Things to do in Monroe | July 29 – August 4
Buck Moon on Wednesday, Ouachita Live on Friday, and Savage Axe throws its last party at Tower Drive before the move. Lots of live music in between.
Two new spots opening this week. Sam's Southern Eatery on Forsythe Bypass, Carrot Top Protein Shop in West Monroe. This is a good week to eat local. Some spots are dealing with a lot right now. If your favorite place is open, show up. Order extra. Tell them you're glad they're here.
The 501st Legion at the Northeast Louisiana Children's Museum. Saturday morning, Monroe.
Songs from 1776, Hamilton, and more on stage at Strauss Theatre Center. A patriotic celebration, 7 to 9 PM on Lamy Lane. $25.
Last Friday of the month means Ouachita Live is back in Alley Park. Free outdoor concert, 7 to 9 PM. Food truck on site, spirits from downtown restaurants nearby. Bring a chair and settle in on Trenton Street. Free.
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Free Bowling for Kids at Surge Entertainment
Kids 14 and under bowl free at Surge Entertainment, Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 2 PM through August. Adults and teens 15+ can join for $5 per person. Shoe rental required. More info at surgefun.com.
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Extra Days! Robotics at the Children's Museum
West Monroe MagnaTECH Robotics brings Lego kits and a full-size FRC robot to the Children's Museum on Thursday. Kids can explore, build, and get up close with the machine. 11 AM to 2 PM. More info at nelcm.org.
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Back to School Bash
Backpacks, teacher totes, nap mats, and back to school clothes with exclusive deals. 5 PM in West Monroe.
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Live Music: Chancie Neal at The Fish House
Chancie Neal Billadeau plays live at The Fish House in West Monroe. Three hours of music, 6 to 9 PM.
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Mark Taylormade's "Blue's Aint Got No Rules" at Enoch's
Mark Taylormade at Enochs Irish Pub (blues). Louisville Ave.
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The Red Flags Live at El Paso
The Red Flags at El Paso Mexican Grill (live music/covers). Sterlington Rd.
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Four On The Floor Live at Enoch's
Four On The Floor at Enochs Irish Pub (live music/covers). Louisville Ave.
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Live Piano: Pearson Cross at Heirloom
Live piano at Heirloom on a Saturday night. Pearson Cross plays from 6:30 to 9:30 PM in the heart of downtown Monroe.
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Double Knockout: Everstatic, Sanctum, Uncouth, Killgore
Four bands at Tomahawk Skateshop. 7 PM. $10.
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Live Music: Kyle Thompson at Star Bar
Kyle Thompson live on the rooftop at Star Bar. Handcrafted cocktails, live vocals, Saturday night downtown. 8 to 10 PM.
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Delta Band Live at the VFW
Delta Band at the VFW (live music/covers). $10 cover gets you a door prize ticket. BYOB.
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Flying Heart Live: BluezCatz
BluezCatz in the Beer Garden at Flying Heart. All ages, Sunday at 6 PM.
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Music Bingo at Flying Heart
Bingo cards with song titles instead of numbers. Every Monday at Flying Heart, 6:30 PM.
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Thursday Night Trivia
Weekly trivia at El Azteca. First place wins a $30 gift card, second gets $20. Thursdays, 7 PM. Free.
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Savage Axe Final Weekend – Tower Drive
Savage Axe throws one last party at Tower Drive before the move. Bootleggers Bistro on site Friday and Saturday with an exclusive closing menu. Hot Rod Thompson and the TNT Crew bring karaoke both nights. Come throw axes, raise a glass, say goodbye.
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Landry Vineyards
Tastings start at 11 AM, vineyard tours at 2 PM. $10 tasting, $25 tour. New Natchitoches Rd, West Monroe.
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Line Dance Class at Hotel Monroe
Three dances, no experience needed. The Hotel Monroe Ballroom opens up Wednesday night for a beginner-friendly line dance class. Good prep for the End of Summer Party on Aug 8.
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Mahjong on the Mezz
Weekly summer Mahjong nights up on the Mezzanine at Hotel Monroe. Grab your crew. Thursdays, 5:30 PM. $35.
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First Class Access
Go beyond the final score. The ULM Softball team shares the stories behind the 2026 Sun Belt Championship, the moments that never made the headlines. The Terrace, 6:30 PM. $50.
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Let Go, Let's Grow Women's Brunch
A meal, an encouraging word, and community with other women. Saturday, 10 AM, West Monroe.
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11th Annual Pigskin Preview
Eleven years running. Local high school football players, door prizes, and the chance Martha Washington shows up. McClendon Baptist Church, noon. Call 318-537-4328 for tickets.
| Sunrise | 6:19 AM ↑ |
| Sunset | 8:10 PM ↓ |
| Moon | Full Moon |
| Temp | 91-97°F / 33-36°C |
| Sky | Mostly cloudy, chance of rain Thursday |
| Humidity | 56% |
| River | Ouachita, 3.3 ft |
| Air | Moderate 54 AQI |
-The Main Branch of the Ouachita Parish Public Library is leaving Stubbs Ave. The new space will have a maker studio, a podcast room, a telehealth booth, and seating for 350. No opening date yet, but while they pack: children's books for $0.25.
-Sam's Southern Eatery is opening its doors on Forsythe Bypass this week. Southern comfort food, fresh out of the kitchen. (5150 Forsythe Bypass, Monroe)
-Savage Axe is closing its Tower Drive location this weekend before moving to a new spot. Bootleggers Bistro will be on site Friday and Saturday with a closing weekend menu. Go say goodbye. (1812 Tower Dr, Monroe)
-New in West Monroe: The Carrot Top Protein Shop is soft-opening at Pure Drip Wellness on N. 7th Street. Wraps, protein bowls, salads, smoothies, and a Little Sprouts menu for kids. Tue-Fri from 10 AM, until they run out. (2503 N. 7th St., West Monroe)
-Saturday morning at the Children's Museum, a Stormtrooper crouched down next to a toddler at the rope pulley exhibit. Five solid minutes, just the two of them figuring it out. The 501st Legion brought Boba Fett, a Jawa, and enough Star Wars to take over the whole building. They handed out lightsabers. Most kids stood there holding them, glowing red, not entirely sure what to do next. The ones who figured it out were very confident about it. Free. Full story
-After that we went to Masur Museum for the MasurKIDS drop-in. You can spot the carriage house studio from outside, colorful handprints from past sessions cover the windows. Inside, the deal was simple: walk through the gallery upstairs with a scavenger hunt, find nine images from the current exhibition, then come back down and make collage fans out of old magazines. No sign-up. No cost. We planned on thirty minutes. Stayed two hours. The exhibition is Trismegistus: In the Garden. Runs through August 8. Full story
Mayors and municipal leaders from across Louisiana are coming to Monroe this week. The Louisiana Municipal Association holds its annual convention at the Monroe Civic Center Aug 4-6. Mayor Friday Ellis put it plainly: "People are curious to understand the momentum that's happening." Monroe is the story this time.
CASA of NELA is asking businesses, churches, and schools to put a yard sign out front. That's it. The signs say "We Support CASA of NELA" and help recruit volunteers for kids in foster care. If your organization wants one, reach out to Erin Stokes at estokes@standforhope.org.
"And this is our town." Iris DeMent sings about a place that's changing, about what stays and what doesn't. If you grew up in a small town, this one hits.
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