BONS Event 2026 Toasts the Best of the North Shore [Photos]

Twelve hundred people packed the waterfront at Danversport last Thursday for the Best of the North Shore celebration, filling the venue under string lights with the boats idling in the marina just beyond. The night honored more than 250 BONS winners, and by the time the sun dropped behind the Marina, the party was in full swing.

A large crowd of guests in summer dress gathers on a brick courtyard beneath strings of cafe lights at dusk. — Guests fill the courtyard.

Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson took the stage as hosts of the evening. The Dining Playbook duo has spent years championing New England restaurants and the chefs behind them, so handing them the microphone at a night built around the best of the local food scene was the perfect match. They worked the room, chatted up honorees, and kept the evening moving with the easy back-and-forth that’s made them fixtures of the Boston food scene.

A woman in a pale yellow dress and a man in a blue plaid blazer raise glasses of sparkling wine in front of a brick wall at golden hour. — Billy Costa and Jenny Johnson.

The main event, as always, was the food. Roughly 40 vendors set up across the venue — restaurants, bakeries, caterers, breweries, mixologists, and gourmet shops from all over the North Shore—each handing out delicious tastes to a crowd.

From coastal seafood classics to modern small plates, old-guard institutions beside places that opened last year—there was plenty on hand to sample. Guests walked away with a shortlist of spots they’d never tried.

Soul of Boston handled live music, playing old classics, pop, and R&B that got people out on the dance floor. The band’s set kept the energy high through the heart of the evening, and by the back half of the night the dance floor was full.

A vocalist in a sequined silver top sings with one arm raised, backed by a drummer, guitarist, and singers all dressed in white. — Soul of Boston.

Trombone, trumpet, and saxophone players in white move through a packed ballroom of dancing guests beneath gold chandeliers. — The horns hit the floor.

DJ Chris Roxx carried it from there, mixing dance music to keep the party going. Between the two, there was never a quiet stretch. If guests needed a break they could visit the Home Pavilion designed by Olson Lewis Architects and Built by BSA Construction featuring Jordan’s Furniture Clarke Living, Marble and Granite, Inc., Renewal by Andersen, and Jordan’s Furniture.