MONROE - Police Chief Fred Kelley of the Monroe Police Department has issued the following public safety reminders to people for Cheese Days this week:
Wednesday, Sept. 12
- The inside lane on the south side of the Square closes at 6 a.m. Wednesday for stage set up later.
- The inside lane of the north side of the Square closes also at 6 a.m. Wednesday for staging of large tents.
Thursday, Sept. 13
- All other inside lanes of the Square close at 6 a.m. Thursday.
- The outside lanes of the north, west and east sides of the Square will close at 6 a.m. Thursday to install large tents and other facilities. The east end of the 1500 block of 10th Street closes at 6 a.m. Thursday, also for a large tent to be set up. The 900 block of 16th Avenue also will close at 6 a.m. Thursday; because of all of the Square closings, traffic will have nowhere to go. This will leave only the outside lane of the south side of the Square open the rest of the day.
- The Spring Square parking lot closes at 5 p.m. Thursday. All vehicles must be moved for the carnival to set up on the site.
Friday, Sept. 14
- All access to the Square, and within one block of the Square, will be closed at 6 a.m. Friday.
- The 1500-1700 blocks of 12th Street (15th Avenue to 18th Avenue), will be closed at noon on Friday, and will remain closed until 6 p.m. on Sunday. The 1200 blocks of 16th Avenue and 17th Avenue will also close at 6 a.m. on Friday. There may be some access to businesses in the 1700 block, but this will be limited.
- The Children's Parade will leave from Monroe Middle School at 5:30 p.m. Friday, traveling north on 17th Avenue by Turner Hall to 11th Street by the Goetz Theater, taking 11th Street past the post office, then turning north on 18th Avenue, continuing north to 9th Street, then 9th Street west past Stop N Go, and finally back south on 16th Avenue to the middle school.
- The Square and surrounding area will remain closed until Monday morning when it is expected the outside lanes will be back open for business traffic. The inside lanes of the Square will remain closed until all items are removed.
- Immediately after the Children's Parade, the 1500 block of 12th Street and the 1200 block of 16th Avenue will be used for motorcycle parking for the weekend.
Saturday , Sept. 15
- The Arts and Crafts Fair will be held in the middle school area on Saturday. The 1500-1600 blocks of 15th Street will be closed during daytime hours with barricades. 16th Avenue in the area will be posted for no-parking and remains open.
- The Farmer's Market is expected to be open at the old site at 15th Street and 16th Avenue on Saturday, in the area south of the middle school.
- The Cheese Days Chase, 5K-10K runs, 2-mile Fun Run/Walk and Kid's Race will be held at 8:30 and 9 a.m. Saturday and is again expected to draw very large participation. The event begins from the south side of the Square. Police traffic control will be provided on and along the route. All motorists should expect delays along the route as police must stop traffic for safety purposes.
- Beginning at noon Saturday, the Old Armory municipal parking lot at 18th Avenue and 9th Street becomes a handicapped parking-only lot. Just as at any of the other handicapped parking lots and spaces, an official handicapped parking permit or plate is required to park there. All other vehicles must be removed prior to this time.
Sunday, Sept. 16
- Several special no-parking zones are effective on Sunday in anticipation of the parade and high traffic volumes. Most of these are in and around the fairgrounds area and will be posted.
- The entire Sunday parade route will be posted and must be cleared of all vehicles by 9:30 am. Sunday. The entire route will close at 11:45 a.m. for pre-parade activities. It is expected the parade will be moved on to 10th Street from the fairgrounds to the area of 24th Avenue sometime shortly after noon and be held there for line-up before leaving for the Square around 12:30 p.m. and arriving on the south side of the Square at 12:45 p.m.
- After the parade route is shut down fall all traffic at 11:45 a.m., vehicles will not be allowed to operate across or on the route for safety reasons.
