Let's face some cold hard facts. If someone told you they were going to the chamber of commerce business awards, you'd envision gold-button blazers, the country club banquet room, chicken a la rubber and a few engraved plaques.

Luckily, through the grace of planning, a few electric guitars, free food and an attentive cash bar, the first entreverge Awards on Thursday night were not that.

Trophies were given away, speeches were made, music was played at high volume, and old-fashioned social networking reigned at the Port City Music Hall.

"We're not just your mom and dad's passing-out-business-cards-over-wine" type of event, said Justin Lamontagne, chairman of the group PROPEL.

These are the facts: The entreverge Awards were designed by PROPEL, the young professionals group associated with the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, to recognize entrepreneurship and business creativity in the Portland area.

Out of a field almost as crowded as an NCAA bracket, five winners were announced.

Among the 52 nominees, which included a biofuel producer, a recycling service, a mead maker and a massage therapist, it was emilie inc. photography, Atayne Clothing, Pemaquid Communications (Web design), Topline Marketing (natural foods marketers) and Turtle Love Committee (jeweler) that walked away with awards.

And by awards, of course, we mean electric guitars.

So what exactly do they all have in common?

"It can be scary starting a business," said Godfrey Wood, CEO of the chamber. "But when you're young and pursuing a dream, it's easy to stumble."

To be certain, this was definitely not the junior chamber playing dress-up and handing out bowling trophies. And that's why, aside from a sweet (and functional) electric guitar, the winners walked away with serious free business swag, including a package of design, legal, finance and online services.

They also get special one-on-one time with local business leaders.

And that's crucial, said Johann Sabbath, the emcee and director of the awards.

It's not just business support from people who have been there, but a connection to a broad safety net of other businesses, he said.

Jeremy Litchfield, founder of Atayne Clothing and winner of an entreverge Award, said part of the reason he (and his company) moved back home to Maine was because of the help available to fledgling businesses. Atayne makes gear for runners, such as shirts made out of recycled materials.

If the number of new businesses in attendance was any testament to that help, Maine's on the right track, he said.

"You wouldn't know we're in a recession here," he said of all the business startups.

You also wouldn't have guessed it by the spread at Port City Music Hall, which included hors d'oeuvres by chef Ian Hayward and music from Adam and the Waxmen and the Jason Spooner Trio.

And this made for an impressive, and impressed crowd, from city councilors and state legislators to students, chefs, business leaders and artists.

It seems that if there's one thing we love more than local music or locally produced beer, it's local awards shows.

The Tech Maine Awards, the Indie Biz Awards, the Phoenix Best Music Poll, the We Push Button Awards, the Moxie Medal for Bravery ... the list goes on.

Perhaps it's the love of taking home some gold-plated hardware, or the always strong allure of a cash bar. Snark aside, it's the chance for some recognition, brief or big-time, that may have some pull.

On a scale from junior varsity softball banquet to the Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence, entreverge scored well.

The actual award ceremony clocked in around 30 minutes flat, leaving more time for mingling, drinking and dancing. This is indeed a plus.

Emilie Sommer, the photojournalist behind emilie inc., said she thinks there's a future...

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