MONROE — The every popular 35th Annual Monroe Balloon and Blues Festival returns to the area on Friday and Saturday June 14-15 at the Green County Fairgrounds. The event will be hosting 16 balloons to delight festival goers during the two-day event.

Weather permitting, the balloons will take flight both Friday and Saturday mornings. Then the pilots will return on both evenings, near sunset, to fill the night skies with the colorful sundown glow.

Friday’s schedule of events will include a craft show from 4-9 p.m., archery demonstrations for all ages from 4-8 p.m., Carnival from 4-10 p.m. and Daisy’s Axe Box will also be on the grounds. There will be a display of Classic Tractors on Saturday.

Saturday morning for our early risers, there will be the ever-popular pancake breakfast from 7-9 a.m., craft fair from 8-4 p.m., car show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Carnival from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., pony rides from 3-7 p.m., and face painting starting at noon.

There is a selection of blues bands schedule to entertain music lovers on both nights. The Blues Festival will start off on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. with IRA, a local band opening for the Chris Canas Band, which will take the stage at 8 p.m. On Saturday, the Stefan Geisinger Band will start off the entertainment venue at 2:30 p.m., followed by jazz bands, including the Bird Dog Blues Band, Howard “Guitar” Luedtke and Blue Max. Rounding off the evening will be Rev Raven & The Chain Smokin’ Alter Boys.

Festival goers will be able to enjoy plenty of food and refreshments throughout both days of the event.

As a fundraiser, there will be a 50/50 raffle for the event with only 300 tickets available. Tickets are available at Bartels & Co. Tap or from festival organizers. Admission is $3 per person and $3 for parking — with a maximum cost of $12 per vehicle. 

For more information, go to www.

monroeballoonandblues.com or find them on Facebook.