Things to do in Monroe | July 15 – 21
Big weekend coming up. The NELA Legacy Color Run goes Saturday morning - 10K, 5K, or Fun Mile, all wrapping up at Flying Tiger. After that: pro wrestling in West Monroe, the Greenheads at the Civic Center, and the Beatrix Potter Tea at the Biedenharn. That last one has just 30 seats, so it is moving fast. Plus, Surge has free bowling all week for the kids.
Scroll on, Monroe.
Beating the heat at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo splash pad
Pick your distance - 10K, 5K, or Fun Mile - and run Monroe covered in color. After party at Flying Tiger when it's done. Your $30 entry splits between the NELA Teacher Symposium and the Tarver Braddock Foundation. Two good causes, one good Saturday morning.
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Free Bowling for Kids at Surge
Free bowling for kids every weekday at Surge Entertainment in West Monroe, 10AM to 2PM through August. Check surgefun.com for restrictions. Free.
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Kidz Town Indoor Playground
Free AC, a full indoor playground, and no pressure to leave. North Monroe Children's Ministry keeps the doors open Monday-Thursday, 9AM to 4:30PM (Wednesdays until 2PM, closed Fridays). Free.
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Prime Time Family Box - Ouachita Parish Public Library
A free box of carefully curated books delivered to your family through the library. Each Prime Time Family Box is thematically grouped for ages 6-10 and includes a Grown-Up Guide for leading discussions and activities at home. Sign up at Carver-McDonald branch or call 318-327-477 through July 29. Launch event at the branch July 30 at 4PM. Free.
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Beatrix Potter Tea
Only 30 spots and they go fast. The Biedenharn Museum is hosting a traditional tea with Beatrix Potter characters. Ages 3 and up, dress up encouraged. Saturday, 2 to 4PM. $50, RSVP required.
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Junior Warhawk Skills Camp
Two days with ULM head coach Ford Pemberton and the same drills the Warhawks use. Kids ages 6-13 work on pitching, hitting, base running, and fielding. Jul 20-21, 9AM. $150.
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Ouachita River Blues Society Open Jam at Enoch's (blues/open jam)
The Ouachita River Blues Society takes over the patio at Enoch's for a Thursday open jam. 8PM. Happy hour runs 3-7PM daily. Free.
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Amber Violet at Flying Tiger Brewery (singer-songwriter)
Amber Violet plays a Friday evening set at Flying Tiger Brewery. 6PM.
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Monty Russell Live at Enoch's (country/soul)
Monty Russell on the patio at Enoch's. Friday night, 8PM. Happy hour runs 3-7PM daily.
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Mike McKenzie Live at The Yard (country/roots)
Monroe icon Mike McKenzie makes his debut at The Yard on Whiskey Row. Friday night, 8PM.
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Jack Rabbit Slims Live at El Paso (live music/covers)
Jack Rabbit Slims brings live music to El Paso. Friday night.
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Tammy Martin Live at Flying Tiger (pop/country)
Tammy Martin at Flying Tiger Brewery. Saturday evening, 6 to 8PM. Cold brew, good music. Free.
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Live Music with Jarrett Bailey (R&B/soul)
Jarrett Bailey brings his vocals to Heirloom at Hotel Monroe for a Saturday night of elevated dining and live music. 6:30 to 9:30PM. Free.
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Mike McKenzie Live at the VFW (country/roots)
Mike McKenzie at VFW Post 1809 - live music and dancing until 11PM. BYOB, family friendly, cash drawing. $10 cover.
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Davey Arwine Live at Enoch's (folk/country)
Davey Arwine on the patio at Enoch's. Saturday night, 8PM. Happy hour runs 3-7PM daily.
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Matt Dean Live at Star Bar (acoustic/indie)
Matt Dean on the rooftop at Star Bar, Hotel Monroe. Skyline views, handcrafted cocktails, and two hours of live music. Saturday, 8 to 10PM.
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Jackson Culp & The Company Live at El Paso (country/rock)
Jackson Culp & The Company take the stage at El Paso. Saturday night.
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Existential Crawfish Live at Flying Heart (blues/jam)
Existential Crawfish plays Sunday evening at Flying Heart. 6 to 8PM.
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Music Bingo at Flying Heart
Music Bingo every Monday at Flying Heart Brewing. 6:30PM.
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Wine Tasting at Trove
Judd Smith from Uncorked walks you through the bottles at Trove Wine & Gifts. A relaxed Saturday afternoon with no pressure to buy. 4 to 6:30PM. Free.
