjunction with the Missouri School of Journalism, honors journalists, design creatives, and staff members at city/regional magazines across the country.
The breadth of nominations showcases the wide scope of work the Philly Mag team has done in 2024, from design to civic journalism to food coverage. Philly Mag is a finalist in 16 categories, including general excellence (yay!), writer of the year (shoutout to Emily Goulet!) and reporting (for David Murrell’s piece on the downfall of the Philly POPS).
Winners will be announced the first weekend in June, at the CRMA’s 49th annual conference in Denver. But it’s an honor just to be nominated, so let’s bask in the glory of our finalists, shall we?
Among the highlights of this year’s nominations, Christine Speer Lejeune was recognized for her outstanding work in three different editorial packages, earning nominations in reader service (“Live Your Best Life … For Less Money” with co-editor Kristen Schott), lifestyle (“The Best Seats in the House”), and civic journalism (“The Waiting Game“).
That last package, “The Waiting Game,” which has also been nominated for a National Magazine Award this year, also got notice for its spread design by Jamie Leary.
In the world of Foobooz, writer Jason Sheehan received a nomination for his food and dining writing, including reviews of Bastia and Illata, as well as a feature on the great ambition of Provenance. Our food coverage also garnered recognition in the feature package category, for Chloe Pantazi-Wolber and Kae Lani Palmisano’s “Foraging Ahead.”
Shaunice Ajiwe and Emily Goulet both received nominations for the prestigious Herb Lipson Award for Column Excellence, a category that underscores the magazine’s commitment to compelling and thought-provoking essay writing. Additionally, Emily Goulet was nominated for Writer of the Year — a testament to her versatility and storytelling prowess.
Philly Mag’s 18 total nominations place it among the most recognized publications this year, second only to Texas Monthly.
A heartfelt congratulations to our fellow nominees (see the full list of finalists here). We’re grateful to be in such fantastic company.
Full List of Philly Mag’s CRMA Nominations for 2025
Essays/Commentary/Criticism
Tom McGrath: “Fault Lines”
Don Steinberg: “The Battle of Big Horn”
Food or Dining Writing
Jason Sheehan: “Basking in Bastia”; “The Ephemeral Joys of Illata”; “Pride and Provenance”
Herb Lipson Award for Column Excellence
Shaunice Ajiwe: “Did I Make It Awkward?”; “Who Let the Dogs Out?”; “Wishful Thinking”
Emily Goulet: “Second Chances”; “God, Me … and Mom”; “The Things Parents Save”
Reporting
David Murrell: “Who Killed the POPS?”
Feature Story (Circulation more than 45,000)
Tom McGrath: “Hell Is Living Next to a Wildflower Farm”
Writer of the Year
Emily Goulet
Excellence in Writing
Philly Mag’s February issue
Spread Design (Circulation more than 45,000)
Jamie Leary: “The Waiting Game”
Cover Excellence (Circulation more than 45,000)
Philly Mag’s March, June, December issues
Reader Service
Christine Speer Lejeune and Kristen Schott: “Live Your Best Life … For Less Money”
Leisure/Lifestyle/Interests (Circulation more than 45,000)
Christine Speer Lejeune, Philadelphia Magazine staff: “The Best Seats in the House”
Feature Package
“An Optimist’s Guide to Philadelphia”
Food or Dining Feature Package (Circulation more than 45,000)
Chloe Pantazi-Wolber and Kae Lani Palmisano: “Foraging Ahead”
Civic Journalism
Christine Speer Lejeune: “The Waiting Game”
Ancillary Publication
Kelce
General Excellence 3 (Circulation more than 45,000)
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