Week of May 14-20

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.

Speed demons can check out the non-motorized action in Vette City this weekend at the 15th Annual BB&T All American Soap Box Derby, the 3rd largest local race in the country! This youth sporting program is "as wholesome and American as apple pie," and Bowling Green knows a thing or two about Americana. These racers have been preparing for months, so come out and support this child-centered, family- and community-oriented event.

Watch the stock cars whiz by beginning Friday at 4:30 p.m., then the competition continues Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. with the awards ceremony at approximately 5 p.m. The winners of this race advance to represent the area in the national championship in Akron, Ohio, and winners of the national competition receive college scholarships. To learn more, visit the link below.

The "Sounds of Independence" will certainly be ringing throughout Bowling Green this Saturday as Independence Bank presents John Mellencamp featuring the Court Yard Hounds in concert! The free event will take place at WKU Houchens Industries- L.T. Smith Stadium and gates open at 4:30 p.m. To help introduce Freedom Square, the bank's newest location in BG, President Brad Howard says, "We are having a free concert to say 'Thank you' to 21,000+ of our closest customers and friends!"

Mellencamp is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Grammy Award winner, Woody Guthrie Award and Billboard Century Award recipient who has released 26 albums with 22 top 40 hits through the course of his music career. Fans will recognize the harmonies of Court Yard Hounds' members Martie Maguire and Emily Robison from their days in the popular country group, The Dixie Chicks.

Visit the link below to learn more or call 270-781-1776.

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. (Sam Bush Photo by David Clister)

Ongoing - May 8 Paintings by Myra Dwyer, Capitol Arts Center Mezzanine Gallery, M-F 9am-5pm, 782-2787, capitolarts.com

Ongoing - May 12 Spring Graduating Seniors Exhibition, WKU Ivan Wilson FAC 2D Corridor Gallery & Main Gallery, wku.edu/art

Ongoing - May 31 Reach Higher: Women and Children Learning Together Exhibit, Southern KY Performing Arts Center Children's Gallery, M-F 11am-6pm, 904-1880, theskypac.com

Ongoing - June 30 John S. Hockensmith: Spanish Mustangs Exhibit, Southern KY Performing Arts Center Main Gallery, M-F 11am-6pm, 904-1880, theskypac.com

Ongoing - July 27 Callaway Corvettes & 50th Anniversary of Z06 Exhibit, National Corvette Museum, 781-7973, 8am-5pm daily, corvettemuseum.org

14-15 Bowling Green Hot Rods vs. South Bend Silver Hawks, BG BallPark, 901-2121, bghotrods.com

15 WKU Baseball vs. Eastern Kentucky, Nick Denes Field, Tues 6pm, 1-800-5-BIG RED, wkusports.com

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

16 Summer Workshop Series: Finding Funds that Fit, WKU ALIVE Center, 9am-12pm, $10, 782-0082, wku.edu/alive

16-18 Bowling Green Hot Rods vs. Dayton Dragons, BG BallPark, 5/17 is NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) BG Affiliate Night, portion of ticket proceeds using 901-2121, bghotrods.com

17 From Dreams to Reality: A Roadmap for Rehabilitation, downtown historic preservation workshop, 601 State St., 9am-4:30pm, free but pre-registration required by 5/14, 877-499-9889

17 New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Palmer, Christ Episcopal Church, 6pm, 781-4882, warrenpl.org

17-19 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Regional Golf Championship, The Club at Olde Stone, 393-4653, olde-stone.com

17-19 2012 C4/ ZR-1 Gathering, National Corvette Museum, 800-53-VETTE, corvettemuseum.org

17-19 WKU Baseball vs. Middle Tennessee, Nick Denes Field, Thur 6pm, Fri 6pm, Sat 1pm, 1-800-5-BIG RED, wkusports.com

17-20 "Designing Women Live", Phoenix Theatre, Th- Sat 8 pm, Sun 3 pm, $10-$12, performances of two episodes of the show, 782-3119, fountainsquareplayers.org

18 TS Performance All Diesel Drags, Beech Bend Raceway, 781-7634, tsperfromance.com

18 Cruisin For A Cure Friday Night Block Party, Bruster's Ice Cream, 5-9 pm, bring your lawn chairs and enjoy free cruise in and live music featuring Erica Nicole, Lindsey Whitaker and Salvagetown, 535-8930

19 Junior Naturalist Program, Lost River Cave, 2-4pm, ages 6-12, $50 for all 6 programs, $10 individual session, 393-0077, lostrivercave.com/kidsactivities.html

19 Make it Shine Car Show & Silent Auction, benefiting National MS Chapter, BG High School, 9am-12pm, $15 pre-registered cars, $20 onsite, 438-8929, mscarshow2012@yahoo.com

19 Bowling Green Rose Society 50th Rose Show, American Legion Post #23, 1:30-4pm, 842-3475, home.insightbb.com/~bgrs

19 3rd Annual S-10 Super Nationals, Beech Bend Raceway, 8 am-4 pm, 781-7634, s10racer.com

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

19 Comedian Jon Reep, Octane Series, Southern KY Performing Arts Center, 7:30pm, 904-1880, theskypac.com

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

19-20 NMA 2012 Kentuckiana Regional Qualifier, Ballance Moto X, Gates open 6am Sat & Sun, $20/ $10 both Sat & Sun, $10/ $5 Sun only, 792-7223, ballancemotox.com

20 Fairy Garden Tour & Tea Party, several locations, 1-4pm, Tea & Punch Reception at Covington Woods Park, 3-5pm, Bowling Green Garden Club, $10 tickets available at Riley's Bakery, Wild Bird & Nature Store

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

20-24 Bosnian Movie Week at WKU, Mass Media & Technology Hall Auditorium, Bosnian-related films nightly, 6:30pm except Sunday at 6pm, free, Photo Gallery 'In the Depth of My Land' also available for viewing, 320-6151

May 22 Riverdance, Southern KY Performing Arts Center

May 23-27 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championships, Bowling Green Ballpark

May 25-27 17th Bosniak Convention of North America, several activities open to the public at Sloan Convention Center & Bosnian Islamic Center

May 26-27 Nostalgia Drag Racing League Quick Fuel Spring Drags, Beech Bend Raceway

May 26-27 Miniature Horse Show, WKU Ag Expo Center

May 28- June 2 'i love bg' Week, various locations around town

May 30 Z06 Fest, National Corvette Museum

May 31- June 2 2012 Zpeedfest, National Corvette Museum & Beech Bend Raceway

May 31- June 3 400 Mile Sale, dozens of communities along Hwy. 68 through Kentucky

June 1 Bowling Green Gallery Hop, various studios & galleries around town

June 2 'i love bg' Day, various events around town, Bowling Green Ballpark

June 1-2 Relay for Life of Warren County, Bowling Green High School

June 1-2 Ice Cream & A Moovie, Chaney's Dairy Barn, Puss In Boots

June 1-3 Glasgow Highland Games, Barren River Lake State Resort Park

June 1-3 ATVMX Bluegrass Nationals, Ballance Motox

June 2 Bluegrass Draft Horse & Mule Championship, WKU Ag Expo Center