The most eagerly-anticipated event of Cumbria's business calendar takes place tonight – the presentation of the CN Group Business Awards.

Around 250 of the county's business movers and shakers will descend on the Low Wood Bay Resort, near Ambleside, for a black-tie dinner and awards ceremony.

CN Group, publisher of The Whitehaven News , stages the annual awards to celebrate the achievements of Cumbrian businesses. They are sponsored by the Centre of Nuclear Excellence.

The judges have picked 45 finalists and winners in 15 open categories plus a special judges' award and a lifetime contribution to Cumbria award.

FINALISTS

Training and Development: Country House Outdoor, Carlisle; TSP Engineering, Workington; Britain's Energy Coast Business Cluster.

Exporter of the Year: Wax Lyrical, Lindal-in-Furness; Oxley Group, Ulverston; Clark Door, Carlisle.

Community Involvement: Net Development, Kendal; Carlisle United Football Club; Baines Wilson, Carlisle.

Innovation: QG Business Solutions/Indelible Data, Scotby; Innovia Group, Wigton; Kendal Nutricare.

Environmental and Energy Awareness: Ecological Building Systems, Carlisle; FSC Blencathra Centre, Threlkeld; Wax Lyrical, Lindal-in-Furness.

Agribusiness: Cows & Co, Warwick Bridge; Quattro Products, Penrith; Lakes Free Range Egg Co, Stainton.

Tourism and Hospitality: Zeffirellis, Ambleside; Treetop Trek, Windermere; The Lakes Distillery, Bassenthwaite.

New Business: Cumbria Teaching Agency, Ulverston; Cumbria Travel, Whitehaven; Kendal Nutricare.

Service Business: Westlakes Engineering, Whitehaven; Prima Uno, Cleator Moor; InvestAcc Group, Carlisle.

Manufacturing Business: Forth Engineering, Maryport; TSP Engineering, Workington; Clark Door, Carlisle.

Best Use of Media: Daffodil Hotel and Spa, Grasmere; Bruce and Luke's, Carlisle; Country House Outdoor, Carlisle.

Customer Service Excellence: Sally's Cottages, Keswick; Armstrong Watson, Carlisle; Brampton Skip Hire, Carlisle.

Rising Star: Will Gardner-Brennand, Miller Waite, Ulverston; Kyle Jenkinson, Forth Engineering, Maryport; James Brockbank, Digitaloft, Kendal.

Businessperson of the Year: Craig Hatch, WYG, Cockermouth; Emma Hill, RadioWorks, Carlisle; Sarah Purdham, Prima Uno, Cleator Moor.

Social Enterprise of the Year: Amy's Care CIC, Ireby; Carlisle United Community Sports Trust; Enterprise Answers, Penrith.