Week of November 19- 25

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.

Beech Bend Raceway's 2012 season comes to a close this weekend with the Thanksgiving Bracket Nationals. Grab your earplugs and take in enough NHRA action to last the winter as the Super-Pro with Delay hot shots run freebie time trials both Friday and Saturday mornings. Paying up to 64 places and awarding a $10,000 winner each day, there is sure to be some heated competition!

Why not take in a different kind of 'burn out' while the crowds at the shopping centers are burning each other out! Spectator admission is just $10 per person and children 12 and under are free with an adult. Friday and Saturday's eliminations start immediately following the time-trials that begin at 8:30 am. On Sunday, eliminations begin bright and early at 9 am. Click on the link below or call 270-781-7634 for more information.

After hitting the sales at the 'Big Box Stores' this Friday, why not dedicate your Saturday to Small Businesses! That's the idea behind Small Business Saturday, a day between Black Friday and Cyber Monday to support local businesses nationwide. Last year, over one hundred million people came together to Shop Small® in their communities on Small Business Saturday®.

In Bowling Green, head to beautiful downtown Fountain Square Park and the District to find a variety of locally-owned shops and boutiques. From Barbara Stewart Interiors and Gallery 916 to The Pots Place, Morris Jewelry and Candle Makers on the Square, you're sure to complete your shopping list! To learn more about Small Business Saturday, visit www.shopsmall.com. To learn more about our downtown businesses, follow the link below.

To view the complete calendar of upcoming events, visit our Events section here.

All phone numbers are area code 270 unless otherwise noted.

Ongoing - Nov. 31 Military Appreciation Month, National Corvette Museum, free admission for all military & service personnel, 8am- 5pm, 781-7973, corvettemuseum.org

Ongoing - Dec. 13 Henderson: A Week in the Life of a Kentucky County Exhibit, WKU Mass Media & Technology Hall Gallery, M-F 9am- 5pm, 745-4144

Ongoing - Dec. 22 ArtWorks All Kentucky Juried Exhibition, Thoroughbred Sq. behind Rafferty's, artworksinc.org

Ongoing - Dec. 31 Creating a Barn Quilt: Drakes Creek Middle School Exhibit, SKyPAC Children's Gallery, 904-5000, theskypac.com

Ongoing - Dec. 31 Ed Nash: Terrains Exhibit, SKyPAC Main Gallery, 904-5000, theskypac.com

Ongoing - Dec. 31 Country Music Stars and Cars Exhibit, National Corvette Museum, 8am- 5pm, 781-7973, corvettemuseum.org

19 WKU Lady Toppers Basketball vs. Florida International, E.A. Diddle Arena, 7pm, 800-5-BIGRED, wkusports.com

20 PlanetQuest: Discovering Worlds Around Other Stars, WKU Hardin Planetarium, 7pm, free and open to the community, 745-4044

20 WKU Trombone Choir Recital, Recital Hall in FAC, 7:30pm, free and open to the community, 745-7681, wku.edu/music

22 The Great Turkey 5K Run, Keriakes Park, 8am, bgrr.com

23-24 Southern Kentucky Iron Bowl Youth Football Tournament, multiple high school fields around town, 792-7361

23-24 Old Fashioned Christmas in the Country, Rock Garden Farm in Woodburn on Nashville Rd, 10am- 5pm, 529-9144

24 Holiday Open House, Chaneys Dairy Barn, 11am- 5pm, 843-5567, chaneysdairybarn.com

24 WKU Lady Toppers Basketball vs. Illinois State, E.A. Diddle Arena, 5:30pm, 800-5-BIGRED

24 WKU Football V. North Texas, Houchens/Smith Stadium & Jimmy Feix Field, 12pm, 800-5 BIG RED, wkusports.com

24 WKU Men's Basketball vs. Brescia, E.A Diddle Arena, 7:30pm, 745-5222, wkusports.com

November 26 Home for the Holidays, Orchestra Kentucky featuring the Nashville Choir, VIP Series, SKyPAC

November 26-28 Polar Express Storytimes, Historic Railpark and Train Museum

November 28-29 Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker, SKyPAC

November 29 March of Dimes Signature Chef's Auction, Sloan Convention Center

November 30 Holiday Bash: Fundraiser for numerous local charities, National Corvette Museum

November 30 Downtown Lights Up, Fountain Square Park

November 30- Dec. 2 Festival of Trains, Railpark and Train Museum

December 1 BG-WC Jaycees Christmas Parade, Begins at Main & College Streets

December 1 Christmas in Kentucky, Kentucky Museum

December 1 Christmas at Shakertown, South Union Shaker Village

December 1 Landmark Association Christmas Tour of Homes, Various homes in Bowling Green

December 4 20th Annual Bowling Green Area Prayer Breakfast, National Corvette Museum

December 6-9 Walk Through Bethlehem, Grace Baptist Church

December 6-9 Little Women, Capitol Arts Center

December 6-16 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, PTK Mainstage Theater, Phoenix Theatre

December 7 Smiths Grove Christmas Parade, "A Small Town Christmas"

For a list of all upcoming Holiday Events around Bowling Green, visit our Holiday site at www.visitbgky.com/holiday.

Here's wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving from the BG Area Convention & Visitors Bureau! The office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 22-23, for the holiday. Brochures, maps, coupons and event information will still be available on our front porch on Three Springs Road, plus a listing of available dining options is posted.