National Corvette Homecoming a Top 10 Summer Event in KY

The Kentucky Tourism Council selected the 29th Annual National Corvette Homecoming as part of its 2010 Summer Top Ten Festivals & Events.

Held at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green, July 16-18, say "Welcome Home" to America's favorite sports car and its enthusiasts while viewing row upon row of the sleek, shiny marvels of modern engineering both inside and outside. While Corvettes from all generations compete for awards and prizes, there will be vendors, crafts, an all-Corvette parade, an open cruise-in, seminars and many more fun activities throughout the weekend. For more information, go to http://www.corvettehomecoming.com/ or call 270-791-2117.

What's Happening in Bowling Green this weekend?

It's the biggest Hot Rod event of the year for Southern Kentucky... the Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion out at Beech Bend Raceway! Read the full What's Happening newsletter to find out about free events around town you can attend to catch a glimpse of these beauties. Also this weekend, Fountain Square Players presents Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, the BG Hot Rods are in town and there's an organized bike ride Saturday plus lots more!

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What's Happening in Bowling Green this Weekend?

Check out the Southern KY Model Aero Club's Bluegrass Jet Jam, the BG Gallery Hop, Tour de Cave Bike Ride, National Trails Day celebrations, plus the famous 400 Mile Sale this weekend!   Take a scenic trip across Kentucky from Paducah to Maysville and treasure hunt the whole way! Make a weekend out of exploring the rustic beauty of the state during the "Antiques, Collectibles and Stuff" 400 Mile Sale. Several sites around Bowling Green and Warren County will be participating all weekend including Rockfield Elementary School and Hillwood Estates. Then on Saturday, swing by The Houchens Center, L&N Depot and Vette City Antiques and check out their sales. Also take advantage of Smiths Grove's city- wide yard sale on Saturday. Call 270-781-6858 or visit the link below for more information about the 400 Mile Sale.

To see the full lineup of events this weekend, click here for the full What's Happening or check out our calendar at http://www.visitbgky.com/.

What's Happening in Bowling Green this Week

2010 KY Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Spring Fair   Looking to entertain company this weekend or searching for that one-of-a-kind decorative piece for your home or garden? Then come out to the Sloan Convention Center this weekend for the KY Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Spring Fair. Now in its 49th year, KGAC brings together some of the most talented people across Kentucky to provide an opportunity for art lovers to purchase some of the highest quality hand made products. The two-day event features live demonstrations, hands-on activities and quality pieces in glass, ironwork, jewelry, pottery, wood, and more. Admission is $5 for adults and children 12 and under are free. Visit http://www.kyguild.org/ or call 859-986-3192 for more information.


BG Hot Rods Home Stretch   Kick off the beginning of summer with the Bowling Green Hot Rods as they play thirteen consecutive home games beginning Tuesday! What better way to celebrate the season than with a cold drink, a tasty hot dog, great community friends, fun entertainment and the Americana of baseball? Enjoy promotions like Thirsty Thursdays, Friday Fireworks Extravaganza, Saturday Holley Hot Rod Parade, Super-Mega-Prize-A-Thon, and Ladies Night. On Memorial Day, the first 1,000 fans 17 and under will receive a special Hot Rods Skateboard Deck. Go to http://www.bghotrods.com/ or call 270-901-2121 for more details and a full schedule.

Check out the full What's Happening e-newsletter to see the full events calendar for the week here.

Country Inn & Suites Bowling Green Now Open

Country Inn & Suites Bowling Green opened its doors at 535 Wall Street on Monday, May 3, adding 85 rooms to the city’s hotel inventory. A member of Carlson Hotels Worldwide, the four-story property features six different room types consisting mainly of suites and double queen rooms in addition to whirlpool and kitchenette options. Meeting space also is available in a 900-square-foot room that seats up to 75 people.

