Week of September 12-18

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.

On the heels of an emotional September 11 anniversary, Bowling Green will commemorate the 150th Anniversary of "when the War came to town" this Saturday with community-wide Civil War Sesquicentennial activities. Local attractions and organizations have teamed up to present a variety of free events including reenactments, special tours, exhibits, speakers, a living history village, children's activities and more in honor of the War's effect on our region.

The day begins at the Historic Railpark & Train Museum with an 8 a.m. reenactment of Gen. Buckner's Confederate invasion. Other participating locations include Riverview at Hobson Grove, the Kentucky Museum, and Lost River Cave (charge for exclusive smoke-writing tours.) Additional tours include a free architectural tour of downtown Bowling Green and then later in the evening, Fountain Square Players will present a ticketed "Spirits of the Civil War" walking tour.

An Unknown Soldier Memorial Service will follow on Sunday at Fairview Cemetery at 2 p.m. Click on the link below for a full day's schedule or call 270-782-0800 for more information.

Do you have what it takes to create castles made of sand? If a trip to the beach equals hours of playing in the sand for your family, then see how you compare with the participants in this year's Festival of Sand competition, benefiting Kids on the Block. The teams, comprised of schools and children's organizations, will begin sculpting at 10 a.m. this Friday with the winners announced at 5 p.m. Cash prizes will be given to the 1st, 2nd & 3rd place teams.

On Saturday, everyone is invited out for Family Movie Night at the Hot Rods Stadium featuring Sandlot at 7:00 p.m. on the big screen. Doors open at 6:30 for this free showing and personal food is allowed, so come on out to see the sculptures and a movie.

South Central Kentucky Kids on the Block is a non-profit, educational puppet troupe of more than thirty puppets that offers K-6 children programs on physical challenges, medical conditions, and social and safety issues. Learn more about the Festival of Sand by following the link below or call 270-842-2259.

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. 21 VSA Kentucky Collection, ARTACCESS Gallery, 8:30am- 4:30pm, 781-0872, vsartsky.org

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

12 On the Town, Orchestra KY VIP Series, WKU Van Meter Hall, 7:30 pm, 846-2426, OrchestraKentucky.com

12, 17 Kentucky Downs Live Racing, Franklin, 12:40pm, free admission & parking, 586-7778, kentuckydowns.com

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

13 WKU Volleyball vs. Tennessee State, E.A. Diddle Arena, 7 pm, 745-5222, wkusports.com

13-Oct. 7 Mark Sheppard:Illustrations, WKU FAC2D Corridor Gallery, contemporary culture, wku.edu/art

14 Astronomy Night, WKU Thompson Complex, 8-9 pm, telescope demonstrations, 745-5940, physics.wku.edu

15 American History Speaker Series, Doug Stanton, Christ Episcopal Church, 6 pm, 781-4882, warrenpl.org

15-17 Z06 Fest, National Corvette Museum, 781-7973, corvettemuseum.org

15-17 2011 Parade of Homes, Builders Assn. of South Central KY, $10, 12 & under free, 781-3375, bascky.com

15-18 Robin Hood, PTK Sunburst Youth Theatre, The Phoenix Theatre, Th-Sat 7 pm, Sun 3 pm, 781-6233, ptkbg.org

16 Stock Car Racing Finals, Beech Bend Raceway, gates open 5 pm, 781-7634, beechbend.com

16 Jonell Mosser at the Capitol, Capitol Arts Theatre, 8 pm, $15, 782-2787, capitolarts.com

16-17 TN Walking Horse Show, WKU Ag Expo Center, 745-3976, wku.edu/expo

16-17 Ice Cream & a Moovie, Toy Story 3, Chaney's Dairy Barn, dusk, free, 843-5567, chaneysdairybarn.com

16-18 Total Fitness Bombs & Balance Baseball Tournament, 782-3503, tstinson@totalfitnessconnection.com

16-18 Softball USSSA Tournament, Buchanon Park, all day, bpettyasa@aol.com

17 "The World of Anansi the Spider", Capitol Arts Center, 5 pm, free show, 781-4882, ashleyf@warrenpl.org

17 Tour de Town: Kereiakes Cruise: Bike ride leaving from Kereiakes Park, 9 am, ww.bikebg.org

17 BG Cumberland Presbyterian Church Kuntry Store, crafts, baked goods, 7am- 1pm, 781-3295, bgcp.com

17 WKU Football vs. Indiana State, Parents and Families Weekend, Houchens-Smith Stadium, wkusports.com

17 Vette City Vixens vs. Rollergirls of Central KY, Skate Box, 5pm, 843-3394, vettecityrollerderby.com

17 O'Reilly Saturday Night Fun Racing, Beech Bend Raceway, gates open at 5 pm, 781-7634, beechbend.com

17 Symphony at the Orchard, Jackson's Orchard, free concert of Disney music, 10 am, thesymphonyatwku.org

17 9th Annual Fall Festival, Potter Children's Home, 843-3038

17 Old Timers Classic, WKU Cross Country, Kereiakes Park, 10 am, 745-5222, wkusports.com

18 Unknown Soldier Memorial Service, Confederate Monument at Fairview Cemetery, 2 pm, 745-7317

18 Geocaching 101: Advanced Geocaching, Lost River Cave & Valley, 2-4 pm, 393-0077, lostrivercave.com

18 Independence Bank Dog Show, 2415 Nashville Rd, 1-4pm, benefiting Relay for Life, 746-0980

18 Southern KY Team Penning Assn., WKU Brown Ag Expo Center, 745-3976, wku.edu/expo

18 NHRA Drag Racing, Beech Bend Raceway, gates open at 11 am, 781-7634, beechbend.com

18 Hidden Gems of the Oboe, WKU FAC Recital Hall, 3 pm, Kristin Polk and Ben Polk, 745-3751, wku.edu/music

September 23 Capitol Arts Alliance Street Dance featuring Skip Bond & the Fugitives, Capitol Arts Center

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 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

September 29 Chevrolet Fireball Run, Stop at the National Corvette Museum

Setp. 29-Oct. 2 The Pirates of the Chemo, The Phoenix Theatre

Sept. 30-Oct. 2 13th Annual NMRA All Ford World Finals, Beech Bend Raceway

October 1 Twilight Thunder Cruise, benefit for Kids on the Block

October 1-2 SKyMAC Bluegrass Circle Burn, Stahl Field