Louisville, Ky. (August 28, 2020) – The votes are in, and the readers of Kentucky Living, the most widely-circulated publication in the Commonwealth, have chosen the 2020 winners in the magazine’s 11th Annual Best in Kentucky awards.
As the keepsake Best in Kentucky edition of Kentucky Living rolled off the presses headed for nearly a half-million households across Kentucky, the winners were announced on Thursday, August 27, during a special virtual awards show hosted by Heather French Henry and sponsored by Cave City Tourism. The full listing of the winners and video of the awards show can be viewed on KentuckyLiving.com. Because of pandemic safety concerns, the awards show transitioned from its traditional venue at the Kentucky State Fair to the virtual format, featuring presenters at locations across the Commonwealth.
Each year, Kentucky Living invites readers to cast their votes for hometown favorites in 25 categories, ranging from destinations and food, to outdoor activities and beverages. The winners are then published in the September issue of Kentucky Living, the flagship publication of Kentucky’s electric cooperatives.
“Locally owned and operated electric cooperatives are committed to improving the quality of life in the communities they serve in 117 of Kentucky’s 120 counties,” said Joe Arnold, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives vice president. “We are proud to join them in celebrating the Best in Kentucky. During this challenging time for our commonwealth and our nation, these Kentucky favorites offer encouragement and something to look forward to when we are able to celebrate in person, again.”
The virtual awards show also includes an appearance by Governor Andy Beshear announcing the Leslie County Community Canoe Cleanup as the winner of the 2020 Beautify the Bluegrass Governor’s Award. The Doughboy statue and Casey County Courthouse landscaping project won the Commonwealth’s Award based on a vote by the readership of Kentucky Living. The beautification initiative is a partnership between Kentucky Living and the governor’s office to encourage Kentuckians to spruce up their local communities. Though large community-wide projects have been limited by the pandemic, this year’s entries showcased homegrown efforts to brighten communities during a challenging time. Cumberland Valley Electric won the Beautify the Bluegrass Co-op Award.
“Congratulations and a sincere ‘thank you’ to every Kentuckian who participated in Beautify the Bluegrass,” said Gov. Beshear. “We are so grateful to all of these Kentuckians who came together to better their communities, while taking the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Whether by innovating their business approaches or taking it upon themselves to clean up litter around their hometowns, each person and group featured today knows what it means to be a good neighbor. That’s the spirit of Team Kentucky at work.”
Best in Kentucky winners from the Marshall County region include: Kentucky Lake – Second place in the Houseboating Lake Category
For a full list of winners by county, click here.
Beautify the Bluegrass winners:
Governor’s Award – Leslie County Community Canoe Cleanup
Commonwealth’s Award – Doughboy statue and Casey County Courthouse landscaping project
Co-op Award – Cumberland Valley Electric
To see photos of the projects, click here.