Belleville to be center of luau party time the weekend of Aug. 18-21

The City of Belleville will be the scene of a series of special events and parties from Thursday, Aug. 18, through Sunday, Aug. 21.
“It’s going to be a fun and busy weekend in our awesome little town!” said Chris Donley who is planning much of the party.
On Thursday, Aug. 18, the weekend starts off with the annual, city-sponsored Belleville Bridge Walk at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Central Business Community’s annual Taste of Belleville on High Street at Horizon Park starting at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m. is the Music Lakeside concert at Horizon Park.
On Friday, Donley said those taking part in the luau-themed Neon Board Parade will meet in the bay between the two bridges between 8 and 8:30 p.m. and start cruising at 9 p.m. from the judging area of Horizon Park. The names of the boats’ captains should be displayed on the starboard side of the boats and should be visible to the judges on the docks at Horizon Park, he said.
Donley said the boats will be cruising under the Denton Road Bridge, so boat decorations need to be able to fit. They will travel at a “slow roll,” no-wake speed toward the west end of the lake.
He said non-boaters can have a great view of the parade from Horizon Park and Johnny’s on the Lake. There will be cash prizes and trophies, with Johnny’s sponsoring the Captain’s Cup trophy and $500 grand prize for the best-decorated boat.
There will be a DJ in the park and Johnny’s will have its DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) trailer serving drinks outside, along with a Hawaiian pig roast.
On Saturday, the theme is “Margaritas in the ‘Ville” and there will be a Jimmy Buffet tribute band, the Leaky Tikis, at 6 p.m. on the Fourth Street Square, presented by Egan’s Pub, the Bayou, and Johnny’s. Other artists will perform. People are invited to come dressed in tropical luau attire.
A costume contest will be judged at 7:30 p.m. and a basket of local gift certificates will be given to the Luau King and Queen.
All day there will be specialty Margaritas and cheeseburgers offered at Johnny’s, the Bayou, and Egan’s,
Sunday is Goat Day, sponsored by the City of Belleville, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Horizon Park. There will be 4-H members with goats on leads to add to the goats already on the park’s shoreline trimming the vegetation. There will be a band and one or two food trucks.
Goat Day will not have DORA activities, as the other days, and the rule for no alcohol in the park on Sundays will be enforced, according to the city council.
DORA will be in effect the other days of the week allowing alcoholic drinks purchased from Johnny’s, Egan’s Pub, or Bayou Grill to be carried within a designated area, which includes the park.
Those three businesses are the only ones in the city so far that have DORA certification from the state. The city plans to expand the DORA district to include the bars set to open in the new mall being built next to the bridge.
Rain make-up day for the boat parade is Sunday, Aug. 21.
Donley said events are listed on Facebook under “Belleville Lake Neon Luau Boat Parade” and “Margaritas in the ‘Ville.”