BACK IN THE PARK
Hey Monroe! Kiroli Park is officially back. Six months of storm cleanup, and the gates are open again. This Saturday is stacked: boots at the Civic Center, a gala at Bayou Pointe, and live music on every corner in between. And before the weekend, the Main Branch library is packing its boxes for the big move.
Here is everything you need to know this week.
The playground at Kiroli Park is officially back. Six months of storm cleanup, and the swings are swinging again.
Presented by the Justa Cowboy Rodeo Association and Roderick Rod Williams, this sports and outdoors gathering takes place at the Monroe Civic Center on August 22. Tickets cost $37.90.
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Ouachita River Blues Jam at Enoch's
Catch the open jam with the Ouachita River Blues Society at Enoch's Irish Pub. Grab a burger and a drink and enjoy the music. August 20.
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Live Music with Alyssa Freeman
Catch Alyssa Freeman playing live at Heirloom at The Hotel Monroe on Friday, August 21, at 6:30 PM.
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Frizzel Spur at El Paso
Catch Frizzel Spur live at El Paso Mexican Grill for food and music on August 21.
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Sam Sparks Live at Enoch's
Grab a burger and a drink, and enjoy live music with Sam Sparks at Enoch's Irish Pub on August 21.
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Tammy Martin @ El Paso Mexican Grill
Tammy Martin plays El Paso Mexican Grill with the full band for the first time, featuring blues, rock, country, and untouched hits. August 22, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
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Live Music with Kathlene Boggs & Josh Love
Catch live music with Kathlene Boggs and Josh Love at Heirloom at The Hotel Monroe. Saturday, August 22, from 6:30 to 9:30 PM.
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Matt Dean Band at Enoch's
Grab a burger and a drink and enjoy live music at Enoch's Irish Pub with the Matt Dean Band on August 22.
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Hands-On Live at VFW
Open to the public at the Monroe VFW. $10 cover includes a door prize ticket. BYOB, concessions available, family-friendly, and non-smoking.
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Flying Heart ft. Cal Presley & Alyssa Freeman
Catch live music in the beer garden at Flying Heart Brewing and Pub this week, featuring Cal Presley and Alyssa Freeman from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
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Music Bingo at Flying Heart
Play music bingo at Flying Heart Brewing, mark your card, and enjoy the tunes. It happens at 6:30 PM.
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Wine Tasting at The Trove
Enjoy a wine tasting at The Trove on Thursday, August 20, from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Shop around and sip the afternoon away.
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Landry Vineyards
Head out to Landry Vineyards for a wine tasting and guided tour with winemaker Jeff Landry. Tastings start at 11 AM, and tours begin at 2 PM. $10.
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Bayou Jamb Tailgate
Check out the Bayou Jamb Tailgate at the Abe E. Pierce III Convention Center on August 24 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Admission is $10.
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Grounds for Departure: Reception
Check out the opening reception at the Masur Museum of Art on August 20 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, featuring Katie Ford and Marlisa Dunn.
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Creative Current: Morning Edition
The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council is hosting a monthly meetup for artists, designers, performers, educators, and creative thinkers on August 25 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at NELA Arts Council.
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Market on the Square
Shop specialty pop-up vendors at the West Monroe Farmer's Market on Saturdays, August 22 and 29, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Find fresh pastries and handcrafted goods.
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Pollinator BioBlitz
Join the American Conservation Experience at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge on August 22 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM to identify pollinator species using iNaturalist.
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Prop Blast 2026
Pilots for Patients is hosting a night of hors d'oeuvres, wine pairing, and live and silent auctions at Bayou Pointe Event Center on August 22 from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM.
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John L. Brown Sr. Scholarship Band
The John L. Brown Sr. Scholarship Band performs at The Hotel Monroe on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
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Trivia at Flying Heart
Play trivia and win prizes every Tuesday at Flying Heart Brewing starting at 6:00 PM.
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ULM Soccer at North Texas
The University of Louisiana Monroe soccer team plays away at North Texas in Denton.
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ULM Volleyball at Jackson State
Catch the exhibition game as the University of Louisiana Monroe volleyball team plays at Jackson State.
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2nd Annual Miles for Motion Color Run 5K – ULM
Head to Forsythe Park for the color run 5K starting at 8:00 AM. Registration is $30 for community participants and $20 for ULM students.
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Ouachita Paddling Trails: Bayou Bites
Launch from Connerly's Boat Dock for an out-and-back paddle along Bayou Desiard, with a lunch pitstop at Catahoula's. August 22, from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. $4 launch fee.
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ULM Soccer vs Jackson State
Catch the match at Brown Stadium. University of Louisiana Monroe plays Jackson State on August 23, 2026, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm CDT.
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ULM Volleyball vs Grambling State
Catch the volleyball exhibition between the University of Louisiana Monroe and Grambling State at b1Bank Fant Coliseum. The match runs from 5:00pm to 7:00pm CDT.
North Louisiana Sportsman's Expo & Gar Rodeo
August 28-30 at the West Monroe Sports and Events complex. Outdoor vendors, archery competitions, and the famous gar rodeo weigh-ins - one of the biggest outdoor weekends in North Louisiana.
The Ark-La-Miss Fair Returns
October 2 in West Monroe. Follow the fair for lineup announcements.
Flying Heart's Local Music Festival
Labor Day, September 7, noon to 7:30 p.m. at Flying Heart Brewing in West Monroe. A full day of local bands in the Beer Garden.
| Sunrise | 6:34 AM ↑ |
| Sunset | 7:50 PM ↓ |
| Moon | Waxing Crescent |
| Temp | 100°F / 37.6°C |
| Sky | Clear sky |
| Humidity | 40% |
| River | Ouachita: 18.22 ft |
| Air | Good 44 AQI |
The Main Branch Library Packs Up for Oliver Road
The Ouachita Parish Main Branch on Stubbs Avenue closes tonight at 7 p.m. as it prepares to move to Oliver Road (the old Stein Mart building). The rest of the branches stay open, and the Main Branch reopens at its new home around mid-September.
Castor & Chicory: Stock Up Before They Close
Sticky rolls and blueberry cheesecake cinnamon rolls are available through the weekend - then Castor & Chicory in Downtown West Monroe closes for the rest of August.
Hunters for the Hungry
Drop off properly packaged, sealed, and dated donations through Wednesday, August 19, 1-4 p.m., at the NELA Food Bank in Monroe.
McCain Farms Could Use Your Support
The local meat processor near Calhoun, off I-20, is feeling the cattle market: fewer finished steers, higher prices. They are asking folks to shop their store for hand-cut steaks, sausage, and specialty meats, or to grab a half or whole pig or a share of beef. Open weekdays and Saturday mornings.
Back Through the Gates: Kiroli Park Reopens
We were at the gates before 7 a.m. the morning Kiroli Park finally reopened after six months of storm cleanup - and the parking lot was already filling with families, joggers, and anglers who had clearly been waiting.
The trails we could access were clear, the picnic areas tidy, and the new outdoor fitness equipment was already getting its first workout. The dog park and a few trails stay closed while crews finish up, so check the signs before you head out. Free while the gatehouse is repaired - leave a few dollars in the "Help Bring Back Kiroli" box on your way out. Read the full story here.
Free Hat Day at 7 Brew
Grab a large drink at 7 Brew Monroe and walk out with a free hat. Seen first on The Louisiana Scene.
A Pantry on ULM Campus
The food pantry on ULM campus takes donations and serves anyone in need - grab a few extra items and drop them by.
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by." Robert Frost's most famous poem is trickier than it sounds. It might be about the stories we tell ourselves.
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See you out there.
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