Corbin loves company—that’s the slogan of the 2026 SOAR Summit’s host city. Located conveniently on Interstate 75 about halfway between Knoxville, Tenn., and Lexington, Ken., Corbin has a history as a gathering place for Southeastern Kentucky.
About Corbin
Officially established in 1905 to serve as the Cumberland Valley hub for L&N Railroad, Corbin thrived as a railroad town throughout the mid-1900s. The transient nature of this and the constant flow of visitors in and out of Corbin contributed to the culture that inspired its tagline.
Corbin Tourism Director Emily Roberts says the natural friendliness of the residents also contributed. “A lot of our culture here is that Appalachian hospitality and real, authentic generosity,” she says. “We might not have the best of the best, but what we do have, we’re willing to share with you.”
Now, despite devastating job losses as the coal and railroad industries dwindled during the 1990s and 2000s, the city maintains its charm and grit.
“We’ve had to claw to keep existing here because there’s nothing anchoring us now,” Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus says. “We strive to be a community that is uplifting and optimistic in spite of its challenges.”
Luckily, during the Great Depression, something else put Corbin on the map and continues to attract around 150,000 visitors per year. Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, opened Sanders Café in 1940 after years of serving meals to travelers in the back of a service station on U.S. Route 25. Sanders Café was renovated and reopened as a museum in 1990, where visitors can tour Harland Sanders’s office, see the kitchen where he developed the KFC secret formula, and view memorabilia.
“That entrepreneurial spirit of Colonel Sanders is alive and well in Corbin,” Mayor Razmus says.
In recent years, Corbin has made efforts to revitalize its Main Street, where you’ll find many small businesses to support during your visit for the 2026 SOAR Summit presented by Appalachian Wireless and the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Places to Eat
The Wrigley Taproom & Eatery: Farm-to-table food with a rotating menu, extensive bourbon selection, craft beer and cocktails.
The Depot on Main: Steaks and fresh seafood, weekly specials, unique appetizers, fresh salad, desserts with a full-service bar.
M&M Rooftop Garden: Offering a blend of American Fusion that includes sandwiches, burgers, salads, and desserts. Bread made daily in-house. Weekly entrée and dessert specials.
Sanders Café: Experience Kentucky Fried Chicken where it all started.
Folktale Coffee & Bakehouse: Bakehouse and craft coffee shop in downtown, everything made from scratch and locally sourced, serving breakfast through dinner.
The Root Beer Stand: A local favorite since 1956 with homemade root beer, footlong hot dogs, chili dogs and burgers.
Apollo Pizza: Handcrafted pizza “made from our Kentucky hearts” along with beer, wine, and liquor.
JonEvan Jacks: Where carnival food and homemade country cooking merge to create mouthwatering burgers, chicken wings, pizza, and more.
Things to Do
Pinball Museum of Corbin: Step into the largest pinball museum in Kentucky and enjoy approximately 160 pinball machines and classic video games.
Tomahawks: Try your hand at axe throwing or enjoy a game of pool with karaoke on Thursday evenings and live shows from local talent and nationally touring bands.
Austin City Saloon: Monday night trivia, karaoke and ladies night on Thursdays, plus live music every Friday and Saturday.
Cinema Social: Catch the latest movies, enjoy great food, hit the bowling lanes, play the arcade, or try out the Simulator Suite—all under one roof.
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park: Known as the “Niagara of the South,” the 125-foot curtain of water falling into a boulder-strewn gorge is dramatic day or night. But it is only during a full moon that you can see the moonbow—a phenomenon not found anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere!
White Rabbit Records: Cozy record store selling new and used vinyl, cassettes, CDs, and more on Main Street.
Georgia Blossom Books: Woman-owned independent bookstore with new and used books, bookish merch, and regular book clubs.
Miller Park: A community space for everyone to enjoy with a half-mile walking trail, exercise stations, batting cages, pickleball courts, and softball fields.
Shop at local boutiques:
- Juneberry Boutique
- Alley Stuff Antiques & Eccentricities
- Enchanted Boutique on Main
- South and Main
- Mini Mee Boutique
- Dusty Diamond Boutique
- Forever Jaded Tees & Boutique
- Hop, Skip and a Jump Children’s Resale
Join us in Corbin this October!
The future of Eastern Kentucky will not be built by a single organization or a single leader. It will be built by thousands of people working together across communities and generations.
The 2026 SOAR Summit will take place October 7–9 in Corbin, Kentucky. If you care about the future of our region, there is a place for you at the Summit.
Learn more. Participate. Register.
Because the future won’t build itself.