St. Paddy's Day Bicycle Parade is fun for the entire family

The West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce, Love Your Community and City of West Monroe work together each year to host the annual St. Paddy's Day Bicycle Parade and Festival, a day of free family fun at Kiroli Park in West Monroe.

This wonderful event is sponsored by Centric Federal Credit Union.

Admission to Kiroli Park is waived during the festival.

The 4th Annual St. Paddy's Day Bicycle Parade and Festival is a day of family fun with the highlight of the day being a bicycle parade around Kiroli Park's athletic field. People of all ages are invited to take part in this non-motorized parade - participants can use bicycles, wagons, strollers, scooters etc. to stroll around the parade route.  Parade organizers will lead off with a decorated golf cart.

Prizes are awarded to the best dressed children, adults and pets so be sure to deck yourself in the finest green attire!

Live Irish music will be provided by Emerald Accent, and a demonstration from a dancer with the Jackson Irish Dancers.  There will be plenty of crafts, games and other activities for children during the day.  Some of the groups that will participate with activities include the Masur Museum, La. Purchase Gardens and Zoo, Macaroni Kid and cookie/cupcake decorating with Tummy Yummy Creations.  Other activities include face painting, a photo booth, inflatable bouncers and animal balloons with Rainbow the Clown.

Free popcorn and green lemonade will be provided to festival attendees while supplies last.

Food vendors will be selling refreshments at the festival including Kona Ice snocones, green cotton candy, funnel cakes and other treats.

St. Paddy's Day T-shirts will be available for sale for $10 each at the festival.

Event organizers are closely monitoring the weather for this weekend. Please keep checking the festival's Facebook event page for updates.
https://www.facebook.com/events/565677410263277/permalink/583519205145764/

Many thanks to all of the companies and organizations who have sponsored this event and made it possible for local families to enjoy.

It's time for the Great American Cleanup in Ouachita Parish

For many, the beginning of March seems marks the unofficial start of the spring season.

For Ouachita Green and its partners, March 1 begins a three-month period known as the Great American Cleanup.

During the Great American Cleanup, volunteers are called to action to clean all areas of Ouachita Parish.  A parish wide cleanup will be held on Saturday, March 19.  Various staging sites will be established around the parish allowing volunteers to register and providing them with cleanup supplies.

The community cleanup provides the public an opportunity to play an active role in the beautification of our parish.  The appearance of our community is the first impression many investors and developers have of this area. The presence of litter is an indicator of more significant problems such as crime, neglect and a community that cares.

In an effort to combat litter and empower local residents, Ouachita Green has established a new litter hotline that is available day and night and on weekends. The Litter Hotline number is 318-460-0LTR (Zero Litter).  Residents are encouraged to use this number when they see littering or illegal dumpsites.  

Ouachita Green encourages the public to take action this spring against litter and help be an "everyday hero" when it comes to keeping our home clean and litter free.

To learn more about the Great American Cleanup or any program hosted by Ouachita Green, visit www.ouachitagreen.org.

https://youtu.be/wTEMnDLwhpM