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Landry Vineyards
Wine tastings at 11AM, vineyard tours at 2PM. $10-$25.
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Inside Voices: Mind Ya Mental
Northeast Louisiana Arts Council brings together creatives for an honest conversation about self-expression and mental health, inspired by the Trismegistus exhibition at Masur. Saturday at 5:30PM. Free.
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Monroe Mashup Scavenger Hunt Tickets
Starts at Standard Coffee Co. and takes you across Monroe on a creative scavenger hunt with a live remote host. Wacky challenges, hidden gems around the city. Family and dog friendly. $22.
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Mahjong on the Mezz
Weekly Mah Jong nights on the Mezzanine Level at Hotel Monroe. Popcorn, appetizers, and infused water included. Doors at 5:30PM, game starts at 6PM. $35.
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NELA Teacher Symposium
Four years in and still the professional day worth an early alarm. Hope and Wade King from GYTO headline this year at ULM Bayou Pointe. Delta Biscuit handles breakfast and lunch. Registration opens at 7:30AM.
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Annual Back to School Parking Lot Sale
Bayoutique's annual back-to-school blowout at their West Monroe location. Tees from $10, embroidery $15, dresses $20, jeans $30. Stock up before the first bell rings.
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Adoption Event at Animal House
River Cities Humane Society for Cats sets up their monthly pop-up at Animal House - playful kittens, mellow couch cats, and every personality in between. Staff on hand to help you find your match. Free to attend, adoption fees apply.
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Highway Robbery Wrestling
Bayou Independent Wrestling brings live pro wrestling back to West Monroe for Highway Robbery. Two hours of action headlined by a massive tag team main event. Doors at 7PM, bell at 7:30PM. $15 in advance at Coldwell Banker, $20 at the door.
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Monroe Greenheads vs. Memphis Hound Dogs
The Greenheads take on the Memphis Hound Dogs at the Civic Center. First pitch 7:05PM. Kids 12 and under always $5 off. Get tickets at monroegreenheads.com.
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Krewe of Janus Texas Hold 'em FreezeOut Tournament
Texas Hold'em tournament, $120 buy-in. Sunday at 3PM.
8th Annual Community Health and Wellness Expo, Saturday, August 15. Monroe Civic Center, 10AM to 2PM. Free health screenings, wellness resources, and community vendors. Sponsored by Ochsner/LSU Health Monroe and Holistic Vibes. Vendor spaces and sponsorships available - contact katrinabranson@gmail.com or 318-791-5074.
| Sunrise | 6:10 AM ↑ |
| Sunset | 8:17 PM ↓ |
| Moon | New Moon |
| Temp | 95°F / 35°C |
| Sky | Scattered thunderstorms, heat advisory in effect |
| Humidity | 75% |
| River | Ouachita 3.5 ft |
| Air | Moderate 52 AQI |
Traffic Alert: The Good Hope Road bridge in West Monroe is closing for three weeks for structural repairs. If it is part of your daily route, now is the time to find the detour.
Kiroli Park: Still closed after the winter storm. The city is targeting late summer, but no date yet.
Sunset Cove: An August 1st opening for the RV park is looking likely. The waterpark date is still pending - they want to be certain before they announce. Either way, the countdown is on.
This one was all heat, all week.
We kicked off at the Ike Hamilton Expo Center for Beat the Heat at the Ike - a barrel racing event we caught early, before the main races started. Missed the full show, but the horses, the setup, and honestly just the AC made it worth the trip.
Later in the week we pushed through the humidity for an afternoon at Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. The splash pad was the move. Completely refreshing, and the kids did not want to leave.
Saturday morning, Monroe Farmers Market. Did not bring the camera. Just walked the stalls, grabbed some produce, and let the morning breathe.
Heat like this teaches you to find the good spots close to home. We found a few.
New reel up this weekend - Ouachita River views, back roads, and a few very specific song lyrics hidden in the mix.
Can you name the song?
Hit reply with your guess. First one right gets a shoutout next week.
The Love The Boot numbers are in. Over 1,200 people showed up to complete 104 community improvement projects across West Monroe. Together they hauled 27,600 pounds of litter and planted 200 trees. That is a big week for this city.
"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability." - Sam Keen With the heat advisory still in effect, there are no extra points for being out at midday. Find some shade, grab something cold, and give yourself permission to slow down.
We made this for you. If it helped plan your week, forward it to a neighbor.
Got a favorite spot we missed? A local business we should feature? An event coming up? Just hit reply. We read every message.
See you at the river.
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