Monroe County Fall Festival starts Thursday

The Monroe County Fall Festival will return Thursday for its 44th nonconsecutive year.\nThere is no entry fee to the three-day festival, which will feature two stages for live entertainment, a parade, rides from Pic-A-Chic farms of Bloomington, a cruise-in car show and fireworks displays.\nThe festival has been on hiatus for the past several years due to construction on Ind. 46 and a lack of volunteers. Financial help for the festival came from State Representative Peggy Welch and the Indiana General Assembly's Build Indiana Fund.\nThe action starts at 6 p.m. Thursday with the national anthem at the Eagles Landing Stage. Eagles Landing, formerly Ellettsville Elementary, is located off Ind. 46 two blocks from the Ellettsville Street Department. \nThe Fall Festival queen will be crowned later that night. The newly crowned queen will then officially open the 2006 festival. A fireworks display will follow.\nFriday is Kids' Day, which will start at 10 a.m. with activities from Monroe County Parks and Recreation. There will be a senior citizens luncheon followed by bingo in the Endwright Center at noon. The talent show will be at 7 p.m.\nSaturday will begin with the cruise-in car show on the basketball courts of the Richland Bean Blossom Youth Sports Complex at 10 a.m. The second stage will also be located at the RBBYS complex.\nLater that day, the parade, emceed by auctioneer Jimmie Dean Coffey, will leave Edgewood High School at 1 p.m. down Ind. 46. The parade currently consists of about 40 to 46 entries, but Ranee Love, vice president of the festival, said event organizers are looking for more. Those interested should contact Charity Cowden at 812-876-7647.\nSaturday will commence with live music, entertainment and a closing ceremony with a fireworks display. \nParking for the festival can be found at several nearby churches such as the First Baptist Church, Assembly of God and United Methodist Church. A shuttle service will be provided by Rural Transit, a service of Area 10 Agency on Aging. There will be signs to direct visitors to the free parking lots.\nFor more information, visit the Fall Festival Web site at www.ellettsvillechamber.com, or call Fall Festival Treasurer Sandy Hash or Fall Festival President Cullen McCarthy at 812-876-2211 and press 0.