NIBROC gets underway Wednesday
Aug. 9—Downtown Corbin will be full of activity later this week as the 70th annual NIBROC Festival kicks off with photo contest entries and amusement rides on Wednesday.
Paradise Amusements returns for the annual festival and offers discounted $15 armbands with Ride All You Want on Wednesday. Armbands will be $25 each for the remainder of the festival from Thursday through Saturday. Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce CEO Bruce Carpenter said Paradise Amusements has been the carnival amusement rides for the past "50-plus years" and has been a popular drawing for carnival goers.
Appalachian Photography Society is sponsoring the photo contest, with entries displayed at Folktale Coffee and Bakehouse.
Thursday brings the Beer Garden at Col. Sanders Park with the NIBROC parade beginning at 7 p.m. Parade Coordinator Jeannie Hensley said there are currently 40 entries to the parade but is hoping for more to participate.
"Lineup is at 6 p.m. on Masters Street," she said. "We're hoping for more participants and a large crowd to come out."
Hensley said in the event of rain, the parade would be rescheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Currently, those scheduled for the parade include the May Day Queen and May Day Tiny Princess, cheerleaders from Corbin High School, Corbin Middle School, Lynn Camp High School, ball teams from various schools in the area and other school teams.
"We will have the Corbin High School marching band, Corbin Middle School dance team, Corbin JROTC, the Shriners, Knox-Whitley Humane Association, Corbin Animal Clinic, and we will have the old cars again," Hensley said. "We will also have some local churches, nursing homes, local radio stations and local businesses with entries into the parade."
Hensley said anyone wishing to participate in the parade should visit the Southern KY Chamber of Commerce's webpage at www.southernkychamber.com and fill out an application under the NIBROC tab.
The rising popularity of Pickleball brings a two-day tournament to the Corbin Recreation Center, where teams will face off to bragging rights for the championship title. Pickleball is the combination of tennis, badminton and ping pong, using a flat paddle to hit the hole-riddled ball in a similar manner of tennis. The Pickleball tournament is co-sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Pepsi, Carpenter added.
When the Pickleball Tournament has ended, the NIBROC Volleyball Tournament begins on Thursday with the championship game set for Saturday. Chamber Executive Assistant Stephanie Giles said approximately 20 teams are registered for the contest, which will offer cash prizes for teams placing in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
"We will also be having prize giveaways to the crowd during the championship game (Thursday)," Giles said. "We want people to come out and watch the games and hopefully win a prize too."
Music lovers will have multiple choices of genres as the evening entertainment featuring regional favorite, County Wide on Saturday, opening at 7:30 p.m. for The Frontmen, comprised of three former country-based bands of Lonestar, Restless Heart and Little Texas.
The Wildflowers pays tribute to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers with true renditions and characteristics of the original band — following Lexington-based band, Rhythm City Grove on Friday night. Thursday's musical lineup includes Williamsburg based band, Paint Creek at 7:30 p.m., with Gravel Switch winding down the first full night's musical entertainment.
Friday also brings the Fastest Kid in Town race, beginning on Laurel Avenue in front of 1st Baptist Church at 7 p.m., followed by the NIBROC 2-Mile Run starting at 8 p.m.
Radio station WCTT 107.3 FM will host games and prizes at NIBROC Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.
The Tomahawks, a local organization will host the NibROC Axe Throwing contest at 7 p.m. Friday, with a cornhole tournament set for 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Vintage cars will also return to the NIBROC Festival with the Hugh Harris Masonic Lodge offering a car show at the City Hall Parking Lot at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
While weather is always a factor, organizers are hoping for fair weather for this year's festival that marks the 70th year of the Corbin celebration.
"We're hoping for good weather and a great turnout," Carpenter said.
