Monticello Homecoming

Monticello Community Club would like to welcome you to our annual celebration in Monticello, beginning with softball on Thursday, July 9, and continuing throughout the weekend. We have many activities that you are welcome to come and watch, and even participate in! Again this year, we have a carnival for the kids – the same carnival as last year, expanded a bit. Wristband times are Thursday night from 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m., and again Sunday afternoon from Noon until 4:00 p.m.
<strong>All Weekend </strong>
You don’t need to eat before you come in to Homecoming! The Lionesses will have their food stand open beginning Friday at 4:00 p.m. Remember the brats, hot dogs, BBQs, and those luscious homemade pies, donated by community members? Yum – prepare to enjoy! Pie flavors change daily, so check often for your favorite before it is sold out. The Lion’s Club will be serving their famous homemade cheese curds and mushrooms all weekend. And, the Boy Scouts, the Booster Club, and other local organizations will also be on the grounds to serve you – with ice cold lemonade, for example. As usual, you won’t go hungry at the ball diamond either, as The Friends of the Library will be providing munchies.
Softball tournaments will begin on Thursday evening, at 7:00 p.m. (if enough teams have entered). The games will continue all weekend – Friday, Saturday and Sunday. To register for softball or questions, please call (608) 426-4955.
<strong>Friday</strong>
Friday night, why cook? Get your dinner at the Fish Boil at the Octagon Shelter, near the lake. The FFA & FFA Alumni are serving. Dinner begins at 5:00 p.m. This is the traditional fish boil with boiled potatoes, onions, and fish – and plenty of melted butter. Prices are $10.00 in advance for adult dinner - $11.00 at door or $5.00 for child’s portion.
At 7:00 p.m., the Homecoming Variety Show will showcase our local talent in a free fun variety show format at Barnaby’s Monticello House. Come inside and be entertained.
From 8:00 p.m. to Midnight, at the main beer stand, Sonic Gorillas will be performing. No admission charge.
<strong>Saturday</strong>
Mud volleyball, grass volleyball and 3-on-3 basketball will be happening all day Saturday. Sign up is in advance by contacting the coordinator. Coordinator for Mud Volleyball is Kevin Johnson at (608) 558-9189. Grass Volleyball is Braden Rindy at (608) 214-4808. Basketball is Jacob Marty at (608) 558-5493.
Motorcyclists - At 9:30 a.m., you can sign up for Monticello Homecoming Ride Registration at Luckys Farm Tavern. The ride leaves at 11:00 a.m. sharp from there. Great ride and great prizes - and it’s all for a great cause also, the Empty Stocking Fund.
Kids – In the past, the kids have had so much fun, we’re doing it again - the FREE Kids Pedal Tractor Pull. Registration is at 9:30 a.m., at W. Monroe Street, in front of Monticello Pool House. For ages 3-10, four age classes, free t-shirt for all, and trophies! No pre-registration necessary. Kids get a t-shirt for participating! Thank you to our many local sponsors.
Something new this year!! At Noon, there will be a Pet Parade. Pooches will parade up and down the paved path between the shelters and the baseball field. Owners and dogs are encouraged to dress up - bring your friends! This is separate from the big parade on Sunday. Yes, dogs get their own parade, how cool is that!? Contests will be after the Pet Parade. Sign up for one or as many as you’d like! Best Trick, Owner-Dog Look Alike Contest, Most Patriotic Dog (and owner!), Smallest Dog, Largest Dog, Furriest Dog, Best Tail Wag. Sponsored by Dog Face. More details and pre-registration is on their website at http://www.dogfacepet.com/monticello_homecoming_pet_parade.php
More kids fun! PTO is running a giant PLINKO game as well as face painting and a ball toss into a bucket game. They will be set up from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Don’t forget the canoe races around Lake Montesian. You can register at the lake at 1:30 p.m., on Saturday. Races will begin at 2:00 p.m. Teams will consist of seniors over 55; adult males 17 and older; adult females 17 and older; co-ed, and children (you must be at least 12). There is no fee to enter. Monticello Community Club is sponsoring the prizes. Following is the Triathlon...a fun based relay race. The team divisions are the same as the canoe races. Both events are as fun to watch as they are to participate in!
Area Firefighter Water Fights will be held at on Saturday, at 1:00 p.m., on W. North Avenue, by the pool. Who will win??
From 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the main beer tent, The Greenfield Brothers will be entertaining, sponsored by Harvey W. Kubly, C.P.A. and Freitag Financial Services.
At 6:00 p.m., at the Zwingli Church, in the fellowship Hall (the basement), Jonathon Rupp will speak on 5+1 Green County 1861 to 1965. For people that may have heard this presentation before, this is an expanded version.
