Week of March 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.

The Bowling Green Gallery Hop returns just in time to continue the artistic and cultural buzz surrounding last weekend's opening of the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center in BG. Head out this Friday evening and explore the current exhibitions at more than a dozen galleries, museums and studio centers around town, including SKyPAC! This is the community's chance to engage with the artists, learn about the venues, and fill your evening with artful inspiration.

New to the Hop this year are Artistic Soul, BigHead Studios, Rudloff & Rudloff, Tea Squares, Werner Lowe, and did we mention SKyPAC?! Pick up a brochure with the Hop map at any one of the venues Friday or visit the link below to plan your route. Several venues will have light fare available, so let it kick off your weekend or be your entire night out. Can't make this Hop? Don't worry, there will be four more this year!

The two newest attractions in downtown Bowling Green will be celebrating the community and their fans this weekend with free events. To kick-off the final countdown to the start of the season on April 5, the Bowling Green Hot Rods will be hosting a free Fan Fest this Saturday at the Bowling Green Ballpark. Fans can enjoy behind-the-scenes ballpark tours, prizes, inflatables for the kids, purchase single-day tickets, and much more! Visit bghotrods.com or call 270-901-2121 for more details.

Then on Sunday, the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center welcomes the public for a Free Community Day including performances of live music, various chorus and vocal artists, dance and visual art activities. Concessions will be available (cash only) and there will be drawings throughout the day for tickets to select SKyPAC performances. Visit theskypac.com or call 270-904-1880 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 - Mar. 25 BGWC Youth Exhibition, Capitol Arts Center Galleries, M-F 9am-5pm, 782-2787, capitolarts.com

Ongoing - Mar. 30 Side by Side Art Exhibit, Kentucky Museum, featuring works by VSA Kentucky, 745-2592, vsartsky.org

Ongoing - Mar. 31 US Bank Celebration of the Arts, Kentucky Museum, M-Sat 9am- 4pm, 745-2592, wku.edu/museum

Ongoing - Apr. 10 Jennifer Anderson Engram Exhibit, WKU Ivan Wilson FAC 2D Corridor Gallery, wku.edu/art

Ongoing - April 15 It's A Nano World Exhibit, National Corvette Museum, 8am-5pm, 781-7973, corvettemuseum.org

Ongoing - April 30 "A House Divided: Civil War Money" Exhibit, Historic Railpark & Train Museum, 745-7317, historicrailpark.com

12 From Russia With Love featuring Cirque de la Symphonie, Orchestra KY, SKyPAC, 7:30pm, 846-2426, OrchestraKentucky.com

13 WKU Baseball vs. Butler, Nick Denes Field, Tues 3pm, 1-800-5-BIG RED, wkusports.com

13 Guest Artists, Small & Yang, flute and piano recital, WKU Choral Hall, 7:30pm, free, wku.edu/music, 745-3751

13- Apr. 27 The Artistry of Water, VSA Arts Access Gallery, vsartsky.org, 781-0872

The U.S. Air Force Band of Flight, Woodwind Quintet, WKU Choral Hall, 11:30am, wku.edu/music, 745-3751

14 Student Juried Exhibition, WKU FAC Main Gallery, 745-3944, wku.edu/art

15-18 I'll Be In The Locker, Zen and The Act of Empathy, PTK After Hours Production, Phoenix Theatre, Th 7pm, Fri-Sat 8pm, Sun 3pm, 781-6233, ptkbg.org

16 'Stories and Songs' Tour, Christian artist Tobymac, Hillvue Heights Church, 7pm, 1-888-339-2936, wayfm.com

16 East Meets West, The Symphony at WKU, Van Meter Auditorium, 8 pm, 745-3751, thesymphonyatwku.org

16 101st Airborne Division Band, SKyPAC, 7:30pm, free ticketed event, 904-1880, theskypac.com

