Week of May 16-22

Welcome to our weekly "What's Happening" email, designed to provide you with a glance at opportunities for an unbridled good time in the Bowling Green area.

Check out the non-motorized speed in Vette City this weekend at the 2011 BB&T All American Soap Box Derby, the 3rd largest local race in the country! This youth sporting program is "as wholesome and American as apple pie," and Bowling Green knows a thing or two about Americana. These racers have been preparing for months, so come out and support this child-centered, family- and community-oriented event.

Watch the stock cars whiz by beginning Friday at 5 p.m. followed by the super-stock competition beginning Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. The winners of this race advance to represent the city in the national championship in Akron, Ohio, and winners of the national competition receive college scholarships. To learn more, visit the link below.

Searching for that one-of-a-kind decorative piece for your home, garden or loved one? Then come out to the Sloan Convention Center Saturday and Sunday for the Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Spring Fair. Kentucky's oldest statewide visual arts and crafts organization, KGAC is a leader in the national arts and crafts movement and has been hard at work boosting the state's reputation for a rich artistic heritage.

Celebrating its 50th year, KGAC brings together some of the most talented people across Kentucky to provide an opportunity for art lovers to purchase some of the highest quality hand made products. The two-day event features live demonstrations, hands-on activities and quality pieces in glass, ironwork, jewelry, pottery, wood, and more. Admission is $5 for adults and children 12 and under are free. Follow the link below or call 859-986-3192 for more information.

To view the complete calendar of upcoming events, click here and visit our Events section.

All phone numbers are area code 270 unless otherwise noted.

Ongoing - May 31 Jared Daugherty & Jared Weaver Gallery Exhibition, Capitol Arts Center galleries, 9 am-5 pm, www.capitolarts.com, 782-2787

Ongoing - June 19 American Muscle Cars, National Corvette Museum, M-Sun 8am- 5pm, 781-7973, corvettemuseum.org

Ongoing - June 24 "The Artist Within" Exhibition, VSA ArtsACCESS Gallery, M-F 8:30 am-4:30 pm, 781-0872

16 Space Camp Live, interactive show, free to the public, BG Christian Academy, 4-8 pm, 1-800-63-SPACE, www.spacecamp.com

17 BG Hot Rods v. West Michigan, 11:05 pm, 901-2121, www.bghotrods.com

17 Beaver Tuesday Night Drag/Oval Fun Racing, Beech Bend Raceway, 6 pm, 781-7634, beechbend.com

18 BG Hot Rods v. West Michigan, 6:35 pm, 901-2121, www.bghotrods.com

19 BG Hot Rods v. West Michigan, Pink in the Park, benefit for The Mary Kay Foundation & BRASS, 7:05 pm, 901-2121, www.bghotrods.com

19 Kentucky Author Silas House, WC Public Library Main Branch, free, 6 pm, 781-4882, www.warrenpl.org

19 Beech Bend Park Splash Lagoon Opening Day, 781-7634, www.beechbend.com

19-22 Southern Hospitality, Fountain Square Players, Phoenix Theatre, Thurs.-Sat. 8 pm, Sun. 3 pm, 782-3119, www.fountainsquareplayers.org

20 Stock Car Racing, Beech Bend Raceway, 5 pm, 781-7634, www.beechbend.com

20 Honky Tonk on the Square, Capitol Arts Center, featuring Ned Van Go, Sunday Valley & The Travis Mann Band, 8 pm, $10, 782-2787, www.capitolarts.com

20-21 Band & Choral Festival, Beech Bend Park, IGA Stage, 781-7634, beechbend.com

21 Olde Stone Run for PRIDE, The Club at Olde Stone, 8 am, 745-0090 or 393-4653

21 HS Baseball-Allen Co. vs. Warren Central, Bowling Green Ballpark, Ryan Gates, rgates@bghotrods.com

21 Spring Antiques & Garden Market, Shaker Museum at South Union, 9am- 3pm, $5, 800-811-8379, www.shakermuseum.com

21 Geocaching 101: Geocaching.com: How to Use It, Lost River Cave & Valley, 2-4 pm, 393-0077, lostrivercave.com

21 Charity Car Show, Best Western Motor Inn, 10 am- 4 pm, benefiting CASA, 782-5353

21 O'Reilly Saturday Night Fun Racing with Dixie Door Slammers & Nostalgia Pro Comp Qualifying, Beech Bend Raceway, gates open at 5 pm, 781-7634, www.beechbend.com

21 Tour de Town: Hobson Grove Ride, Bike ride leaving from Boatlanding Park, 9 am, www.bikebg.org

21 Comic Hypnotist Rich Guzzi, Sloan Convention Center, 7 pm All Ages Show, 9:30 pm Extreme Show (18 & over), tickets $6-$20, save in advance, 745-0088, www.richguzzi.com

21-22 Specie-Wolverines Gym Rats Basketball Tournament, Kummer-Little, Donald.shanklin6@gmail.com

21-22 Disc Golf, Ephram White & Kerieakes Parks, 8 am, www.louisvillediscgolf.com

21-22 Kentucky Hoops Festival AAU boys' & girls' tournament, WKU Preston Center, 776-1913, wkyhoops.clubspaces.com

22 Teacher Appreciation Expo, National Corvette Museum, 1-3 pm, teacher registration encouraged, www.corvettemuseum.org/teacher

22 West KY Horse Sale, WKU Brown Ag Expo Center, 745-3976, www.wku.edu/agexpocenter

22 NHRA Drag Racing, Nostalgia Pro Comp Eliminations, Beech Bend Raceway, 5 pm, 781-7634, beechbend.com

May 26-28 Corvette Forum Cruise-In, National Corvette Museum

May 27-29 25th Annual NHRA SPORTSnational Open, Beech Bend Raceway

May 28 Free Gospel Music Concert, Capitol Arts Center

May 28-29 American Bluegrass Series, Ballance MotoX

June 1 Concerts in the Park-Shawn Hammonds, Fountain Square Park

June 1-5 JEGS US Open Bracket Championship, Beech Bend Raceway

June 2-4 SKyMAC Bluegrass Jet Jam, Stahl Field

June 2-5 400 Mile Sale, across Kentucky from Paducah to Maysville

June 3 Bowling Green Gallery Hop, galleries, museums and studio centers around town

June 4 'i love bg" Day, specials from businesses around town and BG Hot Rods