Guests of the new Country Inn & Suites will notice upon arrival the hotel's country, cozy feel as they pass rocking chairs before entering the manor-like lobby featuring rich wooden accents that continue throughout the property. Fireplaces in the lobby and breakfast area plus complimentary afternoon cookies enhance the warm atmosphere of the brand.  Learn more about the property here or visit www.countryinns.com/bowlinggreenky.

Happenings this Weekend

National Train Day 
Celebrate National Train Day this Saturday by visiting the Historic Railpark & Train Museum and enjoy special model train displays plus half-price admission for Warren County residents. Also, catch the new "All-Aboard" mini- series on KET featuring the Bowling Green Museum for in-depth, behind-the-scenes coverage of some of the vintage railcars there on display. Episode 2 airs this Sunday at 9:30 p.m. with Episode 3 airing next Sunday, May 16.  Call 270-745-7317 or visit the website for more information.

BiG Cruise
Classics, customs, muscle cars, and street rods will be rolling in Bowling Green this weekend as the first BiG Cruise of the season takes place Saturday evening out at the National Corvette Museum. This series of free summer cruise-ins features live music, games, vendors and of course, tons of camaraderie!  Purchase $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win a custom-built 1952 Chevy Pickup and a trailer, both to be given away at the season finale on September 25 with all proceeds going to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. To learn more, call 270-392-0288 or visit the BiG Cruise website here.

Beech Bend Amuseument Park is scheduled to open this Friday and Saturday, but due to heavy flooding in the area, they are taking it one day at a time.  Be sure to call ahead at 270-781-7634 if you are planning a thrill-filled trip to the park this weekend.

Happenings this Weekend

Southern Kentucky Book Fest 
Game Day and God, The Cake Mix Doctor Returns, Small Town Sexy and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight... these are just a few of the titles you can learn more about at this Saturday's 12th Annual Southern Kentucky Book Fest. Join WKU Libraries, Barnes & Noble and the Warren County Public Library at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center where you can meet with authors, restock your library and generally share the love of reading at this free event.  Headlining authors include legal thriller writer Lisa Scottoline, children's author Laura Numeroff, and the voice of the Kentucky Wildcats, Tom Leach .  Visit http://www.sokybookfest.org/ or call 270-745- 5016 for more information.
 Steel Magnolias  
Revolving around Truvy's Beauty Parlor, Steel Magnolias is the story of a close-knit circle of friends whose lives come together there. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle, the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town's rich curmudgeon, Ouiser; an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M'Lynn.  Filled with hilarious repartee the story moves toward tragedy when the sudden realization of their mortality affects their lives, but also draws on their underlying strength and love. Performances run from April 15- May 5 at The Phoenix Theatre each Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday- Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. Go to http://www.ptkbg.org/ or call 270-781-6233 to learn more.

Help Designate the Corvette as Kentucky's Official Sports Car

 Yesterday at the ribbon cutting for the National Corvette Museum's new driving simulators, that stagnant bill to declare the Corvette as the official sports car of Kentucky was mentioned.  In fact, Senator Mike Reynolds read a resolution passed by the state Senate that does indeed declare the iconic, Bowling Green-made vehicle the sports car of the Commonwealth.  So why is it not official yet?  Because House Bill 104 is being held up in committee, where it will more than likely fizzle out unless we speak up. 

Now this is a tough year for our legislators with the daunting task of approving a two-year budget, and many people would argue that this a trivial bill.  Before I understood the impact of tourism on our local and state economies, I probably would have agreed.  However, we think to show our gratitude and appreciation to General Motors for keeping the Corvette Assembly Plant in Kentucky would be a simple, yet amazing, gesture in a time when the Commonwealth cannot afford to lose any more jobs.

Please help designate the Corvette as the Official Sports Car of Kentucky!  We were asked to spread this word- call the Legislative Message Hotline at 1-800-372-7181 and leave a message for Senator David Williams asking him to support House Bill 104.  You will be asked to leave your name, address and phone number, then simply urge Sen. Williams to support HB 104.  It's that easy!

