One of Downtown’s biggest outdoor parties of the late summer, the Breakaway-Bardog 5K and Monroe Avenue Fest, will happen on Monroe Avenue on Sunday, August 20. Every year this festival raises tens of thousands of dollars (they’ve been getting close to $50,000 the past few years) to donate to St. Jude, so that children can continue to be treated for cancer without their families ever receiving a bill.
The event’s footprint will expand this year to cross Main. There will be a food truck court and a new and improved main stage location. The event will start off with the 5K in the morning, and then there will be live music, local food, VIP catered area, T-shirt making booth, dunk tank, face painting, Grandma’s meatballs eating contest, and local celebrities. An attendance of 5000 is expected. Although most event attendees will be Downtowners, Midtowners, and East Memphians aged 21-45, the festival has appeal to all Memphians including families. The festival started in 2009 and was known as “the Bardog alley party” until 2015 when other businesses along Monroe decided to get in the game.
There are various ways you can show your support for this event. See the event packet above for complete descriptions of all the things described below.
One way to help is to be a sponsor. There are three levels of sponsorship, at $6000, $2000, and $750. Each sponsorship level gets you logo placement and a ton of perks (see the event packet for full details). Sponsors will have their logos displayed in ads and will be talked about on many forms of media, including the one you are reading right now. 
You can be a vendor. See event packet for details, registration, and rules and regulations vendors must follow.
You can donate a raffle item. This is a great way to introduce Memphians to your business and your products.
You can create a fundraising team to raise money for St. Jude. The top teams get some fabulous prizes.
You can buy a VIP table or seat. Being a VIP at Monroe Fest has never been better, with access to the VIP Food and Beverage Menu, admission into the craft beer tent, a private server, reserved admittance to private restrooms, and door prizes. Tables of up to 10 can be reserved.
There are other ways to support the festival as well. You can run in the 5K, which costs $35 in advance or $40 if you sign up the day of. Possibly the best post-race after-party in the city happens after you’re done with the run.
If you’re 21 or over, you can get a wristband to the VIP tent at a cost of $80 in advance or $100 the day of. In the tent you get food and drink, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. You also get admission to the craft beer tent. Under 21 can get a VIP wristband that does not include the alcohol for $20 in advance, $25 the day of.
Admission to the craft beer tent (must be 21+ obviously) is $25 in advance, $35 day of.
There’s a Race Royalty package that includes the race, race after-party, VIP tent and craft beer tent (21+) for $100 in advance, $120 day of.
This is one of the most highly anticipated parties of the year, and I plan on being there all day (the Monroe Fest part, not the race). This is going to be the first “normal” Monroe Fest for me in 3 years (had a conflicting event in 2016, and 2015… well, just don’t get me started on that year) and I am SO looking forward to it! I plan on being out with the camera to get photos for the blog. I hope you will be there, for a very fun Sunday and to support the kids of St. Jude.
(One note: Normally I don’t ask my readers to share my posts on social media. This time, I am asking. I want as many people as possible to become aware of opportunities to get involved with this event.)