Good morning, Monroe.

Monroe West Monroe released its weekend events list with a variety of activities, such as a Barefoot show at Strauss Theatre, a vineyard tour at Landry Vineyards, and a basketball game between the Monroe Moccassins and Carolina Thunderbirds+ locals can plan a fun day out.

The Emily Williamson Laboratory School exceeded its food drive goal on Feb.

20 by collecting 378 pounds of food for the Northeast Louisiana Food Bank to support local children (families and seniors benefit too).

ULM Catholic Campus Ministry hosts a fish fry every Friday during Lent, serving $12 plates of fried fish, hushpuppies, and seasoned fries to fund student activities and facility costs in Monroe.

A new photography exhibit in Walker Hall at ULM honors the late photojournalist Tianyu Wang with photos of Shaanxi Province from the 1960s–2000s.

The show—linked to his family’s endowed scholarship—opened Feb. 12 and runs through May 15.

New American Airlines will launch a midday flight today from Monroe to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, a move expected to boost economic opportunities for NELA.

The Center for Children and Families is hosting Trust-Based Relational Intervention training for child care providers at 622 Riverside Drive starting Monday, Feb.

23. The four sessions offer free registration for foster families, DCFS staff, and CASA volunteers + discounted rates for educators.

Monroe Chamber announced the 38th Leadership Ouachita class for 2026 with 40 participants from across northeast Louisiana.

The 9-month program starts with an opening retreat at Cypress Bend Resort in Many and includes monthly leadership sessions through November.

ULM hosted the 3rd Annual KidWind Challenge at Bayou Pointe on Jan.

15, where middle and high school teams built wind turbines and solar structures to compete for cash prizes + invitations to the World KidWind Challenge scheduled for May. The event strengthened regional STEM engagement and clean energy education.

The Graduate Student Occupational Therapy Association and Kinesiology Department host a 2-mile run for student mental health awareness on March 19 at 5:30 p.m. at The Grove (check-in starts at 5:00 p.m.), where participants are encouraged to wear green and join post-race activities.

Fashion Fusion 2026

7-10 p.m. — Monroe Civic Center — Benefit entry — Fashion meets dance in a runway show supporting local cancer patients.