Things to Do in Country Club Hills

Held in mid-January, the 3rd Annual Indoor Custom Car Show & Expo Presented by Manteno Ford heats up the heart of winter with a stylish collection of classic muscle cars and hot rods. Car enthusiasts flock to view the entry field of supped up Corvettes, Mustangs, and Camaros, as well as imports, motorcycles, and low riders. Judges will select winners from more than 30 categories, including best modified vehicles, best street rod, and best-tasting hood ornament.

Thunder Bowl's 24 slick Brunswick Pro Anvilane lanes echo with the cacophony of wooden pins knocked askew. Behind automatic ball returns dispensing massive marbles, bar tables host groups as they taunt each other over the totals displayed across television scoreboards. Optional bumpers level the playing field for young kids and wiffle-ball pitchers who have trouble hurling things in a straight line, and cosmic bowling eschews traditional lights for a blacklit atmosphere. As families, friends, and league teams sling smooth boulders across polished wooden surfaces, Morgan's, the bar next door, hosts billiards, darts, and a menu of pizza, wings, and burgers.

Balls hurtle toward clusters of pins at Centennial Lanes during open bowl sessions scheduled seven days a week. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, a black-light system and lasers illumine the award-winning center with a neon glow during cosmic bowl bouts scored to the thumping beats of music videos and songs requested by players. The in-house Little Bear's ProShop equips participants with necessary gear for forthcoming frames, such as new bowling balls or domesticated big bad wolves that will blow down still-standing pins. After games, visitors can retire to the banquet room for a birthday feast or saunter into the lounge for rounds of karaoke or billiards.