Things to Do Around Monroe

Don't let the cold winter weather keep you at home this weekend. Here is a sampling of local events and things to do:

~ Come down to the Monroe Theatre Guild's STAGE building tonight from 6 until 8 pm for a clean up party. Construction is well underway with the renovations there, and help is needed with some general tasks. No special constructions skills or ability required. If you can move a chair or pick up some trash, you have the skills MTG needs tonight.

~ The Jimmy's are playing at 8 pm this Thursday at Toffler's in New Glarus.

~ Movie night! Come to the Goetz Theater in Monroe or the Lindo Theater in Freeport to enjoy a movie this weekend. The Goetz is showing Tangled, True Grit, Tron Legacy and Gulliver's Travels. Head to the Lindo to enjoy Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Fighter, Gulliver's Travels, How Do You Know, Little Fockers, Tangled, The Tourist, Tron Legacy, True Grit, and Yogi Bear 3D. Check the theaters' websites for showtimes.

~ Toe pick! SLICE in Monroe has open skate times this weekend. Practice your figure 8's from 5 until 8 pm on Friday or 3:45 to 6:45 pm on Saturday. The cost to skate is only $5. If you don't have your own skates, rentals are available for $2 or purchase a $10 discount card for unlimited free rentals for the skate season.

~ This Saturday, the Freeport Public Library is holding a Free Book Day. Stop in between 11 am and 2 pm to pick up a copy of Playing with the Enemy. The author, Gary Moore, will be on hand to sign copies as well.

~ It is not too late to register the kids for winter basketball programs through the Park and Rec departments in both Monroe and Brodhead. The 2nd and 3rd grade program starts in Brodhead on Saturday, and registrations must be turned in by Friday. In Monroe, 3rd to 6th grade program starts on Monday. Call the local Park and Recs for more information and registration.

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Things to Do Around Monroe

~ Come to Heritage House in Monroe tonight for the Young Professionals of Green County for a Holiday Happy Hour starting at 5:30. There will be Holiday Martini and appetizer specials. The YPs are also adopting a family in need this month, and they will be collecting donations tonight. Donations of food, cash, baby clothing and educational toys are encouraged. See YP website for details.


~ Prost! Baumgartner's in Monroe is having their holiday party this Friday evening from 7 pm until midnight. Enjoy oysters on the half shell, traditional Glugg, cheese and more.

~ Toffler's in New Glarus is hosting a CD release party for area artist Beth Kille. There will be live music and no cover charge for this event which starts at 9 pm on Saturday.

~ There is still time to see Monroe Theatre Guild's annual production of A Christmas Carol. Showtimes are 7:30 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, as well at 2 pm on Sunday.

~ MTG's Stage Right youth program has a workshop on Saturday. Junk Puppets is for kids ages 8 through 12. Children will learn the art of puppet making combined with recycling as they use traditionally recycled and throw-away items to make their art. $18 for members, $21 for non-members, 9 am until noon.

~ Green County Humane Society has a fundraising event this Saturday. Pet Photos with Santa takes place from 10 am until noon at Monroe Auto Sales on the west side of Monroe. Bring your pets to be photographed with the big guy, and while you are there, pick up some treats at the bake sale there at the same time. Donations of baked goods are welcome; please contact Angie at 325-9600 for more information. Remember, the Humane Society is always in need of donations and dog walkers (see their website for a wish list), so chip in to help out the furry friends there this winter!

~ The Monroe Farmer's Market is starting up again! The first market of the season is today ~ Don't miss this weekend's Winter Market! Stock up on root vegetables, jams, jellies, baked goods and more at the farmers market on Monroe's Downtown Square. With a nod to the weather, the market moved indoors for winter, and it will be held in the lower level of Das Baumhaus from 9 am until 2. The next one isn't until January 16, so stock up now.

~ The Bel Canto Singers will perform a concert at 7 pm on Sunday at St Victor's Catholic Church in Monroe. Bel Canto is known for their rich vocals, and they will be teaming up with an organist, trumpeter and saxophonist for this performance. $5 admission.

~ Congratulations are in order for five Brodhead area ballerinas who will be onstage at the Overture Center in Madison this weekend for the annual Nutcracker performance. The girls, all students at the BHF Dance Academy, are Emily Beauchel, Nickole Becker, Carly Benton, Abby Jo Harnack and Rachel Jorgensen. There is still time to purchase tickets for the performances by contacting the Overture Center Box Office. Way to go girls! All that hard work really paid off for you. Break a leg!

