Janie Slaven: FOR THE RECORD: NIBROC at 70 is a wonderful thing

Janie Slaven, The Times-Tribune, Corbin, Ky.
·2 min read

Aug. 17—On Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend the NIBROC festival for the first time.

I couldn't have asked for a nicer day. The sun was shining but it wasn't oppressively hot as I walked among the booths that lined Main Street. As with many festivals, the vendors ran the gamut — offering everything from food to FEMA information. But what struck me about the festival that has come to define Corbin over the last 70 years, is how diverse the activities are that are associated with it.

NIBROC isn't just about a parade, but there was a doozy along Kentucky Avenue Thursday evening with floats, pageant winners, first responders, classic cars, school groups candidates and more staples. It's not just a carnival, though I have to admit that seeing the rides set up on Depot Street as opposed to fairgrounds was different to say the least. Where I'm from, we've always joked about how it rains just in time to make the field especially muddy — but that wasn't a problem here. and it's not just about music, though the three-day lineup featured some of the biggest names not only around this region and the festival can always be depended on to offer a headliner of national renown.

Though I didn't have the pleasure of seeing any this time around, NIBROC's competitions also set it apart. From the 2-Miler to volleyball, cornhole to ax-throwing, NiBROC truly has something for everyone.

That it has lasted for 70 years can't be much of a surprise, though one does wonder if those first organizers in 1952 were as confident of what NIBROC would grow into. The Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has tapped into the spirit of Corbin to keep folks coming back year after year.

Here's to 70 more.