After a small hiatus, our weekly roundups are back! We have been hosting several events this Summer. Still, now with the school year beginning for several students, we too are getting back to doing our own homework and sharing what is happening in our Appalachian mountains. Let’s get started!
Country Music Highway Tribute Show: Whitesburg
We are ready for the second stop of the Country Music Highway Tribute Show, presented by Double Kwik. It is tomorrow, Saturday, August 12 at the Mountain Heritage Park.
Food and Arts and Craft vendors open at 11 a.m. and the music starts and goes non-stop until 10 p.m.
The event is FREE, so bring your favorite chair or blanket and join us.
You can check out our Facebook event HERE – you can find announcements and blogs with information being shared throughout the day!
We hope to see you there!
Country Music Highway Tribute Show: Prestonsburg
I know that several people may already have plans for Saturday, August 12 and if that is the case, come and join us the following week in Prestonsburg for our last Country Music Highway Tribute show, presented by Double Kwik!
The last concert will be hosted at the Mountain Arts Center, also known as the MAC!
This is a ticketed event and tickets are only $15 and a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards arts education at the Mountain Arts Center.
You can buy your ticket HERE.
Doors open at 1 p.m. The music will begin at 2 p.m. and will go until 10 p.m.
There is plenty of FREE public parking available at the Mountain Arts Center.
This event is a ticketed event, so you are going to need to buy one for $15 – that is 8 hours of entertainment and all of the proceeds goes towards supporting art programs at the MAC!
Silent Auction for the Country Music Highway
We’re proud to launch the Country Music Highway Tribute Show Silent Auction.
The online auction has a variety of items and more are expected to be added in the coming days and weeks.
The auction will end on August 31. Proceeds will benefit the arts along the Country Music Highway.
The auction has a variety of items, ranging from autographed memorabilia and other fan favorites donated by the stars of the Highway and performing arts venues.
We are adding items every day. Some of the items online now include:
- Autographed Dwight Yoakum Fender Guitar
- Autographed Trace Adkins Fender Guitar
- Autographed Travis Tritt Fender Guitar
- Three Vince Gill gift sets (including autographed items)
- Ricky Skaggs gift set
- Alex Miller gift set
There are other items, such as Cincinnati Reds and Dollywood tickets. We’ll be adding more items throughout August, so be sure to visit the site often.
SOAR Summit Exhibit & Early Registration!
This next announcement is perhaps one that has been highly anticipated … our SOAR Summit!
We will be back in Corbin this fall, October 3-4 at the Corbin Arena.
Registration for the 2023 SOAR Summit Exhibit Hall is open! The Summit, Appalachia’s premier event, is presented by Appalachian Wireless and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).
The application is open through September 7.
Early Bird registration is now open through August 31. It is $55 and all-inclusive, including:
- Two days of programming.
- Breakfast and lunch each day.
- Access to the Exhibit Hall.
- The SOAR Summit Reception, presented by Whitaker Bank, on October 3 in downtown Corbin.
After August 31, registration will be $75.
There will also be optional Pre-Summit programming on Monday, October 2. This includes:
- Community and Regional Disaster Preparedness Workshop, presented by the Kentucky League of Cities.
- A SOAR Summit Opening Reception at the Cumberland Mint.
SPEDA announces success with Grant Workshop
We noticed on social media that our partnership with SPEDA, Grant Ready Kentucky, and Somerset Community College brought the largest training workshop to date and, in addition, a good one at that!
Positive feedback was reflected from participants from the two-day workshop.
There were a total of 85 participants who attended the grant workshop.
You can read more about the grant workshop HERE.
Food truck Fridays in London!
London is bringing wheels to the pavement with a Food truck Friday event on August 18. The event will take place at the Farmers market with a “Jeep Night” theme – and don’t worry, you are still invited to the party if you do not have a Jeep.
There will be live entertainment by the PTY Band.
For you Jeep drivers, there will be limited ducks available for you to add to your collection. If your Jeep club is wanting to join, make sure to visit the London tourism office to arrange a preferred parking space for your group. That email is: londonkytourism@gmail.com.
Find more information HERE.
Beacons of Hope ribbon cutting in Hazard
Our team were able to be present during this a ribbon cutting ceremony for Beacons of Hope in Hazard.
Beacons of Hope was founded in 2021 to foster the need for family-oriented addiction assistance programs. The services offered at Beacons of Hope are tailored to each client’s specific needs to ensure a positive recovery outcome.