Things to Do Around Monroe

So, what is going on in the upcoming days?

~ Monroe Arts Center is auditioning local talent tonight and Saturday morning for this season's Showcase of Talent. Come to MAC tonight after 6:30 or Saturday between 9 am and noon.

~ Come see the newly completed Downtown Square in Monroe this weekend and join in the festivities as the Downtown businesses celebrate with an Open House event all weekend. Enter to win one of four gift baskets valued at up to $1000.

~ If this gorgeous weather holds, it will be a perfect weekend to get outside and enjoy a fall hike at one of the local state parks. New Glarus Woods, Cadiz Springs, Yellowstone Park, Donald Park just north of New Glarus, all have miles of hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate. Get the bike out for one last ride on the Badger State Trail or Sugar River Trail.

~ Live music is at Toffler's in New Glarus this weekend. Enjoy an evening out with soloist Mark Harrod.

~ Remember to sign the little kids up for Monroe Theatre Guild's music and movement classes this Saturday. It is exciting to see them start offering classes for the younger set, and these should be fantastic. Full scholarships are available; contact Suzanne for more information.

~ The International Lantern Festival in Freeport this Saturday is an event to help promote cultural understanding and diversity. This celebration of hospitality, diversity and charity will feature local choirs, children's cultural activities, decoration of a giant community lantern and more. Make your own lantern in advance with directions from the website, or participate in a lantern making event from 5:30 to 6 pm. At 6, join in a parade of lanterns through the park, culminating in the final musical performance about 7 pm. Donations for the food pantry are appreciated.

~ Saturday evening, bring your favorite dish to the Broken Barn in Orangeville for Recipe Swap 2009. Make a dish from scratch, bring copies of the recipe, and come share. There will be judging and the top 3 dishes win a prize. This event is to benefit the local food pantry, and admission is 3 non-perishable food items per person. Please do RSVP so that they can plan enough seating and utensils; contact information is on their website.

~ If you enjoy the Badger State Trail, consider joining the Friends of the Badger State Trail. Their annual meeting is this coming week, November 18, at 6 pm at the DNR offices in Madison on Fish Hatchery Road.

Things to Do Around Monroe

Another weekend is approaching quickly. Do you have your plans ready?

~ Monroe Main Street hosts a webinar on Green and Sustainable Downtowns on Thursday, October 17 at Wisconsin Community Bank over the lunch hour. Contact Cara at Green County Extension to register: 328-9440. Cost is $12.50 for the webinar, and that includes lunch.

~ John and Lisa over at Inn Serendipity are hosting a Sustainable Living in the 21st Century workshop on Friday and Saturday. Nationally recognized in the green movement, they are an incredible resource in sustainability and going green. This workshop covers buying a farm property, sustainable gardening, renewable energy, divirsified business planning in a rural setting and raising a family on the farm. There will be resources on getting started and a hands-on tour of the farm, gardens, a strawbale greenhouse under construction and various renewable energy systems. Registration required, $30 per person. Call Lisa or John at 608-329-7056 for information and registration.

~ Toffler's in New Glarus has special events for the weekend's football games. Saturday they are playing the UW game on the big screen, and come in on Sunday for the Packer game and a free nacho bar.

~ Live music at Baumgartner's this Saturday evening. Fever River String Band takes the stage at 8 pm.

~ Dad's Corn Maze just east of Monroe has Flashlight Night this Saturday until 9 pm. Bring your own flashlight and wind your way through the twists and the turns of the maze.

~ The Monticello Lioness Craft Fair is Sunday from 9 until 3 in the school gym. There will be over 60 vendors on hand, and the Lionesses sell nuts every year as well. Don't forget your tickets for the raffle!

~ Plan ahead for next weekend! Monroe Theatre Guild has a lot going on at the Stage building. Get your tickets for Singin' on Sunday and Craig Tuttle, performing on Friday and Saturday evening. There is also a Stage Right Youth Theatre workshop on Saturday, Acting Essentials for Teens.

