Kentucky Living Is Seeking Nominees for Its 2026 ‘Best in Kentucky’ Awards

Created in the 1940s and published by the Kentucky Electric Cooperatives, Kentucky Living is the Commonwealth's largest circulation publication. About a million readers look to the online and print magazine for stories about the Bluegrass and, by extension, support the state's electric cooperatives.

Kentucky Living's 2026 'Best in Kentucky' Awards

Every year, Kentucky Living puts out the call for nominees for its 'Best in Kentucky' awards. The nominations will be accepted through February 28th. This year will mark the 17th bestowal of honors in a number of categories.

Under the heading of People & Personalities, you'll find local TV personality, local radio host, athlete, and meteorologist. Hamburgers, down-home restaurants, bourbon, barbecue, food trucks, coffee shops, sweet shops, breakfast places, and craft beer are the subheadings under Eats & Drinks (non-franchise). The Outdoor section features awards for hiking trails, camping or RV spots, public hunting & fishing areas, places of adventures, and water tourism spots. Finally, there's the Destination section which features the most categories. You can find them all here if you decide to submit nominations. This was last year's award presentation.

Kentucky Living's 2025 'Best in Kentucky' Awards

Last year, it was slim pickings for our tri-state area. Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn here in Owensboro won first place in the barbecue category while the John James Audubon State Park Museum finished in third in the museum category. And that was it. Hopefully, more nominees from our area will make the cut and, better still, land on the "gold, silver, & bronze podium" when all is said and done.

Kentucky Living will publish the results in September.