Hopefully you weren’t made a fool of on April 1, but even if you were, you can be a fool whose schedule is full thanks to a ton of exciting events set to take place in the coming days.
The fun gets underway this week as the first horse show of the year is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 5, underneath the brand new outdoor structure at the Whitley County Fairgrounds, located off of Stark Road in the Savoy community of Williamsburg. Gates are set to open at 4 p.m. and the show is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Other horse show dates for the remainder of the year are May 3, May 31, July 18 (during the Whitley Co. Fair), Aug. 2, Sept. 6, Oct. 4 and Nov. 1. For more information, check out the Whitley County Fiscal Court’s Facebook page or give the office a call at (606) 549-6000.
Next week is going to be busy, with several events on the schedule for Friday and Saturday, April 11-12. This year’s Kentucky State University Small Farms Conference will be taking place on both days at the Whitley County Cooperative Extension Office in Goldbug. This annual event offers farmers in the area a ton of free resources, and gives them an opportunity to meet up with knowledgeable folks who can help them navigate many of the challenges that go along with maintaining a small farm in today’s society.
I have attended the last couple of Small Farms Conferences, and I have been amazed at the amount of information that is available to anyone who wants to take the time to come by. Whether you raise plants, animals, or both, make plans to attend this year’s event. Additional information can be obtained by visiting the Cooperative Extension’s website at www.whitley.ca.uky.edu, or give them a call at (606) 549-1430.
Also on April 11-12, the Corbin High School Redhound Theatre will be presenting the Little Shop of Horrors LIVE at the Betty Hamilton Center for the Performing Arts. Shows will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday. If you can’t make it to opening weekend, three more shows have been scheduled for the following week, with the same start times on April 18-19. Tickets will be sold at the door costing $10 for adults and $8 for students.
This year’s International Dinner, presented by the Rotary Clubs of Corbin and London, will take place at the Corbin Arena on Saturday, April 12, beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are still available for this unique event that features a wide variety of dishes from around the world. Reach out to a Corbin or London club member to get more details on how you can reserve your spot.
April 19 will be a busy day at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, with a special Easter Egg Hunt event scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Clifty Campground area, followed by the Knox-Whitley Humane Association’s “Tuxes and Tails” Spring Gala fundraiser event later that evening at the DuPont Lodge. The Easter Egg Hunt will be free for kids ages 2-10, and will include candy, prizes and special photo opportunities with the Easter Bunny. The Humane Society’s Spring Gala will require a ticket, with all proceeds going to benefit the animal shelter. To purchase a ticket, go to www.checkout.shelterluv.com/donate/KWHA. Select the $100 donation option, and then notate “Spring Gala Ticket” in the note section before submitting payment. The ticket will then be delivered electronically.
If you are looking for another option for your kids to hunt eggs on April 19, the City of Williamsburg will also be hosting their annual Easter event at Briar Creek Park that day with festivities set to get underway at noon.
Also in Williamsburg, the 11th Annual Earth Day Celebration will be happening on Tuesday, April 22, at the Green Space on Main in downtown. There will be plenty of educational booths, a bounce house for the kids, and a presentation on weather preparedness, among many other offerings. If able, make plans to bring the whole family down between 4-7 p.m. to celebrate Earth Day 2025.
Mark your calendars for April 25-26 as the Annual Colonel Fest will return to downtown Corbin. This festival is always a blast, and provides plenty of fun options for all ages, including craft vendors, children’s games, a Colonel Sanders look-a-like contest and more.
Finally, Corbin Tourism Commission Executive Director Nancy Conley sent us an e-mail last week containing details on the Pittsburg Marine Open at Laurel Lake, a fishing tournament scheduled for Saturday, April 26, that will be launching from Grove Marina. Entry fee for the tournament is $100 with a $1,500 payout for first place. For additional details on the event, contact Pittsburg Marine at (606) 843-7411 or send an e-mail to pittsburgmarine@windstream.net.
So, I think we can all agree that nobody should be bored during the month of April. In addition to the events discussed in this column, the spring sports season continues to roll on with plenty of options at the youth, middle school, high school and college levels. Whatever you find yourself doing, I hope that this month will be full of great times and good weather. Enjoy!
