Corbin to be featured in Tedx event

In an era when small town downtowns have few, if any thriving businesses, Corbin has shown that it is possible to have a vibrant downtown, and now it will have the opportunity to tell the rest of the world through Ted Talk.

Specifically, the event is known as TEDxCorbin.

According to the Ted.com website, TED Talks, which began in 1984, are conferences covering a variety of topics from science to business to global issues.

The independently run Tedx events share ideas.

Organizer Crystal Kinser said her goal with TedxCorbin is to spotlight what is happening in downtown Corbin.

Though the speakers for the March 9 event have not yet been announced, tickets will go on sale in January.

The event will be hosted at Second and Main, an event space in the former JC Penney building in downtown Corbin.

Andy Salmons, the former downtown manager and current owner of You and Me, Coffee and Tea, said seeing the revitalization as both an entrepreneur and city official offered a unique perspective.

“I saw the potential of where downtown could go, but I really didn’t know it would go as far as it did,” Salmons said. “I have been pleasantly surprised.”

Salmons said every community facing a desolate downtown has its own unique set of issues that led to the situation and solutions to reverse the trend.

“We put a strong emphasis on supporting the entrepreneurs who were willing to take a chance downtown, by adding more downtown events, and helping with business planning and marketing,” said Salmons, who served as downtown manager from 2012 to 2018.

Those events included the farmers market, Moonbow Nights, and monthly community yard sales.

Salmons added that the community was excited about the rebirth of downtown.

They really embraced it,” Salmons said of the residents.

In addition to the live event, the event will be live-streamed. Organizers are looking for additional locations willing to host a community watch party.

More information is available at the TedxCorbin Facebook page and online at www.tedxcorbin.com.