MONROE - The Monroe Balloon and Blues Festival has a new face for the organization - the ARC of Green County has taken up the challenge of bringing back the popular event, alongside long-time festival organizer Matt Urban.
ARC's mission states that the organization is "for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities." ARC of Green County is hosting the festival to create awareness for the organization.
"The problem is a lack of knowledge about the organization," Board president Nick Faessler said. "There's a need out there, we just need to be able to target it."
To remedy that, Faessler has been working with Urban to revive the festival . The annual event has been a mainstay in Monroe since 1986, but without enough financial support, Urban had to cancel the 2015 festival.
The festival is scheduled for June 17 and 18 at the Green County Fairgrounds.
Faessler and the group have planned to bring in about 12 balloons. Urban, a balloon enthusiast himself, has been helping bring in other balloonists for the event.
"We don't want to reinvent the wheel," Faessler said.
To that end, organizers plan to bring back popular attractions for the festival, including the balloon glow. For the blues component, the festival will include five or six bands, including local favorites The Jimmys, Faessler said. As in years past, there will also be a craft show and car show.
Faessler said the festival's website, monroeballoonrally. com, will be undergoing an overhaul in the near future.
The project hinges on sponsors. ARC has already begun to track down local businesses organizers believe will want to help with the festival. Faessler said he has spoken with a number of people who missed the festival when it was called off last year, and who look forward to being able to attend this summer.
ARC's mission states that the organization is "for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities." ARC of Green County is hosting the festival to create awareness for the organization.
"The problem is a lack of knowledge about the organization," Board president Nick Faessler said. "There's a need out there, we just need to be able to target it."
To remedy that, Faessler has been working with Urban to revive the festival . The annual event has been a mainstay in Monroe since 1986, but without enough financial support, Urban had to cancel the 2015 festival.
The festival is scheduled for June 17 and 18 at the Green County Fairgrounds.
Faessler and the group have planned to bring in about 12 balloons. Urban, a balloon enthusiast himself, has been helping bring in other balloonists for the event.
"We don't want to reinvent the wheel," Faessler said.
To that end, organizers plan to bring back popular attractions for the festival, including the balloon glow. For the blues component, the festival will include five or six bands, including local favorites The Jimmys, Faessler said. As in years past, there will also be a craft show and car show.
Faessler said the festival's website, monroeballoonrally. com, will be undergoing an overhaul in the near future.
The project hinges on sponsors. ARC has already begun to track down local businesses organizers believe will want to help with the festival. Faessler said he has spoken with a number of people who missed the festival when it was called off last year, and who look forward to being able to attend this summer.