Through the family-oriented program, they provide the unique service of supervised visitation for parents and their children and accept mothers with children up to 12 months of age.
They strongly believe that creating a safe place for today created a brighter tomorrow. The care and compassionate staff at Beacons of Hope provide exceptional care for Substance Use Disorder (SUD), Behavioral Health, and Co-Occurring Disorders.
The main goal is to help people who have been hurt by addiction reclaim their dignity, build a better life, and aspire to a brighter future. Their core values include integrity, honesty, and respect. Client privacy and dignity are a priority.
Congratulations Beacons of Hope and the City of Hazard for this new addition to help Eastern Kentucky families!
You can find their Facebook page HERE.
AllyFest is returning with headliners: Billy Ray Cyrus & Ricky Skaggs
Ally Fest will be returning in downtown Presronsburg on October 6 & 7 with two major headlining artists!
Brought to you by, Paintsville Tourism, AOM Booking & Management, and Alley on Main.
Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder will be playing Friday night and Billy Ray Cyrus and FIREROSE will be playing Saturday.
Want to know the best part?? ITS FREE!!!
Keep an eye out for the rest of the festival and the Official Alley Fest 2023 poster!
You can learn more information HERE.
Foundever Hazard is Hiring!
Foundever Hazard, formerly Sitel Group and Sykes, is now hiring!
Apply today for starting wages of $15 per hour plus paid training, full benefits, and great opportunities for advancement.
Attend open interviews at 101 Sykes Blvd. each Wednesday in Chavies, or apply online now HERE.
Pine Mountain Hertiage School Hosting Fall Arts Weekend
During Fall Arts Weekend, learn and work with experts in workshops on traditional mountain crafts.
This all-inclusive weekend includes 2 nights lodging, 5 meals, step away art classes, and workshops lead by some of the region’s most respected artists and artisans.
Pick your favorite activity and get ready for a phenomenal weekend at Pine Mountain.
Several events include:
- Foraging with TikTok star Appalachian Forager
- Blacksmithing with Fred Loving
- And more!
You can check out courses being offered and register for them HERE.
Morehead State University Student receives international award
Senior Traditional Music student, Lucy Becker, was awarded two International Bluegrass Music Association scholarships, the Sally Ann Forrester Scholarship and the Rick Lang Music Songwriter Scholarship. Becker is a songwriter and fiddler, something she insisted upon at a young age.
The two IBMA scholarships are named for Sally Ann Forrester, the first female professional bluegrass musician in history, playing the accordion and singing for Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys in the 1940s. Rick Lang is a Grammy-nominated writer, chair of the IBMA Songwriter Committee and a volunteer with the IBMA Songwriter Mentor Program. Becker said receiving the IMBA scholarships will help her further achieve her educational dreams.
You can read more about this amazing student HERE.
Want to Submit to our Roundup?
Well, that is going to do it for this week’s Weekly Roundup.
Know of a program that needs applicants from our region?
Do you know of a grant opportunity that one of our Eastern Kentucky non-profits could benefit from?
or just have good news from your town?
Email us at: roundup@soar-ky.org
Future events to add to your calendar:
September
- 2nd Annual Gitt Recovery Celebration, London, Sept. 7
Live music, food, games, vendors, resource tables, and a lantern lighting ceremony to celebrate all who are in recovery. You are not going to want to miss supporting this heartfelt event!
- Appalachian Regional Commission Annual Conference, Ashland, Sept. 11-12
Save the date for the annual ARC Conference, “Appalachia Rises©: Resilience, Strength & Transformation“!
October
- SOAR Pre-Summit, Monday, Oct. 2
- SOAR Summit, Tuesday – Wednesday, Oct 3-4
- Ashland hosts 8th annual Firkin Fest, Oct. 14, Saturday
Beer Heaven Awaits!
Hold on to your beer mugs as Ashland unlock the gates to craft beer paradise!
Prepare to embark on a journey through the wild and wonderful world of craft beer brewing, with hundreds of distinctive craft beers ready to dazzle your taste buds.
There will also be food trucks available!
Bluegrass Beats & Fun Treats!
The party never stops at Firkin Fest! As you sip, savor, and indulge, you’ll be entertained by the bluegrass beats of talented local musicians, getting you on your feet and dancing with local cloggers and newfound friends. But that’s not all the fun they’ve got in store! Prepare to unleash your creative side and satisfy your salty craving by visiting the snacklace making station. Create your masterpiece, wear it with pride, and enter our snacklace contest!You can buy your tickets HERE.