BY ANNA GUIDO
Enquirer Contributor
MONROE -- What started as a birthday celebration here in 1992 is now an annual event and fund-raiser.
The Monroe City Fest Sept. 11-13 boasts an even bigger schedule this year than in the past two years, and includes a Sunday performance by oldies group the Van Dells.
"What we try to do is listen to the comments of people who attend the festival to make sure that we have entertainment for people of all ages," Councilwoman Vicky Sizemore said.
Ms. Sizemore, who is in charge of festival entertainment, thinks this year's city fest has met the organizers' goal to provide as much family entertainment as possible.
She said she specifically met the requests of teens last year to have bands with performers their own age, and she also arranged for a variety of other entertainment geared toward the younger crowd.
Monroe's 175th birthday celebration in 1992 was the start of Monroe's City Fest.
"(My wife and I) and several community members organized the event. It was such a success that everybody wanted to continue it," Mayor Elbert Tannreuther said.
Several years passed before the festival was held again.
Monroe City Fest is sponsored by the city and business community, but it is not a fund-raiser for the city.
Local schools and charitable organizations are given the opportunity to generate money through the operation of food and game booths. "All of the food and game booths are strictly fund-raisers," Mr. Tannreuther said.
The city fest is held at Monroe Community Park. It features demonstrations by the police and fire departments, a Saturday morning 5K run and parade. The parade begins at 10 a.m. at Mount Pleasant Retirement Village and will proceed to the park.
The opening ceremony at noon will include recognition of parade grand marshals Dr. Jim Anderson and his wife, Bertha.
"He's a retired doctor in town, and they've been active in the community," Mr. Tannreuther said.
"They've given a lot back to the community in their 50 years here."