Things to Do Around Monroe

~ Have you made reservations for this month's Famous Fossil Wine Down and Cookout? Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 the day of. The July menu includes rib eyes on the grill, seasonal salad, Mrs Mike's chips, wine specials and Famous Fossil Sangria, all served on the patio at the winery overlooking the vineyards.

~ Enjoy live music at Tofflers in New Glaurus on Friday night. Enjoy the sounds of Mark Harrod on the patio. On Sunday, the Alex Wilson Band will perform at Caribbean Coffee and Cream in Brooklyn from 2 until 5 pm.

~ There is still time to sign the kids up for Fairy Tale Theatre through Monroe Theatre Guild, and scholarships are still available. Visit the MTG website for details.

~ From Friday through Sunday, "Eight Miles of Ag-tiques" will line highway 69 from Monroe to Orangeville. International Harvestor. John Deer. Minneapolis Moline. Oliver. Allis Chalmers. Massey Harris. If these names mean anything to you, come see your favorites. If these names mean nothing to you, find out why the are special. There will be displays at farms and businesses lining Highway 69 filled with vintage farming equipment and one farm will even feature a draft horse demonstration.

~ Washington Church in Monticello celebrate their anniversary with an annual music fest on July 4. There will be 5 bands playing starting at 11 am and going until 4 pm.

~ Monroe's big Fourth of July celebration takes place on Saturday at Twining Park. Events kick off at 11 am. Watch the soccer, volleyball and softball games or enjoy entertainment in the band shell. Food vendors will be in the park all day. Children's events are scheduled from 11 am until 3 pm. The big fireworks display starts about 9:30.


~ Brodhead's Fourth of July celebration on Saturday starts with a parade at noon and finishes with fireworks at dusk. This year's event will feature special events celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Fire Department.

~ You can also find fireworks celebrations in Brooklyn at Legion's park. There will be bands, games for the family and a grand fireworks finale.

~ Stephenson County will be having a big fireworks display for Independence day on Friday evening at dusk at the fairgrounds in Freeport.

~ Green County Entrepreneurs and Inventors Club meets on Monday evening at 6:30 in the New Glarus Room of the Monroe Hospital. This month's featured speaker is James Schneider of Blue Chip Training & Marketing. His topic will be "Building and Maintaining a Winning Business Attitude."

Things to do

~ Tour a local garden with the Green County Garden Club on Thursday. Jeff Burandt will give a guided tour of his ponds and a discussion on water gardening. Call Wanda at 608 219-8480 for time and address.

~ Have you signed up for the Sugar River Golf Outing? The Belleville Chamber put together this outing for Saturday at Arguement Golf Course. $25 includes includes 9 holes of golf with a cart, along with steak dinner and beer after wards, and prizes. Call Dave Ace at Eyeball Machine or Regina Moyer at Amcore Bank-Belleville to sign up.

~ Come listen to live music this Saturday at either Baumgartners (Monroe) or Tofflers (New Glarus).

~ If you prefer your music outdoors, come to the Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Ameteurs and professionals will gather for workshops, concerts, homemade food, campfires, local beer and more.

~ Are you looking to try something new? Susan Myoyu Andersen Roshi is having an introductory class on Zen meditation at the Great Plains Zen Center on Saturday, June 7 from 9am - 11:30am. Suggested donation is $15 ($8 for seniors and students). The Zen Center is wheelchair accessible.

~ The Zor Shrine Circus is coming to town next week. Come to one of the shows on Wednesday, June 10 at the Green County Fairgrounds. Do you need some buy one, get one free tickets? Drop us an email and we will mail you some.

~ Next week, come Downtown in Monroe for the first Concert on the Square for the summer. Horsefeathers plays rockabilly on Thursday, June 11 from 6:30 until 8:30. Box lunches are available from some of the Downtown restaurants: Cafe Claudeen, Garden Deli, Turner Hall.

~ Thespian alert! Monroe Theatre Guild is auditioning for the role of Scrooge for this winter's performance. Auditions will be next Friday, June 12. You can pick up the script, which is new this year and an original piece written by Fr. Klarer, at the library.

Things to do

It is time to take a look ahead at what is going on in the area in the upcoming week:

~ The Young Professionals of Green County are going mini golfing on Thursday, May 28. Join us at 6:30 pm at Swissland Mini Golf in New Glarus. The cost is only $7.50, and I've been told that YPs can feel free to bring the family. On June 11, the YPs will be having a business showcase featuring Brenda talking about the benefits of working with an EcoBroker and green real estate for everyone while touring a local home. More details on that to follow.