- This year, there is a significant change to the Sunday parade route. The parade comes from the fairgrounds on 10th Street; at 18th Avenue, by the Wisconsin Bank & Trust, the parade turns south on 18th Avenue, going to 11th Street by the post office, then turns west on 11th Street and goes across the south side of the Square. The rest of the route from there is the same as in the past: north on 16th Avenue to 9th Street, then east on 9th Street back to the fairgrounds. The parade will not go on the east or north sides of the Square. The change was necessitated by some new concessions and facilities that are set up on the east side of the Square, and to better address problems with access, safety and impeding the flow of pedestrians and the parade caused by the way concessions were arranged in the past.
General information
- Very large crowds are expected once again for all weekend events. Traffic and parking congestion will exist. All motorists are reminded to plan ahead and allow extra time during the weekend activities.
- Sunday traffic and parking limitations will grow severe by mid-morning. Persons coming to the parade must plan to arrive early. By mid-morning Sunday, the highways and city streets will be extremely congested and parking availability will be limited. Late arrivals will not find parking anywhere near the parade route or the downtown activities. Special handicapped parking areas have been set up at East School Park; the Wisconsin Bank & Trust lot; the First National Bank & Trust lot; the municipal parking lot located north of the parking ramp; the north municipal parking lot, located on the north side of the Stop N Go store, including some van accessible stalls; and new this year, the Old Armory municipal lot at 9th Street and 18th Avenue. The Stop N Go area municipal lot, the Old Armory lot and the lot near the ramp will be available all weekend. Vehicles must display an authorized handicapped permit or license plate to park in these areas.
- Due to the nature of this large-scale event and Monroe City Code, no other activities, including vending, other than those sanctioned by Green County Cheese Days, Inc., are permitted within those areas granted by permit.
- On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, open plastic containers of beer or wine will be allowed on the cordoned off area of the Square itself, from 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday; 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday; and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. People should watch for signs indicating the allowed area. People should also be aware that outside of the special designated area, there is no other relaxation of the existing City of Monroe open container ordinances. City code prohibits persons, other than with special permit, from possessing any alcoholic beverage in any open container while in or upon any public street, sidewalk, alley, public way or area held out for public use. The ordinance will be enforced and municipal citations of $264 will be issued. The department asks for voluntary compliance and use of caution in this activity: A little thought could save a person from embarrassment and expense.
Everyone's cooperation and patience is appreciated to ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Wednesday, Sept. 12
- The inside lane on the south side of the Square closes at 6 a.m. Wednesday for stage set up later.
- The inside lane of the north side of the Square closes also at 6 a.m. Wednesday for staging of large tents.
Thursday, Sept. 13
- All other inside lanes of the Square close at 6 a.m. Thursday.
- The outside lanes of the north, west and east sides of the Square will close at 6 a.m. Thursday to install large tents and other facilities. The east end of the 1500 block of 10th Street closes at 6 a.m. Thursday, also for a large tent to be set up. The 900 block of 16th Avenue also will close at 6 a.m. Thursday; because of all of the Square closings, traffic will have nowhere to go. This will leave only the outside lane of the south side of the Square open the rest of the day.
- The Spring Square parking lot closes at 5 p.m. Thursday. All vehicles must be moved for the carnival to set up on the site.
Friday, Sept. 14
- All access to the Square, and within one block of the Square, will be closed at 6 a.m. Friday.
- The 1500-1700 blocks of 12th Street (15th Avenue to 18th Avenue), will be closed at noon on Friday, and will remain closed until 6 p.m. on Sunday. The 1200 blocks of 16th Avenue and 17th Avenue will also close at 6 a.m. on Friday. There may be some access to businesses in the 1700 block, but this will be limited.
- The Children's Parade will leave from Monroe Middle School at 5:30 p.m. Friday, traveling north on 17th Avenue by Turner Hall to 11th Street by the Goetz Theater, taking 11th Street past the post office, then turning north on 18th Avenue, continuing north to 9th Street, then 9th Street west past Stop N Go, and finally back south on 16th Avenue to the middle school.
- The Square and surrounding area will remain closed until Monday morning when it is expected the outside lanes will be back open for business traffic. The inside lanes of the Square will remain closed until all items are removed.
- Immediately after the Children's Parade, the 1500 block of 12th Street and the 1200 block of 16th Avenue will be used for motorcycle parking for the weekend.
