The Curbed Cup, our annual award for the neighborhood of the year, is kicking off with 8 or 16 neighborhoods vying for the prestigious (fake) trophy. Let the eliminations commence!

After weeks of friendly competition and upsets aplenty, just two stalwarts of Atlanta neighborliness and pride remain standing in this quest for bragging rights — and a trophy that doesn’t exist.

Let’s hear a warm Curbed Cup Finals welcome for College Park (4) and East Atlanta (6)!

In terms of seeding, both of these feisty contenders are relatively underdogs, but don’t tell that to College Park, who just took down a No. 1 seed in Chamblee.

And with Kirkwood’s removal this week (at the hands of East Atlanta), it’s clear that Atlanta will have to wait at least another year before crowning any neighborhood a repeat Curbed Cup champ.

Without further ado ... voting for the Finals is hereby open!

Of course, with this being the Finals, voting will remain open until Monday, per hallowed tradition.

The 2016 “Neighborhood of the Year” champion will be crowned Tuesday, followed by eternal adoration and ceaseless praise.

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College Park

Before a single tournament vote was cast this year, College Park was a sentimental winner in the nominations phase, earning reader-submitted claims of zero traffic and praise like this: “[College Park] has the tightest community I have ever seen. Lots of local businesses who support one another and amazing neighborhood parties.” Yes, it’s technically a standalone ITP city, like longtime Curbed Cup contestants Decatur and Chamblee, and it has climbed remarkably, valiantly far in its debut tourney.

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East Atlanta

The funky, fun-loving eastside community of East Atlanta has blazed an impressive path to Curbed Cup respectability in 2016, punctuated by a decisive victory this week over 2013 champion Kirkwood. Most Atlantans have probably had a memorable (or barely remembered) night or two in the EAV, and the neighborhood’s status as a fine place for putting down roots has only matured in recent years. Like College Park, it’s a prideful place still clinging to relative affordability that many — if not most — Curbed Cup 2016 hopefuls can’t claim anymore. Maybe that’s more “Neighborhood of the Year” material than glitzy new mega-projects and national acclaim.

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Pantheon of Past Champions:

2015: West End (reigning; bounced)

2014: Reynoldstown

2013: Kirkwood

2012: Old Fourth Ward

2011: Inman Park