Weeks of December 19- January 2

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.

There will be plenty of baskets made this week in Bowling Green, but not the kind Santa will be delivering! See tons of regional basketball talent around town as two tournaments heat up the courts while the kids are on break.

The Citizens First Holiday Classic kicked off yesterday and continues through Wednesday at Bowling Green High School. Competing teams include Bowling Green, Silverthorn, Shelby Valley, Caldwell Co., South Warren, d'Youville Catholic, Collins, Doss, Spring Hill, Owensboro, Franklin Co., and Logan Co.

Then on Wednesday, the Hardee's Holiday Classic tournament begins at Warren East High School. Participating Girls' teams include Bullitt Central, Franklin-Simpson, Central Hardin, Barren Co., Leslie Co., Crittenden Co., and Warren East with Boys' teams from Graves Co., Gerrard Co., Boone Co., Green Co., Russellville, and Warren East. Also in the region are the Rafferty's Holiday Classic at Edmonson Co. HS and the TJ Samson Hospital Christmas Classic at Barren Co. HS Tuesday through Thursday.

Call 270-746-2300 for more information about the Citizens First Holiday Classic and 270-781-1277 for more on the Hardee's Holiday Classic.

Next week offers some fabulous opportunities to party like it's 1999 as we say goodbye to 2011! Kicking off the week is the 12th Annual Jambodians Holiday Bash at the Sloan Convention Center Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Get tickets for one or both nights and hear from legends including the Kentucky Headhunters and Black Oak Arkansas plus new bands Sleeper Agent, Canago and Morning Teleportation who are making a name for BG.

Tidball's, the local bar where a lot of these new bands including Cage the Elephant got their start, will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary on Wednesday night with music from Wayne Whitehouse and Fat Box. Then on Saturday, Sam 100.7's Rockin' New Year's Eve Bash featuring Tyrone Dunn Experiment will be at Sloan Convention Center. Reserve your table at WhaBah Steakhouse to hear Andy and the Rockers in concert or at Crossroads Bar & Grill at Ramada Inn to dance in the New Year with Roxcel.

Visit the link below to get details and contacts for each of these festive events plus information about the 7th Annual "A Night at the Apollo" taking place Friday.

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 - Dec. 31 Dollar Days, National Corvette Museum, $1 Admission for Kentucky residents, 781-7973, corvettemuseum.org

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

Ongoing - Dec. 31 Carriage Rides, Downtown BG, Mon-Fri 6-9pm, Sat-Sun 1-7pm, No rides 12/17, Adults $5, Kids 13 & under $1, 792-3838

Ongoing - Dec. 23 33rd Annual Trees of Christmas, Eloise B. Houchens Center, free, M-F 10am-2pm, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1-4pm, 842-6761

Ongoing - Jan. 3 2011 All Kentucky Juried Show, Capitol Arts Center, Houchens & Mezzanine Galleries, 782-2787, capitolarts.com

Ongoing - Jan. 7 Bill Guffey Exhibit, The Gallery at 916, opening reception 12/2, M-F 11am-6pm, Sat 11am-2pm, 843-5511, thegalleryat916.com

Ongoing - Feb. 18 History to Practice Graphic Design Exhibit, KY Museum, M-Sat 9am-4pm, 745-2592, wku.edu/museum

20 Gingerbread House Fun, Warren Co Public Library Main Branch, construct a gingerbread house for the holidays, 5:30pm, registration required, 781-4882 x. 212

20, 22 The Star of Bethlehem, WKU Hardin Planetarium, see the Bethlehem sky from time of Christ's birth, 7pm, free, 745-4044

24 Breakfast with Santa, Chaney's Dairy Barn, 8-9:30 am & 10-11:30 am, advanced reservation only, Adults $9.95, Children 3-10 $5.95, 843-5567, chaneysdairybarn.com

27-28 12th Annual Jambodians Holiday Bash, Sloan Convention Center, show starts 5:30pm each day, food specials from 4-6pm, 799-1718, sonrhea.org

28 Tidball's 10 Year Anniversary Party, Tidball's Bar, 9pm, 793-9955

30 7th Annual "A Night at The Apollo," UAW Hall, doors open 7:30pm, show begins 8:30pm, advance tickets $20, $25 at the door, 782-7900

31 All Aboard Series: L&N China, Historic Railpark & Train Museum, 8:30am, 745-7317, historicrailpark.com

31 WKU Men's Basketball vs. FIU, E.A. Diddle Arena, 2pm, 745-5222, wkusports.com

31 WhaBah's New Year's Eve 2012, WhaBah Steakhouse, 9pm, 782-6400, whabah.com

31 Sam 100.7's Rockin' New Years Eve Bash, Sloan Convention Center, 784-9560 for tickets, ticketweb.com

31 Roxcel's New Year's Eve Party, Crossroads Bar & Grill at Ramada Inn, doors open at 6:30pm, 392-2554, roxcelband.com

January 5-8 "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory", Phoenix Theatre, Fountain Square Players

January 14-April 15 It's A Nano World Exhibit, National Corvette Museum

January 14 KY FIRST Lego League State Robotics Tournament, WKU E.A. Diddle Arena

January 14 Antique Tractor Show, WKU Ag Expo Center

January 20 Newgrass Series Concert, John Cowan Band, WhaBah Steakhouse

January 20-21 Nature Watch Weekend- Sandhill Cranes, Barren River Lake State Resort Park

January 21 Big Band Blast, Orchestra KY Big Band and Dorsey Sisters, Capitol Arts Center

Remember that great gifts can be found in our Gift Shop as well as many of our fantastic attractions' gift shops around town!

The Bowling Green Area CVB wishes you a very Merry Christmas. Our office will be closed Dec. 23-26 and Dec. 30-Jan. 2. Several area brochures including our BG Visitor's Guide and Area Coupon Book are available 24 hours a day from our front porch rack at 352 Three Springs Road. See you in '12!