To learn more about the Kentucky Legislature and to read updated legislative news, visit http://www.lrc.ky.gov/. 

Controlled Burns at Mammoth Cave Possible over Next Few Days

Don't be alarmed if you see smoke hovering around parts of Mammoth Cave National Park over the next few days... weather conditions are favorable for some prescribed burns to take place.  They do this periodically to control invasive plants and allow for native vegetation to return, which often means enhancing the wildlife habitat.  It's also a great way to get rid of deadfall and reduce the risk of it igniting a larger fire later on.  The fires will NOT affect any cave tours; however, some parts of the park will be closed, including the Green River Ferry on portions of Wednesday and Friday.  If you're planning on taking the Duncan Hines Scenic Byway through the Park, you may not be able to cross the river, so call ahead to 270-758-2166 to check!  If you have breathing conditions, you may want to stay indoors if in the area.  Read more about the fires and other news from Mammoth Cave by following the link in the title or going here- http://www.nps.gov/maca/parknews/newsreleases.htm.

Area Auto Buffs Put Purpose Behind Cruising

Local group raising money for Juvenile Diabetes Research

A local group of car enthusiasts began working last fall towards a big goal of raising $100,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. After grassroots efforts such as yard sales, car washes, and roadblocks, the group known as Cruisin’ for a Cure is nearly halfway there, and a new partnership with the BiG Cruise of Bowling Green should accelerate their efforts.

Now in its third year, the BiG Cruise is a series of free summer cruise-ins for antique, custom, muscle, and modified cars. In addition to enjoying the live music, games, vendors and camaraderie, attendees can purchase raffle tickets for the season finale’s custom truck and trailer giveaway. In support of Cruisin’ for a Cure, this year BiG Cruise organizers will donate all proceeds from the raffle ticket sales to JDRF.

“We’ve given our raffle proceeds to St. Jude Children’s Hospital the past two years,” said BiG Cruise event coordinator Janet Henderson, “but when we heard about the efforts of Cruisin’ for a Cure and saw plans for the totally restored 1952 Chevy Pickup to be raffled off, we immediately knew this was a perfect fit. So, on September 25 at the final BiG Cruise, some lucky ticket holder will win a beautiful, custom-built truck or $20,000, either prize completely donated by our wonderful sponsors” Henderson continued.

“Inspired by three precious little girls who face the daily struggles of life with diabetes, we decided to host a fundraiser to help find a cure,” explains LaTasha Hatcher, one of the organizers of Cruisin’ for a Cure. “We were overwhelmed with support and ideas from our families, friends, and this great community once we had the plans in place, especially with the truck and trailer being donated to us. With the help of our sponsors, the Big Cruise, and our volunteers, we are confident that we will hit our goal and help the children that are fighting this disease,” Hatcher said.

The $5 raffle tickets will be available at all five BiG Cruises beginning May 8 at the National Corvette Museum, at each Holley Hot Rod Car Show and Parade taking place before eleven Bowling Green Hot Rods’ games, and several other locations throughout the summer including the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.  Henderson also will sell tickets as she participates in the seven-day, seven-city Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour that stops in Bowling Green on Tuesday, June 8 and at next month’s Grand Rod Run in Pigeon Forge.

Attendees at each of these events can keep up with the fundraising progress by watching a replica Shell gas pump provided by Houchens Industries as it fills up closer to the goal. Organizers will unveil the truck and kick-off the 2010 event season with a press conference at the Bowling Green Ballpark on Thursday, April 8 at 4:30 p.m. Representatives from Cruisin’ for a Cure, BiG Cruise, JDRF, and Holley Performance Products will attend along with the many truck sponsors.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is the largest worldwide organization dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes and gives more resources to diabetes research than any non-profit, non-governmental organization in the world. Since 1970, JDRF has provided more that $900 million to diabetes research. To learn more, visit http://www.jdrf.org/.

To see the full BiG Cruise schedule and learn more about this family-friendly event, visit http://www.bigcruisebg.com/.

