Week of September 6-11

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.

The skies will be bright and colorful this weekend as the 2011 U.S. Bank Balloons, Tunes and BBQ kicks off Thursday evening at the BG/ WC Airport! Presented by Houchens Industries and benefiting United Way of Southern KY, there is no charge for admission or parking again this year. The fun kicks in Thursday evening with Kids' Night featuring the Carnival Midway, Inflatable Fair, and a balloon pilot meet 'n greet.

Then on Friday, come out for tethered balloon rides, balloon glows at dusk, great food, the Bowling Green Idol Contest and other performances. The festivities continue at 12 pm Saturday before the Hare and Hound race at 5 pm and another night of great live music including country artists Chris Cavanaugh, Walker Hayes and Mark Wills.

Click on the link below for more details about the Festival or call 270-745-7532.

Racers, start your engines... and spectators get ready for an automotive event geared completely around speed and performance. The Holley LS Fest returns this weekend, a celebration of the popular GM LS engine and the vehicles powered by them. Race cars, street rods, muscle cars, trucks, late models - you name it, if it is being powered by an LS, there will be something for you here!

The Holley LS Fest features Autocross, Drag Racing, a Show-n-Shine, a Speed-Stop-Challenge, a unique Engine Swap Challenge and new this year, a Drift Challenge! Event/class champions will be crowned as well as an overall event champion for those competing in multiple events. Admission is only $10 per day or $20 for all three days. Automotive students and children 16 and under are FREE. Follow the link below to learn more or call 270-782-2900.

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 - Sept.17 The ART of PRINT MAFIA, The Gallery at 916, 843-5511, thegalleryat916.com

Ongoing - Sept. 24 Harold Winslow Exhibit, Una Vision de la Mexicanidad, WKU FAC Main Gallery, wku.edu/art

Ongoing - Oct. 31 Chaney's Dairy Barn Corn Maze, M-Sat 7am- 9pm, Sun 12-8pm, $7, 843-5567, chaneysdairybarn.com

Ongoing - Nov. 11 Yours for the Carters: The Vintage Sound Collections of Freeman Kitchens Exhibit, Kentucky Museum, 745-2592, yoursforthecarters.tumblr.com/

Ongoing - Dec. 31 100 Years of Chevrolet Exhibit, National Corvette Museum, 8am- 5pm daily, 781-7973, corvettemuseum.org

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

7-Oct. 21 VSA Kentucky Collection, ARTACCESS Gallery, 8:30am- 4:30pm, a781-0872, vsartsky.org

8 2011 Midwest League Playoffs, Round 1/ Game 2, Bowling Green Ballpark, 6:35pm, BG Hot Rods vs. Second-Half Wild Card Winner, 901-2121, bghotrods.com

8-11 Robin Hood, PTK Sunburst Youth Theatre, The Phoenix Theatre, Th-Sat 7pm, Sun 3pm, 781-6233, ptkbg.org

9 WKU Soccer vs. Belmont, WKU Soccer Complex, 6pm, 745-5222, wkusports.com

9 WKU Volleyball vs. Xavier, E.A. Diddle Arena, 12:30pm, 745-5222, wkusports.com

9 WKU Volleyball vs. Wake Forest, E.A. Diddle Arena, 7pm, 745-5222, wkusports.com

9 WKU Choral Concert, First Christian Church, 7:30pm, 745-3751, wku.edu/music

9-11 2011 Special Olympics State Softball Tournament, Buchanon Park, 502-695-8222, soky.org/statesoftball.htm

9-11 TNT Sports Baseball tourney, Griffin Park, Ephram White Park, all day, Tyler Pruden 791-3573

9-11 47th Annual Antique Show & Sale, Knights of Columbus Hall, sponsored by Alpha Theta Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Fri 5:30 -8:30pm, Sat 9am- 5:30pm, Sun 11:30am- 5pm, $5, 782-1479, bgantiqueshow.com

9-30 Juried Art Exhibition with 1840-1890 Theme, Riverview at Hobson Grove, opening reception 9/9 at 5pm, regular hours Tues.- Sat. 10am - 4pm, $7 adults, $2.50 children, 843-5565

10 WKU Volleyball vs. LSU, E.A.Diddle Arena, 2pm, 745-5222, wkusports.com

10 WKU Football vs. Navy, Houchens-Smith Stadium, 6pm, wkusports.com

10 Second Saturdays Street Fair, including Art in the Park and KidFest, Downtown Fountain Square, 9am- 3pm, children's activities, sidewalk sales, music, 782-0222, downtownbg.org

10 Kids Expo of SOKY, Jackson's Orchard, booths, vendors, music, food, 10am - 4pm, kidsoksoky.com

10 Kentucky Downs Live Racing, Franklin, 12:40pm, free admission & parking, 586-7778, kentuckydowns.com

10 Dinosaur World $1 Admission Day, for Warren and surrounding county residents, 773-4345, dinosaurworld.com

11 WKU Soccer vs. Eastern Michigan, WKU Soccer Complex, 1pm, 745-5222, wkusports.com

11 West KY Horse Sale, WKU Ag Expo Center, 11am, 745-3976, wku.edu/expo

September 12 On the Town, Orchestra Kentucky VIP Series, Van Meter Hall

September 15-17 Z06 Fest, National Corvette Museum

September 15-17 2011 Parade of Homes, Builders Assn. of South Central KY

September 16 Jonell Mosser Concert, Capitol Arts Center

September 16-17 Ice Cream & a Moovie, Featuring Toy Story 3, Chaney's Dairy Barn

September 16-17 Festival of Sand, Kids on the Block, Bowling Green Ballpark

September 17 150 Years: Remembering the Civil War in Bowling Green, multiple locations

September 23-24 & weekends through Halloween Skeleton's Lair Haunted Woods, Hayride & 3D Zone

September 24 Run For the Fight Run/ Walk, Kereiakes Park

September 24 Bowling Green International Festival, Circus Square Park

September 24 Fun on the Farm, Pelly's Farm Fresh Market

September 24 "Capitol Turns 30" Birthday Party, Capitol Arts Center

September 24 Music in the Barn, South Union Shaker Village

September 24-25 SKyMAC Warbird Alley, Stahl Field

September 24-25 & weekends through Oct. 23 Pumpkin Festival, Jackson's Orchard