Come From Away
Good afternoon, Monroe. If your inbox feels a little livelier today, you're not alone. A huge welcome to the 155 new neighbors who joined us this week from our local Facebook crew (bringing us to 232 readers strong!). Whether you're here for weekend music, kids' events, or just want to know what's fresh on Arkansas Road, we're glad you pulled up a chair.
In today's Meet Monroe:
- Field Notes: River monsters, pie at Lea's, and a fresh referee whistle
- Dolly Parton's legacy and free books for Ouachita toddlers
- Fresh cupcakes on Arkansas Rd & free Labor Day state parks
- Save the date for Curry Farms & NASA pixel adoption
Let's get to it.
The restored Dragonfly sculpture welcomes the community back to Forsythe Park.
Broadway hit recounting how 10,000 residents of Gander, Newfoundland opened their hearts to 6,500 stranded airline passengers on 9/11. Local production featuring faculty, students, and alumni from ULM School of Visual and Performing Arts. Strauss Theatre Center, 1300 Lamy Ln. Patron Nights: September 3-4. Public Performances: September 5-6 and 10-13, 7:30PM.
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1st Saturday Kids Program: Turtles
Hands-on morning discovering native Louisiana turtles, their habitats, and shell secrets with the Friends of Black Bayou. Conservation Learning Center, Black Bayou Lake NWR. Saturday, 10 to 11AM. Free.
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Brown Bag Concert: Clayton Maza (folk/acoustic)
Pack a lunch and kick off September in the park with live acoustic tunes from Clayton Maza under the open-air pavilion. The Pavilion at 7th Square, West Monroe. Wednesday, 12 to 1PM. Free.
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Braydon Watts at Flying Tiger (acoustic/country)
Acoustic favorites and originals in the taproom. Flying Tiger Brewery, 506 N 2nd St. Thursday, 6 to 8PM. Free.
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Matthew Looney & Austin George at Enoch's (acoustic/roots)
Folk and roots acoustic set in Monroe's classic pub. Enoch's Irish Pub & Cafe, 504 Bres Ave. Thursday, 8PM.
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Josh Madden at Flying Tiger (singer-songwriter)
Live tunes paired with Friday happy hour at the taproom. Flying Tiger Brewery, 506 N 2nd St. Friday, 5 to 7PM.
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Psycho-Billy Cadillac at El Paso (rockabilly/country)
High-energy rockabilly and classic covers on the patio. El Paso Mexican Restaurant, Hwy 165. Friday, 6PM.
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Steve Cagle & Mike Weathersby at Trapp's (acoustic/classics)
Start the long Labor Day weekend on the back deck with river views, cold drinks, and live acoustic tunes. Trapp's on the River, West Monroe. Friday, 6PM.
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Alyssa Freeman at Heirloom (R&B/acoustic)
Warm vocals and acoustic sets during Friday evening dinner service. Heirloom Restaurant, 119 Walnut St. Friday, 6:30 to 9:30PM.
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Honey Child at Enoch's (rock/soul)
Soulful grooves and upbeat favorites on the pub stage. Enoch's Irish Pub & Cafe, 504 Bres Ave. Friday, 8PM.
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Stone Letter at El Paso (classic rock/covers)
Outdoor rock and guitar favorites. El Paso Mexican Restaurant, Hwy 165. Saturday, 6PM.
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Pappa D at Flying Tiger (blues/soul)
Soulful Saturday evening live set in the taproom. Flying Tiger Brewery, 506 N 2nd St. Saturday, 6 to 8PM.
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Jackson Culp at Heirloom (singer-songwriter)
Intimate acoustic dinner performance. Heirloom Restaurant, 119 Walnut St. Saturday, 6:30 to 9:30PM.
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Delta Band at VFW Post 1809 (classic country/dance)
Saturday night dance tunes and country classics. VFW Post 1809, West Monroe. Saturday, 7 to 10PM. $10.
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Existential Crawfish at Enoch's (electric fiddle/folk-rock)
North Louisiana's favorite electric fiddle jam band bringing eclectic energy to the pub. Enoch's Irish Pub & Cafe, 504 Bres Ave. Saturday, 8PM.
