The Monticello Community Club would like to welcome you to our annual celebration in Monticello, beginning with softball on Thursday, July 7th, 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 the carnival for the kids. The carnival will begin on Friday with Wristband Special from 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. (the only wristband special over the weekend).

All Weekend

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. The games will continue all weekend – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. To register for softball or questions, please call (608) 426-4955.

Friday

Friday night, why cook? Get your dinner at the Fish Boil at the Octagon Shelter, near the lake. The FFA & FFA Alumni are serving. Dinners begin 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 a 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, Rockabilly Junction will be performing. No admission charge.

Saturday

Mud volleyball, grass volleyball and 3-on-3 basketball will be happening all day Saturday. Sign up is in advance by contacting the coordinator. Coordinators: 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 the Rathskeller. 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! Monticello PTO's 1st Annual Pony Trot 5K Run/Walk and Little Pony 1K. Come out and support the Monticello PTO for their first ever run/walk fundraiser.  This event will replace the annual beginning of the year door-to-door fundraiser.  The race takes place on Saturday, July 9th!  All races start and end at Monticello Schools.  Kids run is at 8:30 a.m., and 5K run/walk is at 9:00 a.m.  Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on day of race.  Register by Sunday, June 26th, to guarantee a t-shirt.  The funds raised from this event go directly back to the students and teachers of Monticello Schools.  A few activities we have sponsored this year are: teacher grants, classroom treats, portable speaker system, post prom, PBIS dance, and senior scholarships.  Registration forms can be found at: http://www.monticello.k12.wi.us/PTO/ponytrot.pdf.

Visit the Monticello PTO at their stand on Saturday, July 9th, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., for an afternoon of PLINKO, Ball Toss and Face Painting.  All games are $1.00.

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 & older; adult females 17 & 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!

Community 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 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 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.

The Zwingli Brotherhood will sponsor a Power Point discussion by Christopher Pederson of Eau Claire, WI, beginning at 6:00 p.m., on Saturday, July 9th, at Zwingli United Church of Christ, 416 East Lake Avenue, Monticello WI.  The title of his presentation will be "Schuetzenvereins (Shooting Societies) of Green County."  Chris is Vice President of the Eau Claire Schuetzenverein and a Military Historian.  This talk should be of interest for anyone who wants to know more about our Swiss Heritage, shooting sports, and local history.  For more information contact Paul Rieder at (608) 558-8192.

At the beer stand from 8:30 p.m.-12:30 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.

Sunday

Church services will begin at 9:30 a.m., at Montesian Gardens, hosted by Washington Reformation UCC 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 for $10.00 or just chicken for $7.00. Serving will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the Octagon Shelter. Chicken prices are unknown at this time. 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) 938-4339 before 7:00 p.m., on Saturday, July 9th to order delivery.

The parade's theme this year is "We're a Page Right out of HISTORY," celebrating our area's history. Please stop in at our Monticello Area Historical Society Museum on Saturday. Our Parade Marshall this year is Ruth Sybers. Her gift of the Woelffer Drug Store building to the Society is the home for the Museum and the perfect showplace for our past. The parade will begin at 2:00 p.m., on Sunday, July 10, 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 two-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 (an all girl band).

At the main beer stand, after the parade, 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 and the Monticello Community Club. Hang out for good fun and conversation until the raffle drawing at 9:00 p.m. Remember - no entry fee for any entertainment at the beer stand – all weekend long.

Don't forget to purchase your raffle chance at cold cash ($500, $250, $100, $50, $50), Badger Football Tickets for four and Tailgate pass (valued at $300), Brewers tickets for four and Parking pass (valued at $200), a Chill & Grill (a grill with a built in cooler valued at $150), and a Wheelbarrow (valued at $75). Raffle tickets are $5.00 for a book of six, 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 Lionesses 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 (formerly 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 strong service organizations in Monticello.

See you at our 2016 Homecoming Festival!