Week of September 2

Welcome to our "What's Happening" email, designed to provide you with a glance at opportunities for an unbridled good time in the Bowling Green area.

US Bank Balloons, Tunes and BBQ is back again September 5-8, 2013 at the BG-WC Regional Airport benefiting United Way of Southern Kentucky! They're going bigger than ever this year with more live entertainment and the return of the BBQ competition. Featured as a Top 10 Festival & Event for Fall 2013 by the Kentucky Travel Industry Association, there's lots of fun to be had each night of this annual Bowling Green festival.

Thursday night is Kid's Night! Bring them for a carnival midway, ice cream, BBQ (of course), meet the professional hot air balloon pilots and watch a live performance from Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, best known as Abby Cadabby on t.v.'s "Sesame Street." Tickets: $5/person.

Friday is Family Night with tethered balloon rides, inflatables, the Balloon Glow and special "Flashback Friday" live music provided by John Ford Coley and Terry Sylvester. Tickets: $10/person.

Saturday begins with the competitive hot air balloon fly-in, then the carnival midway opens at noon with the BBQ cook-off. The famous Hare and Hound hot air balloon takeoff begins that night, along with concerts from Floord, Justin Rivers, Brent Rupard and country music sensation Randy Houser. Tickets: $15/person.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, please call 270-745-7532 or visit the website below.

Hundreds of competitors and spectators from across the U.S. and Canada will arrive in Bowling Green this week for the 4th Annual Holley LS Fest at Beech Bend Raceway September 6-8, 2013. One of Bowling Green's signature automotive celebrations, the event continues the over 60-year tradition of bringing high speed and performance enthusiasts to southern Kentucky.

Participants and spectators can expect to see the following events at LS Fest: Drag Racing (including a new Pro Extreme LSX class), Autocross, the brand new 3S Challenge (Speed, Stop and Steering), Drift Challenge, Show-N-Shine, Dyno Challenge and Engine Swap Challenge.

Food vendors will be on site. Tickets for LS Fest can be purchased on-site at Beech Bend and are $12 for a single day pass or $25 for all three days. WKU student tickets with a valid I.D. are $8 and spectator admission for automotive students in the region is free. Children 16 and under are free. Gates open for spectators at 8 a.m. all three days. For more information, please call 270-782-2900 or visit the website below.

September 13 Oval Track Racing, Beech Bend Raceway

September 13-14 Ice Cream & a Moovie, Chaney's Dairy Barn

September 14 2013 South Central Kentucky Heart Walk, Kereiakes Park

September 14 Music in the Barn, South Union Shaker Village

September 14 Symphony Day at Jackson's Orchard, free concert

September 14 Second Saturdays Festival, Downtown at Fountain Square Park

September 14 Lost River Music Festival, Circus Square Park

September 14 O'Reilly Saturday Night Fun Racing, Beech Bend Raceway

September 15 NHRA Drag Racing, Beech Bend Raceway

September 15 Brain Freeze Bike Challenge, Chaney's Dairy Barn

September 16 Come and See the Show: Music that Inspired Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Orchestra Kentucky VIP Series, SKyPAC

September 17 Cultural Enhancement Series: Ozomatli, Van Meter Hall

September 20 Classic Jazz, tThe Symphony at WKU, Van Meter Hall

September 20-21 Ring of Fire, SKyPAC

September 20-22 2013 FOL Used Book Sale, Historic Railpark & Train Museum

September 19-22 Parade of Homes September 21 Halloween Warm Up Disc Golf Tournament, Kereiakes Park

September 21- January 3, 2014 Two-Wheel Speed: Motorcycle Exhibit, National Corvette Museum<

September 21 Chaney's Dairy Barn Birthday Bash, 10-year anniversary celebration

September 21 WKU Football vs. Morgan State, Houchens L.T. Smith Stadium

September 21 Vette City Roller Derby, The Skate Box

September 22 NHRA Drag Racing, Beech Bend Raceway

For your convenience, a bulletin board of events and a full brochure rack are located on the front porch of the Visitors Bureau if you need information when the main office is closed.