At the beer stand from 8:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m., there will again be live music, Electric Blue (no cover charge, of course), with at break at about 9:45 p.m., for the FIREWORKS!! The fireworks are set off at Lake Montesian and can be viewed from several locations. A special thank you to the fireworks sponsors, the Monticello Community Club and Greenwoods State Bank. Rain delay will be Sunday at 9:45 p.m.
<strong>Sunday</strong>
Church services will begin at 9:30 a.m., at Montesian Gardens, hosted by Zwingli United Church of Christ, Monticello. Please bring your lawn chairs and take a little extra time to enjoy the beautiful gardens, tended to by community volunteers.
Following the church services, you should definitely plan on lunch at the Chicken Barbecue sponsored by Monticello Community Club. The group is serving half chicken dinners or just chicken. Serving will begin at 11:00 a.m., at the Octagon Shelter. Carry-outs are available. Delivery service is also available for senior citizens, handicapped or disabled persons (within the Village limits), who don’t have anyone to come pick up their chicken. Contact Katy at (608) 426-1843 before 7:00 p.m., on Saturday, July 11, to order delivery.
Afterwards, you will need to find your spot to watch the 2015 Parade. Our Parade Marshall this year is Roger Gempeler, celebrating Roger’s many years of community service. Our theme is “Fun in the Sun? Roger that!”. The parade will begin at 2:00 p.m., on Sunday, July 12, at the east end of Lake Avenue and will proceed through to the north end of Main Street. Parade entries and monetary donations, to help sponsor some of the unique entries, are still being accepted. If you are interested in participating or sponsoring a parade entry, contact Kay Freitag at (608) 938-1133. There is always room for more participants – and we could sure use your sponsorship!
The mud volleyball tournament continues from Saturday, as well as the softball tournament. Both fun to watch and cheer on your favorites – and the champions will be decided on Sunday.
Again this year, the bean bag competition will be held at the baseball beer tent at 3:00 p.m. $10 per co-ed 2-person team, single elimination, 32 teams. Registration is day of. For questions, contact Andrew Anderson at (608) 279-1430.
There will be music at the baseball beer tent from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., by Precocious, a local all girl band.
At the main beer stand, after the parade, at about 3:00 p.m., the Zweifel Brothers will be performing until 6:00 p.m. They are sponsored by Monticello Ford Inc., and Voegeli Chevrolet Buick Inc. Then, Frenchtown Band will play from 7:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m., sponsored by Robel Transfer. Hang out for good fun and conversation until the raffle drawing at 9:00 p.m. Remember there is no entry fee for any entertainment at the beer stand all weekend long.
Don’t forget to purchase your raffle chance at cold hard cash ($500, $250, $100, $50, $50), a Limited Edition Leinies 10-speed bike (valued at $300), Badger Football Tickets and Tailgate tickets for two (valued at $200), Brewers tickets for four (valued at $200), a Chill & Grill (a grill with a build in cooler valued at $150), and a Wheelbarrow. Raffle tickets are $5.00 for a book of 6 or $1.00 each and can be purchased now at Monticello businesses or from any member of the Monticello Community Club. During Homecoming, they are available at the beer stand. Proceeds always go back into our community. The raffle drawing will be held at 9:00 p.m., on Sunday night, at the beer stand. You need not be present to win.
Oh, and what about helping? The Friends of the Library or the Lioness’ could always use help during the weekend at their stands. Contact the Monticello Library at (608) 938-4011, or there’s a sign up sheet at the library to help out the Friends of the Library. Contact Nancy Elmer at (608) 938-4904 to help the Lionesses at their food stand or would you like to make a couple pies to donate? Got a favorite recipe that your friends and family rave about?
Monticello Homecoming is sponsored by The Monticello Community Club, the Monticello Chamber of Commerce and the Monticello Lions and Lionesses. The Monticello Community Club is a local organization that has been in existence for more than fifty years. The club’s purpose is to make our community a great place to live and raise a family. And our annual Homecoming celebration is the main fundraiser for projects that better Monticello. Through the years, the Club has contributed to the development and improvement of Lake Montesian, the village park, ball diamond, and new basketball court, the octagon shelter house, the depot, the pool, the village playground equipment, and many other projects in our Village, as well as to fund scholarships for our local graduates. The Monticello Chamber of Commerce (formally Monticello Business and Professional Association) consists of area businesses and professionals working together to improve the local business climate and insure a thriving, strong community. The Monticello Lions and Lionesses are also strong service organizations in Monticello.
See you at our 2015 Homecoming Festival!