Things to Do Around Monroe

After a brief hiatus, "Things to Do Around Monroe" is back. What is on your agenda for the weekend?

~ The Young Professionals of Green County have their Annual Event this Thursday evening at Kuhn in Brodhead. The event starts at 6 pm with networking, and the recognition of the nominees for Young Professional of the Year starts at 6:30.

~ The Bloody Lake Rendezvous starts today in Woodford. The Rendezvous is open to the public on Saturday from 9 until 4 and Sunday from 9 until 3. Learn about the life of early 19th century trappers and explorers at this living history encampment. Admission is $2, but children under 12 and military service personnel are free.

~ If you rather work on your family history instead, the Green County Genealogical Society is open to the public this Saturday. Use their resource center to look up genealogical information and Green County historical data. They are located at 1609 10th Street Suite #4 (above Kookaburra's on the north side of Monroe's Downtown Square).

~ Check out the garage sales! The Green County Humane Society has a fundraising garage sale in the parking lot of Monroe Auto Sales this Friday and Saturday. If you don't see what you need there, head over to Belleville for their citywide garage sale weekend.

~ The Mighty Richland Players have a dessert theatre performance this weekend in Orangeville. "Belle of the Wabash" is a musical melodrama by Mike Carver. Set in the 1880s, "Belle of the Wabash" is the story of a group of steamboat performers who are shipwrecked near Galena and find their way to Orangeville where they sing for their supper, so to speak. $20 per person, dessert included.

~ Are you up to participating in the 3/50 Challenge? Visit 3 locally owned, independent businesses that you would miss if they were to go out of business. Spend $50 at locally owned, independent businesses over the course of the month. What local businesses do you love? Bakery, hair salon, restaurant, pharmacy, movie theatre, bookstore, auto service center...there are so many choices. Supporting local businesses can be just as convenient and inexpensive as shopping chain stores, and when you spend $50 at a local, independent business, $34 stays in the community as opposed to only $21.50 staying local when you shop a chain store (or $0 when you shop online).

~ River Valley Trading Company has two workshops this weekend:
Blending Herbal Teas and Tonics, and Creating Herbal Preparations with Local Lovely Weeds. Taking place on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, the workshops start at 12:30 with herbal teas along with sweet and savory herbal treats. Cost is $25 for a single workshop or $40 for both. Space is limited, to contact RVTC for a reservation.

Looking ahead to next weekend, make your plans to attend the Brodhead Farm Tours on Saturday.