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The Red Flags at Flying Heart (rock/pop)
Sunday evening live music in the beer garden. Flying Heart Brewing & Pub, 204 Commerce St. Sunday, 5 to 7PM.
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Flying Heart Local Music Festival (Labor Day)
All-day outdoor festival on Labor Day featuring Kirby Rambin, Jon Brakefield, Ian Smith, Hagan Laborde, and Jackson Culp & The Company. Flying Heart Brewing & Pub, West Monroe. Monday, 12 to 7:30PM. $10.
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Lagniappe Saturday: Dave Gore (live music/dancing)
Join Landry Vineyards for Lagniappe Saturday with local musician Dave Gore performing dancing music under the patio. Wine tastings, tours at 2PM, pizzas and snacks available. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Landry Vineyards, 5699 New Natchitoches Rd. Saturday, 3 to 6:30PM. Free (no cover, tip the musician).
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Landry Vineyards Concert & Tastings
Live music on the hillside, vineyard tours, wine tastings, and local food trucks. Lawn chairs and blankets welcome. Landry Vineyards, 5699 New Natchitoches Rd. Saturday, 4:30 to 8PM. $10.
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Art After Hours
Unwind with an evening of quiet sketching among the galleries and exploring current exhibitions. Drawing paper and pencils provided. Masur Museum of Art, 1400 S Grand St. Thursday, 5 to 7PM. Free.
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Creative Convos
Informal gathering for local artists, makers, and imaginative minds to connect over art trends and lifestyle. Monroe, LA. Friday, 6:30 to 9PM. Free.
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Social Hour for Local Creatives (Art Groove)
Artists Table special edition calling all creatives across disciplines, featuring guest DJ Ready Roc. Parlor 5, 428 Desiard St. Tuesday, 5 to 8PM. Free.
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Miracle Millie Benefit w/ Chancie Neal
Raffle drawing and silent auction benefiting Miracle Millie Kay, with live music from Chancie Neal. The Fish House, 4500 Cypress St. Thursday, 6PM.
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Thursday Night Trivia
Weekly team trivia, prizes, and taco specials. El Azteca Grill & Bar, 4075 Sterlington Rd. Thursday, 7PM. Free to play.
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Breakfast: Bring Back Kiroli
Free morning breakfast and community conversation to help imagine and plan the next 100 years of Kiroli Park. Kiroli Park Lodge, 820 Kiroli Road. Thursday, 8 to 8:30AM. Free.
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ULM Soccer vs Stephen F. Austin
The Warhawks defend home turf under the lights against SFA. Brown Stadium, ULM Campus. Thursday, 7PM.
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ULM Football at Mississippi State
The Warhawks travel to Starkville for Saturday night college football under the lights. Davis Wade Stadium. Saturday, 6:30PM.
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ULM Soccer vs UAB
Sunday afternoon home showdown against the UAB Blazers. Brown Stadium, ULM Campus. Sunday, 1PM.
Curry Farms 45th Season Opening: Curry Farms (548 Robinson Dr, Rayville) opens Saturday, September 26 for its 45th season featuring their pumpkin patch, corn maze, Christmas tree farm, over 50 family activities, Bill's Lemonade, and Sweet Caroline's Snoballs. Spookley the anti-bullying pumpkin visits on Saturday, October 17. Admission is $20 (ages 2 and under free). More details at curryfarms.net.
MWM Restaurant Week 2026: September 14-20 celebrating locally owned dining and exclusive lunch, dinner, and lagniappe specials across Monroe and West Monroe.
Songs of Hope Benefit Concert: September 26 at 6:00 p.m. at Parkview Baptist Church (1001 Forsythe Ave), benefiting The Biscuit Ministry for homeless women.
