ALTON – The 7^th Annual Market Street Community Block Party and Health Fair in Downtown Alton is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2015 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. All activities will occur between 3^rd and 6^th streets and between Market and Alby Streets. Activities such as horseback riding, fire engine and smoke house vehicles, face painting inflatable bounce houses, arts and crafts, live entertainment, water misters, food and soft drinks will be held outside along Market Street between 3^rd and 6^th street. “Sweet treats” like ice cream and cookies will be provided at First Presbyterian Church located on the corner of 4^th and Alby Street. The Salvation Army of Alton located on 5^th and Alby will host the Illinois Child Identification Program (CHIP) and indoor activities. Preregistration for the Child Identification Program can be made by calling (800) 392-0936.

The free health fair led by AltonMemorialHospital is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The health fair will be held inside of Heneghan Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church located on the corner of 3^rd and Market Street. Health fair vendors will include AMH Senior Renewal, AMH Sleep Disorder Services, AMH ambulance, Children’s Hospital Mobile Intensive Care Unit, Lewis and Clark Community College Family Health Center, Southern Illinois Health Care, Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine, St. Anthony’s Health Center, Senior Services Plus, Glenhaven Gardens, Madison County Health Department, Alton Physical Therapy, Nautilus, Sickle Cell Association and much more.

Shriners Hospital for Children will be offering screenings in the lower level of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, also from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., for a wide variety of childhood ailments, including cerebral palsy, clubfoot, rickets, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, scoliosis and spina bifida. To make appointments for the Shriners portion of the health screenings, call (800) 392-0936. No appointments are required for the rest of the screenings. Visitors are asked to enter Heneghan Hall from the Market Street entrance.

All activities for the block party and health screenings are FREE. The first 400 school aged children that successfully complete the Activity Passport will receive a free school backpack and school supplies. Visitors are asked to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items that can be placed in the food bank containers for the CrisisFoodCenter and Salvation Army of Alton.

This year’s partner churches and sponsors for the block party are Alton Memorial Hospital’s parish nurses, Lewis and Clark Community College, St. John Missionary Baptist Church, Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, Episcopal Parish of Alton (St. Paul’s and Trinity Chapel), First Presbyterian Church, The Salvation Army of Alton and Union Baptist Church.  For more information about the Market Street Community Block Party visit the website at www.communityblockparty.org