Week of October 17-23

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.

Look out 'Vette City, because the Buicks will be returning to the streets of Bowling Green this week! Beech Bend Raceway is eager to host the 31st Annual GS Nationals again in the fall. The event promises a supped-up, turbo charged, squealing good time for spectators and participants alike, all nestled among the beautiful fall foliage that surrounds Beech Bend.

This four-day extravaganza includes car shows, swap meets, drag racing, prizes and more. One of the longest running events in the city, many of these Buick enthusiasts consider Bowling Green their second home. The track is open until 6:30 p.m. Wednesday- Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, and 'until the end' on Saturday. Tickets are $20 per day and children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult. For more information or a complete schedule, visit the link below or call 229-244-0577.

Western Kentucky University invites everyone to bring your red towels and celebrate the Spirit as WKU Homecoming '11 hits the streets and takes the field. This year's theme is "GEAUX TOPPERS!" as the team faces Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday at 3 p.m.

Festivities kick off Thursday with a Chili and Cheese Luncheon followed by a special 'CMT On Tour' Homecoming Concert Thursday evening featuring Luke Bryan at EA Diddle Arena.

Then Friday, join Big Red for the Citizens First Homecoming Parade beginning on campus at 5 pm and traveling downtown to the historic Fountain Square Park. A special Concert in the Park will feature Ernie Small Blues Band until 6:30 p.m. followed by Big Red's Roar. But get some rest so you can take part in the Ragin' Cajun Cook-Off, Tailgating and cheering on the Toppers Saturday at Houchens-Smith Stadium!

For a full schedule of the week's activities, visit the link below or call

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 - 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 - Oct. 31 Home School Month, Kentucky Down Under, 800-762-2869, kdu.com

Ongoing - Oct. 31 Dog Month, Dinosaur World, Get $2 off per admission per dog, 773-4345, dinosaurworld.com

Ongoing - Nov. 2 Lunt Memorial Exhibition, Trapasso Photography Exhibit, Capitol Arts Center, 782-2787, capitolarts.com

Ongoing - Nov. 8 Bobby Campbell: Wayfinding, 2D Corridor Gallery Ivan Wilson FAC, 745-3944, wku.edu/art

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

Ongoing - Nov. 28 Christopher Olszewski Paintings, WKU FAC Main Gallery, Native American artist, 745-3944, wku.edu/art

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

17 Kentucky Sheriffs by Lynwood Montell, Riverview at Hobson Grove, 4-6pm, 843-5565, bgky.org/riverview

17 Carmen, Orchestra Kentucky VIP Series, Van Meter Hall, 7:30pm, 846-2426, OrchestraKentucky.com

18 WWII Hospital Car Arrival, Historic Railpark & Train Museum, 8:30am, 745-7317, historicrailpark.com

18 Pauline's Book Discussion, Warren Co. Public Library Bob Kirby Branch, 6pm, 782-0252, warrenpl.org

18 "Peanuts" Roast, National Corvette Museum, by BG Area Chamber of Commerce, 781-3200, bgchamber.com

18, 20, 23 NASA's Year of the Solar System, WKU Hardin Planetarium, free, all ages, 7pm Tues & Th, 2pm Sun, 745-4044, wku.edu/physics

19 Tales of Kentucky's Ghosts, Dr. Lynwood Montell, BG Technical College, Bldg. C Library, 11am, 901-1095

20 WKU Soccer vs. Troy, WKU Soccer Complex, 6pm, 745-5222, wkusports.com

20-22 Warren County Asylum Haunted House, 707 E Main Ave (Reservoir Hill), benefits American Cancer Society, 7 pm, $10, Special guest appearance by John Carpenter 10/20, 535-1088, Haunted Asylum on FB

20-22 The Massacre, KOA Campgrounds, Indoor haunt plus Hydratrek Ride, Hay rides, & Haunted Putt-putt, $25 all four, $15 Massacre only, open 7pm, 202-9220, horrorindustriesonline.com

21 Bowling Green Gallery Hop, 5 - 8pm, downtown area, 781-0872, thebowlinggreengalleryhop.com

21-Dec 10 Preserving the Past, Sustaining the Future, Juried Quilt Show Celebrating FACS, Kentucky Museum, 9am-4pm, 842-0686, wku.edu/library/museum/exhibits/index.htm#FACS

21 Hall of Distinguished Alumni Luncheon, Sloan Convention Center, 11:30am, 745-4395, alumni.wku.edu

21-23 Skeleton's Lair, Haunted Woods, Hayride & 3D Zone, live actors, open at dark, $20, 622-8171, skeletonslair.com

21-23 Perilous Times, Civil War Living History Weekend, South Union Shaker Village, $8 adults, $4 children, 800-811-8379, shakermuseum.com

22 Powerhouse Productions presents Ray Price, Capitol Arts Center, 5-8pm, 782-2787, capitolarts.com

22 Holiday Bazaar, Bowling Green Technical College, 1127 Morgantown Rd., 9 am-1pm, 901-1012

22 For Heaven's Skates: Vette City Vixens Roller Derby, Skate Box, 5pm, 843-3394, vettecityrollerderby.com

22 Mammoth Cave Free Discovery Tours, all day, Mammoth Cave National Park, 758-2192, nps.gov/maca/index.htm

22 "An uncivil War", Workshop for children, Riverview at Hobson Grove, 1 pm, 843-5565, bgky.org/riverview

22 Genealogy Seminar, Mammoth Cave National Park, 258-2192

22 Arts & Crafts Festival, Daymar College, 2421 Industrial Dr., 8am-12pm, 843-6750

22-23 Softball USGF Tournament, Buchanon Park, all day, bpettyasa@aol.com

22-23 Pumpkin Festival, Jackson's Orchard, Sat 8 am -6 pm, Sun 1- 6 pm, 781-5303, jacksonsorchard.com

23 So. KY Team Penning Assoc., WKU Ag Expo Center, 745-3976, wku.edu/expo

23 NHRA Drag Racing with SS/S Combo, Beech Bend Raceway, gates open at 10 am, 781-7634, beechbend.com

23 Choral Concert, WKU Van Meter Auditorium, 7:30 pm, VPAL Performance, 745-3751, wku.edu/music

23 Jim Wayne Miller Celebration of Writing, WKU Garrett Conference Center, 2pm, 745-5721, alumni.wku.edu/

Fridays & Saturdays through Halloween Skeleton's Lair Haunted Woods, Hayride & 3D Zone

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays through Halloween Warren County Asylum Haunted House

Saturdays & Sundays through Oct. 23 Pumpkin Festival, Jackson's Orchard

October 27-30 It Was A Dark and Stormy Night, The Phoenix Theatre

October 27 Goblin Fest, Historic Railpark Train Museum

October 28 Keyboard Carnival, WKU Van Meter Auditorium

October 28-29 Bat Boy the Musical, Capitol Arts Center

October 29 Museum Monster Mash, National Corvette Museum

October 29 Rocktober Fest 2011, Capitol Arts Center

October 29 Sun Belt Conference Men's & Women's Cross Country Championships, Kereiakes Park

October 29 KMEA Kentucky State Marching Band Championships, WKU Houchens-Smith Stadium

October 29-30 KY High School Rodeo, WKU Ag Expo Center

October 31 Scare on the Square, downtown Fountain Square