The Ark-La-Miss Fair: Returns October 2 in West Monroe with carnival rides, exhibits, and fair food favorites.
| Sunrise | 6:43 AM |
| Sunset | 7:34 PM |
| Moon | Waning Gibbous |
| Temp | 91°F / 33°C |
| Sky | Sunny · Late summer breeze |
| Humidity | 65% |
| River | Ouachita: 18.34 ft |
| Air | Good 38 AQI |
Freshly Baked: The Cupcake Shop opened Monday at 2641 Arkansas Road in West Monroe (in the gas station plaza). They are open daily until 6:00 p.m. with fresh cupcakes made daily.
Bayou Sips: Perky Pelican is officially open at 2004 Cypress Street in West Monroe, serving up Mocha Lattes, Wings of Gold, and signature Bayou Gators.
On the Move: The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana has officially moved its headquarters to 204 Exchange Street in West Monroe. September is Hunger Action Month, and all donations are currently doubled up to $10,000 thanks to matching gifts honoring Mike Sager and Nelson Abell.
Community Pantry: The Community Table holds its ribbon cutting this Friday, September 4 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Missionary Baptist Church (206 New Natchitoches Road, West Monroe).
Kitty Corner: River Cities Humane Society for Cats has opened a rescue booth inside the Girl Talk, Let us Go Junkin flea market at 102 Old Bastrop Road in Monroe.
DINOSAURS ON THE OUACHITA
The 2nd Annual West Monroe Gar Rodeo, by the numbers
Alligator gar have swum North American waterways for over 100 million years. They look like alligators, fight like prehistoric beasts, and don't care how early your alarm went off. That didn't stop a dedicated fleet of local anglers from launching at Alley Park on Friday evening and returning to Lazarre Park on Saturday morning with record-breaking hauls.
Justa Davis and her family crew took top honors in the Jug Division with a 405.19-pound total haul. In the Bowfishing Numbers-Only division, The Night Shift team (Zane Ferrell, Jeff Jester, Jeremy Taylor, and Duston Jester) brought in 578 gar, navigating shallow flats and river bends under the summer stars. True to Ouachita tradition, none of the harvest goes to waste, with the catch heading to a local fish shop owner in West Monroe for processing.
Read our full tournament guide, weigh-in breakdown, and photo gallery on meetmonroe.us →
The rest of the week was just as full of local heartbeat. On Thursday, we walked the shady trail near the boat ramp before celebrating the return of the restored Dragonfly sculpture at Forsythe Park with artist Brooke Foy. Friday brought our first visit to Open Mic Night at Lea's on Louisville Avenue for slices of homemade pie while Cathy and Toby jammed on acoustic guitar and Santana's "Oye Como Va" filled the room in Spanish.
And a proud shoutout on setting a challenge and getting it done: one of our own officially earned her US Soccer referee badge at Chennault Park this weekend. Youth sports only happen when folks decide to pick up the whistle and make the tough calls. If you're on the sidelines at the NELSA complex this fall, you know which referee has our full support!
Remembering Dolly (and her gift to Ouachita kids): Dolly Parton passed away on August 25 at 80. One of her most beautiful legacies lives right here: Bank of Oak Ridge partnered with The Center for Children & Families and Children's Coalition of NELA to bring her Imagination Library to Ouachita Parish, mailing a free book every month to kids from birth to age 5. There are 2,053 local children enrolled. Enroll or support the program here.
Free State Park Admission for Little Ones: Families with a child age 5 or younger receive free admission to Louisiana State Parks this Labor Day weekend, September 5-6, in celebration of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library expanding statewide. Learn more.
Cinnamon Roll Giveaway at Caster & Chicory (Today Only!): Caster & Chicory (405 Natchitoches Street) is hosting a midweek giveaway for a fresh six-pack of cream cheese cinnamon rolls. Comment on their Facebook post by 6:00 p.m. TONIGHT (Tuesday, September 1) to enter the drawing.
"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." Berthold Auerbach's sentiment rang true this Friday at Lea's of Monroe on Louisville Avenue, where friends shared slices of homemade pie while Cathy and Toby opened with "Fishing Blues" on acoustic guitar and an energetic Spanish rendition of Santana's "Oye Como Va" filled the room. If this one gets you up and dancing, let us know! This song was part of the soundtrack while putting together this week's newsletter. What song gets you out of your seat and dancing?
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