Bowling Green declared the official Home of Newgrass Music

We just heard from our friends at the Daily News that a state bill submitted by Rep. Jim DeCesare that officially declares Bowling Green as the birthplace of Newgrass music has passed!  Sam Bush, one of the founding members of 70's band New Grass Revival and the father of Newgrass, is from Bowling Green and the band used to practice just up the road in Temple Hill.  In 2009, the first International Newgrass Festival was held here at Ballance Farms just north of town and the response was extremely positive.  Year Two of the three-day music festival is in the works for August 20-22, 2010 with The John Cowan Band headlining Friday night and Sam Bush Band on Saturday night. So now we are ready to be known as the home of the Corvette, Duncan Hines, Sam Bush and Newgrass Music!

For more details on the Newgrass Festival, go to http://www.newgrassfestival.com/.  Definitely get your tickets now if you have the slightest interest in this progressive genre of music... Year One was incredible!

81-Year-Old Dragster Named Grand Marshal of Hot Rod Reunion

Now, I've heard of a lot of seniors continuing to do the things they love, defying the odds both physically and mentally. Take Bowling Green native Duncan Hines, for example. He didn't begin endorsing products, the thing that continues to make him a household name today, until he was 70. But check this out... the Grand Marshal of this year's 8th Annual Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion is 81 years old and still races his 7,000-horsepower Top Fuel Dragster! Read all about Chris "The Greek" Karamesines here on the NHRA Motorsports Museum's website.


The NHRA Reunion returns to the historic stands at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green this Father's Day Weekend, June 18-20. Purchase your three-day spectator credentials including a pit pass for just $55 by calling 1-800-884-NHRA (6472) or on the NHRA Museum's website here. Individual day passes will be available at the event. It should be a perfect weekend for the kids to test the waters of the huge Splash Lagoon waterpark expansion next door while dad is wandering among thousands of hot rods!

Things to do in BG This Weekend

KAPOS State Cheerleading Championships
See if you have what it takes to cheer on the squads in Saturday's KAPOS State At-Large Competition at WKU Diddle Arena. For the third year in a row, Bowling Green has hosted the best cheer teams across the state as they compete for the state title in small, medium, large, or super varsity (females only); small or large coed; and traditional competition. Performances begin at 8 a.m. and tickets for spectators are only $7 per person, children in kindergarten and younger are free. Visit the www.kapos.org for a tentative schedule or for more information.

Hospice Chocolate Festival
Calling all Chocolate Lovers! Make sure you get by the Sloan Convention Center this Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. for the annual Hospice Chocolate Festival! There will be over 35 restaurants and caterers at this fundraising event, a silent auction and a celebrity cookie eating contest just for fun. Tickets for the Chocolate Festival are $10 for adults, $5 for 6-12, 5 and under are free. Visit www.hospicesoky.org or call 800-844-9479 for more info.

For a look at more things to do this week, follow the title link to the full What's Happening This Week or go to www.visitbgky.com for the full calendar.

Things to do in BG Valentine's Day weekend

Lone Star Championship Rodeo Slip on the boots, kick up your heels, and head to the WKU Ag Expo Center this weekend for the Lone Star Championship Rodeo! These cowboys and cowgirls put on a show the whole family will enjoy with bareback and saddleback riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, plus plenty more in the Wild West tradition. Visit the Lone Star Rodeo Company website to learn more or call 270-745-2578 for tickets, starting at just $14.

Trance of Romance Treat your sweetheart to a getaway this Valentine’s Day at one of our area hotels, then spend some time hand in hand strolling Fountain Square Park, hiking the valley at Lost River Cave, or exploring Mammoth Cave on Sunday with a free guided Mammoth Passage Tour. Be mesmerized by comic hypnotist Rich Guzzi Friday and Saturday at The Sloan Convention Center. Then Sunday night, attend the WKU Faculty Recital Love Changes Everything at the Fine Arts Center. Learn more about some of the area's special offers here.