~ The kids from the Shakespeare Project have their show on Thursday evening at Monroe Arts Center. Shakespeare on the Edge is a local non-profit that supports teens making connections to the world through the works of Shakespeare. These teens have been working on their pieces since February; come out and support them in their performance while enjoying some of the great works of theater.

~ Come to Breakfast on the Farm on Saturday morning. The annual event is being held at Bruegger farms N4253 and N4611 Rechsteiner Road between Monroe and Albany off of Hwy FF. Just follow the signs. Breakfast is served from 6 am until 10 am. After you eat, enjoy the petting zoo, craft show, wagon rides, live entertainment and more.

~ Goosechaser Farm is having another culinary workshop on Saturday. This month's class targets cooking with children, particularly those between 4 and 8. Bring the favorite child in your life along for an entertaining, delicious and informative event. Check with Stef to see if space if still available.

~ Did you get the kids signed up for the puppetry classes at Monroe Theatre Guild? Our kids are looking forward to them.

~ Lindo Theater in Freeport is beginning their discount family movie series courtesy of FHN. Tickets are only $3 for the 10 am showing. This week, they are showing "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian".

~ Get outside! Hop on the bike and enjoy a leisurely ride on one of our area bike trails. If you prefer hiking, you can hike on the trails as well, or stop in at New Glarus Woods State Park, the Cadiz/Browntown Recreational Area or the Oakdale Nature Preserve (Freeport) for a hike through the woods or prairie. If you plan on spending time in your own yard gardening, remember that you can get the supplies you need at the independently owned nurseries in the area, and some of the Farmers Market vendors are selling vegetable and flower starts as well.

~ Live music! Enjoy Blue with Jimmy Voegli at Tofflers in New Glarus this Saturday evening. The Monroe City Band begins their summer concert series at Twining Park on Monday eveningat 7:30 pm. Also, make your plans now to attend next weekend's Brooklyn Bluegrass festival.

~ Don't forget to get out to the Farmers Markets locally in Monroe, Belleville and Paoli. The fresh foods taste so good, and it is great to buy local.

Have fun! The weather is supposed to be great, so enjoy your weekend here in Green County!

Things to Do Around Monroe

Time to look ahead to what is happening in the next week or so.

~ There is still a little bit of time to register for tomorrow's See Jane Grow workshop led by Lisa Kivirist of Inn Serendipity and hosted at Kookaburra's in Monroe. I just spoke with Lisa, and while there are 20 registered attendees, there is still room for a few more.

~ The Monticello Historical Museum opens for the season on Saturday. They will be unveiling a new exhibit, Jim Town, and there will be a Civil War Living History Encampment. The encampment will be across from the fire department at the end of Main Street, and it will open at 9 am. The museum opens at 10 am, and there will be a parade at 1:30 pm. Following the parade, the City Band will have a concert at 2 pm in Community Park (alternate location is the school gym in case of inclement weather). Free, but donations are appreciated.

~ Time is running out to register a team for the annual Big Brothers and Big Sisters Bowl For Kids Sake. The event takes place over the next week and half at area bowling alleys. Register your team and gather your pledges, then lace up your bowling shoes.

~ The UW Extension Master Gardeners are having a plant sale in the Auditorium of the Government Services building on Saturday from 9 until noon. They will have perennials, annuals and herbs, and volunteers will be available to help you choose the best plants for your garden.

~ Live Music! Come to Baumgartner's on Saturday night to listen to the sounds of Robert J and the Rowdy Prairie Dogs. Tofflers will feature Joel Pingitore and the Playground of Sound. Tofflers is also having a Kentucky Derby Party on Saturday including a Fancy Hat Contest at 5 pm.

~ Thursday, April 30 is the last day to register to attend Monday evening's "Taste of Spring" benefit event for MAC.

~ Young Professionals of Green County are having a Business Showcase at Quest Industrial, a locally company owned by a YP'er, on Monday evening at 5:30. Tour the facility and learn about the company's current robotics projects. There will be a socializing time at Smokey's following the event for anyone who wishes to stay.

We'll see you around town!