People can tantalize their taste buds and help make children’s dreams come true at the upcoming Taste of Bowling Green.

Sponsored by the southcentral chapter of the Kentucky Restaurant Association, the event will be from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday at the Sloan Convention Center. Tickets, which are $35 per person, are available at all Chuck’s Liquor Stores, The Balloon-A-Gram Co., News Inn, from any Dream Factory volunteer and at the door on the evening of the event.

Proceeds will benefit the Dream Factory of Bowling Green, a volunteer organization that fulfills dreams for critically and chronically ill children ages 3 to 18 in southcentral Kentucky.

“Dream Factory is the only wish-granting organization that’s over 98 percent volunteer,” said Mark Hollingsworth, Dream Factory vice president and Taste of Bowling Green co-chairman. “There are three staff positions in the headquarters in Louisville, but the rest is volunteer.”

Last year’s fundraiser drew about 750 people and collected just less than $40,000 before expenses. The event helps the local organization grant five to eight dreams a year, Hollingsworth said.

“We’ve sent them on cruises. We’ve sent them to Disney World. We have one child meeting the wrestlers of the (World Wrestling Entertainment),” he said. “We’ve had shopping sprees. It’s whatever the kid wants. We strongly encourage the child to make the choice, not the parents.”

Taste of Bowling Green will include 43 different distributors with a variety of food and drink, including soda, beer, spirits, gyros, dessert, wings, coffee, lasagna, bourbon chicken on a stick, a chocolate fountain, ribs, salmon, shrimp, sushi and more.

“Nearly all the restaurants in Bowling Green are participating this year,” Hollingsworth said. “There will be every type of thing you can think of to munch on.”

The event also will include entertainment by Skip Bond and the Fugitives, door prizes and a silent auction of at least 20 items, including autographed items from PGA golfer Kenny Perry, Seagrass Spa package, pizza/game night basket, a basket from Simply Tasteful, some items from the University of Kentucky, a rocking glider and a weekend getaway to Gatlinburg, Tenn.

“Our board members solicit things from people they know or buy things to donate,” said Kendra Turner, Dream Factory treasurer and a member of the Taste of Bowling Green committee.

Turner believes people will enjoy the evening.

“It’s a great night of fun for a good cause,” she said. “It’s a great place to network and have a great time.”

— For more information, call 793-1022, 780-2686 or 799-1529 or visit www.tasteofbowlinggreen.com.