16 Civil War Days for Area Schools, Kentucky Museum, 2 sessions available, 8:30am & 11:30am, 745-2592

16-17 Feed the Need, United Way of Southern Kentucky Food Drive, donate at many area stores including Kroger, SaveALot, Houchens Markets & Dollar General Markets, 10am-6pm Friday, 9am-1pm Saturday, 843-3205, uwsk.org

17 Test & Tune Drag Racing, Beech Bend Raceway, Noon-5pm, 781-7634, beechbend.com

17 A Vocal Recital: Jessica Boeglin & Ben Goodwin, WKU Choral Hall, 7:30pm, free, wku.edu/music, 745-3751

17 West KY Flat Shod Sale, WKU Brown Ag Expo Center, 745-3976, wku.edu/expo

17 Roller Derby Bouts, Vette City Vixens vs. Derby City Roller Girls & BG Hot Broads vs. Red River Sirens, The Skate Box, doors open at 4pm, first bout at 5pm, 843-3394, vettecityrollerderby.com

17 Junior Naturalist Program, Lost River Cave, 2-4pm, ages 6-12, $10 individual session, 393-0077, lostrivercave.com

17 Rated K for Kids, Orchestra Kentucky, SKyPAC, 6 pm, 846-2426, OrchestraKentucky.com

17 Music in the Studio, Featuring Canago & Live Painting by Stephen Wells, SKyPAC, 9pm, 904-1880, theskypac.com

17 Smiths Grove Branch Grand Opening activities, Warren County Public Library, The Wulfe Bros., Broadway the Clown, balloon launch, 9am, free, 563-6651, warrenpl.org

17 2012 Race for a Wish, benefiting Make A Wish, Ephram White Park, 5k run 9 am & 2 mile walk 9:15 am, 790-9669, facebook.com/raceforawish

18 NHRA Drag Racing, Beech Bend Raceway, gates open at 10am, 781-7634, beechbend.com

18 The Music of Charlie Parker, WKU Choral Hall, 3 pm, lecture/recital with John Cipolla, 745-3751, wku.edu/music

18 A Junior Recital: William Pope, WKU Choral Hall, 6pm, free, wku.edu/music, 745-3751

March 19 Cultural Enhancement Series: Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's, WKU Van Meter Hall

March 19 Damn Yankees, Broadway Series, SKyPAC

March 19-20 [title of show] & Hard Candy, WKU Gordon Wilson Lab Theatre

March 20 "Kentucky's Abraham Lincoln" History Mobile, Historic Railpark & Train Museum

March 21-24 Duck-Duck-Goose Consignment Sale, Potter Children's Home Gymnasium

March 22 Taste of Bowling Green, benefiting The Dream Factory, Sloan Convention Center

March 23 The Hundred Dresses, Art Education Task Force, WKU Van Meter Auditorium

March 24 Spring Awakenings, 2nd Stage Production, Capitol Arts Center

March 24 WWE SmackDown: Road to WrestleMania 28, WKU E.A. Diddle Arena

March 25 WKU CHOIRS Spring Concert, Van Meter Auditorium

March 29- Apr.1 39 Hours, Rich Pond Baptist Church Easter Production

March 29-April 1 "Murder on the Nile", Fountain Square Players, Phoenix Theater

March 30 Sam Bush, Nashville North Series, SKyPAC

March 30 WKU Choral Concert, RedShirts &TrebleMakers, First Christian Church

March 30-31 Total Fitness Connection's Run and Walk for Children, Basil Griffin Park

March 30- April 1 Willy Wonka, Greenwood HS Spring Musical, Capitol Arts Center

March 30-April 1 2012 Black Diamond Blues & Tattoos Convention, Sloan Convention Center

March 30- April 1 Amateur Disc Golf Championships, various courses around town

March 31 Easter Egg Hunt, Riverview at Hobson Grove

The BG Area CVB would like to congratulate the WKU Men's Basketball team on their Sun Belt Conference Tournament win! Good luck Tuesday against Mississippi Valley State on the road to the NCAA Tournament!