Saturday , Sept. 15
- The Arts and Crafts Fair will be held in the middle school area on Saturday. The 1500-1600 blocks of 15th Street will be closed during daytime hours with barricades. 16th Avenue in the area will be posted for no-parking and remains open.
- The Farmer's Market is expected to be open at the old site at 15th Street and 16th Avenue on Saturday, in the area south of the middle school.
- The Cheese Days Chase, 5K-10K runs, 2-mile Fun Run/Walk and Kid's Race will be held at 8:30 and 9 a.m. Saturday and is again expected to draw very large participation. The event begins from the south side of the Square. Police traffic control will be provided on and along the route. All motorists should expect delays along the route as police must stop traffic for safety purposes.
- Beginning at noon Saturday, the Old Armory municipal parking lot at 18th Avenue and 9th Street becomes a handicapped parking-only lot. Just as at any of the other handicapped parking lots and spaces, an official handicapped parking permit or plate is required to park there. All other vehicles must be removed prior to this time.
Sunday, Sept. 16
- Several special no-parking zones are effective on Sunday in anticipation of the parade and high traffic volumes. Most of these are in and around the fairgrounds area and will be posted.
- The entire Sunday parade route will be posted and must be cleared of all vehicles by 9:30 am. Sunday. The entire route will close at 11:45 a.m. for pre-parade activities. It is expected the parade will be moved on to 10th Street from the fairgrounds to the area of 24th Avenue sometime shortly after noon and be held there for line-up before leaving for the Square around 12:30 p.m. and arriving on the south side of the Square at 12:45 p.m.
- After the parade route is shut down fall all traffic at 11:45 a.m., vehicles will not be allowed to operate across or on the route for safety reasons.
- This year, there is a significant change to the Sunday parade route. The parade comes from the fairgrounds on 10th Street; at 18th Avenue, by the Wisconsin Bank & Trust, the parade turns south on 18th Avenue, going to 11th Street by the post office, then turns west on 11th Street and goes across the south side of the Square. The rest of the route from there is the same as in the past: north on 16th Avenue to 9th Street, then east on 9th Street back to the fairgrounds. The parade will not go on the east or north sides of the Square. The change was necessitated by some new concessions and facilities that are set up on the east side of the Square, and to better address problems with access, safety and impeding the flow of pedestrians and the parade caused by the way concessions were arranged in the past.
General information
- Very large crowds are expected once again for all weekend events. Traffic and parking congestion will exist. All motorists are reminded to plan ahead and allow extra time during the weekend activities.
- Sunday traffic and parking limitations will grow severe by mid-morning. Persons coming to the parade must plan to arrive early. By mid-morning Sunday, the highways and city streets will be extremely congested and parking availability will be limited. Late arrivals will not find parking anywhere near the parade route or the downtown activities. Special handicapped parking areas have been set up at East School Park; the Wisconsin Bank & Trust lot; the First National Bank & Trust lot; the municipal parking lot located north of the parking ramp; the north municipal parking lot, located on the north side of the Stop N Go store, including some van accessible stalls; and new this year, the Old Armory municipal lot at 9th Street and 18th Avenue. The Stop N Go area municipal lot, the Old Armory lot and the lot near the ramp will be available all weekend. Vehicles must display an authorized handicapped permit or license plate to park in these areas.
- Due to the nature of this large-scale event and Monroe City Code, no other activities, including vending, other than those sanctioned by Green County Cheese Days, Inc., are permitted within those areas granted by permit.
- On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, open plastic containers of beer or wine will be allowed on the cordoned off area of the Square itself, from 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday; 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday; and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. People should watch for signs indicating the allowed area. People should also be aware that outside of the special designated area, there is no other relaxation of the existing City of Monroe open container ordinances. City code prohibits persons, other than with special permit, from possessing any alcoholic beverage in any open container while in or upon any public street, sidewalk, alley, public way or area held out for public use. The ordinance will be enforced and municipal citations of $264 will be issued. The department asks for voluntary compliance and use of caution in this activity: A little thought could save a person from embarrassment and expense.
Everyone's cooperation and patience is appreciated to ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend.