1. Ashe “the Vibe Rater” Newton,” Instagram.com/AsheTheVibeRater.

2. Seth Milstein, Facebook.com/sethmilstein and Instagram.com/sethmils.

3. Hazel Jae, Instagram.com/Hazeldaez.

Ashe “the Vibe Rater” Newton takes two honors in the 2026 Best of Eugene contest: Best Influencer and Best Comedian. Newton experienced meteoric local fame this year “rating” various Eugene locations and experiences. She shares cheeky skits, filmed and edited by Tomas Gravenmier, on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, like a mischievous and often pink-haired tour guide. Newton started making online content after trying her hand at stand-up comedy. “I’ve heard so much more about my videos making people laugh than I ever got when I was on a stage, which feels amazing, but a little different because I don’t actually get to see the laughing!” Newton says it’s an honor winning two Best of Eugene awards, and admits she’s getting more comfortable with the term influencer. “People are being ‘influenced.’ That’s a big responsibility, which is why if I can influence people towards a local artist, a local band or a new local business rather than some corporate entity, I always will,” Newton says.