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Award-winning Corbin Arena continues to be great for live events
One can make a very valid argument that the Corbin Arena has turned into THE place to see a concert in not only in southeastern Kentucky, but also all across the Appalachian region.
Mark White is Editor of The News Journal.
The Corbin Arena was recently named the 2024 Best Large Music Venue (501 seats or greater) during the Appalachian Arts Entertainment Award’s ceremony.
This isn’t a statewide award but rather one for the Appalachian region, which includes: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee Virginia and West Virginia.
If that isn’t enough, this is the second time in three years that the Corbin Arena has won the award.
Kudos to Corbin Arena General Manager Kristina Balla and her staff for the accomplishment.
In her eight years as general manager, the Arena has grown in terms of the number of and types of events that it has hosted ranging from the 13th Region Tournament to WWE and AEW wresting to country, rock and even rap artists, such as Snoop Dog.
Here’s hoping that the Arena and its staff keep up the good work. I can’t wait to see what they will do next.
Now for a few other thoughts before I wrap up this column.
• I had the good fortune to be the one covering the Whitley County Board of Education meeting last week, or it might have better been called, The Whitley East Elementary School Show. The board presented its monthly Above and Beyond Award to Whitley East Elementary School third-grade teacher Josh Vanover, who also served this past season as the first ever coach for the sixth grade district football team. The sixth grade team was composed of students from all of the county elementary schools throughout Whitley County.
Also, the board recognized Whitley East Fifth Grader Landen Vanderpool for his district award-winning essay, “Why My Mamaw is the Best” which was written for the AARP Grandparent of the Year Essay Contest.
In addition, Whitley East Sixth Grader Maci McKiddy was recognized for her district-award winning essay, “Stars and Stripes Forever.” The contest was sponsored by the William Whitley Chapter of the Daughters of the America Revolution.
If either Vanderpool or McKiddy wants to major in journalism, then they should keep in mind that I will probably be nearing retirement about the time they graduate from college. (Just saying…LOL.)
• If you are looking for something to do next month to help clean-up the environment or at least your little corner of it, then you won’t have to go very far.
The Keep Corbin Clean! clean-up will take place on Saturday (April 6) from 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. Afterwards there will be a free lunch and a chance to win a prize. When the event was held for the first time last fall about three dozen people turned out.
The following week on Saturday (April 13), the PRIDE Spring Clean-Up will take place at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park from 9 a.m. – noon. The event will offer a free lunch, prizes and awards. Over 200 people registered for last year’s event.
If you have a local church or youth group, Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop, or any type of civic club, either of these two clean-ups would be great events to help out with.
