Like Elvis Presley fans on a pilgrimage to Graceland, Corvette owners from around the country make the trip to Bowling Green to celebrate the cars they love in the place they are manufactured.

About 1,000 Corvette enthusiasts will be in town this weekend for the annual C5/C6 Bash at the National Corvette Museum.

“This is one of the biggest events of the year,” said Roc Linkov, events manager for the Corvette Museum. “We have people coming from all over.

“Anybody is welcome,” he added. “It’s more of a celebration of people than of cars. Corvette is a very social group.”

Linkov said events such as the C5/C6 Bash are wonderful times for locals to come enjoy the museum, as well as the cars.

“Corvette museum events are a great time to see a lot of really nice cars and meet folks who are passionate about cars that are made right here in Bowling Green,” said Katie Frassinelli, marketing and communications manager for the museum. “They all feel like Bowling Green is their second home.

“Locals can just come out and browse the parking lot to see really cool Corvettes,” she added.

Those interested in seeing even more can enter the museum and see the American Muscle Car Exhibit, which features several classic muscle cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s.

“It’s a great opportunity to see all kinds of cars,” Linkov said.

Guests can also register for the C5/C6 Bash at the museum for $25 and registration includes admission to the museum and all bash activities.

“The Corvette events are targeted to different Corvette groups,” Linkov said. C5/C6 refers to the fifth and sixth generations of Corvettes, those made since 1997.

The bash features all sorts of activities and runs from Thursday through Saturday.

“We have a lot of road tours,” Linkov said. “We try to vary them from year to year.”

The tours are popular and give Corvette owners a chance to cruise country roads and gather with other owners.

This year, tours include a Center for Courageous Kids Charity Event, My Old Kentucky Home Road Tour, a Cheese and Wine Road Tour and a General Jackson Lunch Cruise.

Linkov said another popular part of the event is the Corvette Race Team. The team will have a huge display set up and will be on hand to talk to guests.

“The Corvette Race Team is very popular in the Corvette community,” Linkov said.

The bash also has events geared toward women. The Ladies’ Oasis features massages, nail treatments, hand scrubs and a relaxation area. The Ladies’ Garage Party gives women a chance to learn basics of car maintenance and how to be a smart consumer of automotive services. Two female engineers from General Motors will lead the Garage Party.

Other events during the bash include several seminars on Corvette care and maintenance, an auction, a golf cart autocross, the unveiling of the new Corvette model and more. Participants also are invited to the Downtown Fountain Square Wine and Cheese Welcome on Friday evening, which will feature demonstrations and activities around downtown, encouraging guests to shop and eat at places around the square.

“It’s really great for our economy,” Frassinelli said.

— To find out more about the C5/C6 Bash, go to www.corvettemuseum.com.