The Mississippi Earthtones Festival, organized by Alton Main Street and the Sierra Club, will be a celebration of our rivers through art, music, and conservation. This year’s event falls on September 20th from 12pm to 11pm, and promises to attract thousands of people to Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater and Riverfront Park. This 8th annual event is held annually on the 3rd Saturday in September, as part of Governor Pat Quinn’s “It’s Our River Day” initiative to celebrate Illinois watersheds through education, recreation and conservation.

 “The Alton area is rich with conservation-based programs, as well as businesses that are working to help “green” residents’ lives,” said Sara McGibany, Executive Director of Alton Main Street.

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She notes that there will be several area agencies on hand at the event to teach consumers how to incorporate more sustainable practices into their daily lives. There will be representatives from businesses featuring their “green” products and services. Educational booths include Lewis & Clark Community College’s Sustainability Department, Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge, Jaime Hines Discovery Garden, World Bird Sanctuary, and Illinois American Water, among others.

“Festival-goers will have many chances to have a positive effect on the environment at the festival – right then and there,” said Christine Favilla, Three Rivers Project Coordinator for the Sierra Club. “They can get easy tips on how to winterize their homes, recycle plastic gardening pots, and participate in a River Clean Up. Boats will depart at 9:30 to ferry volunteers to clean up Alton’s riverbanks and islands. Please register by September 18th to reserve your place and your free lunch by emailing christine.favilla@sierraclub.org.”

A variety of fun outdoor activities are planned for families and children, such as nature arts & crafts projects, solar-power experiments, and an incredible Eagle Program on the main stage from 3:00-3:30pm – the World Bird Sanctuary will have a bald eagle with a 7.5’ wingspan that guests can interact with while learning about her habits in the wild.

Wind-powered music will fill the air throughout the day, and the entertainment line-up will feature Nancy Lippincott & Friends playing a variety of Americana genres from 1:00-3:00; World Bird Sanctuary Eagle program from 3:00-3:30; Confluence Conservation Leadership Awards from 3:30-3:45; River City Sound from 3:45-5:00; Blu Skies from 5:15-7:45; and Jake’s Leg (a jam band based out of St. Louis that has been interpreting the music of the Grateful Dead for over 30 years) from 8:00pm-11:00pm.

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“We are so fortunate to have the Mississippi as part of Alton’s culture; the goal of the festival is to connect everyone for a fun day in the park to celebrate the river while learning more about what we can do to help the environment,” said Sara McGibany.

Attendees should take Henry Street into Riverfront Park & follow directional signage toward the Marina to the festival grounds. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/EarthtonesFestival. Volunteers are needed; for more information, please contact Sara McGibany, Executive Director of Alton Main Street at 618-463-1016 or Christine Favilla, Project Manager for the Sierra Club at 618-462-6802.

 

   

 

 

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