ALTON - Alton Main Street, the Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project and Jacoby Arts Center are announcing the return of the Mississippi Earthtones Festival to Alton’s Riverfront Amphitheater on Saturday, September 21st from noon until 10:00 p.m. This 18th annual free event boasts 25 environmental education exhibits, 95 eco-friendly artists and makers, and 10 culinary vendors. The popular festival attracts approximately 5,000 community members and tourists to Downtown Alton to celebrate our river through art, music, and conservation every third Saturday in September.
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The theme of this year’s MEF is ‘Emerge and Be Heard’, and Alton’s riverfront will be filled with art that interprets this subject. Local artists have been commissioned to build large installations that will enhance the festival grounds and delight festival goers. The Riverbend Yarn Bombers are knitting & crocheting a fantastical walk-through yarn cottage and garden, which inspires growth and stewardship of the land and the gifts it gives. Artist Michael Snider of Kooliverse has created an enormous water-powered record player which will wow visitors. And finally, JF Perspective is creating a series of mobile murals depicting the cyclical expression of the shifts in nature and the ways humans can help those processes.
Jacoby Arts Center has cultivated an amazing art playground, featuring performances and interactive experiences including music, live painting, dance performances, and sidewalk chalk mural drawing for kids and adults alike. Plus, the MAC Art Bus will be in the playground all day with free art activities for all. Make sure to make your mark on the street piano, supplies will be provided for festival goers to paint this instrument that lives on Broadway in front of Alton Music Exchange!
A big top tent will provide a shady “Zen Zone” coordinated by Soul Sanctuary, featuring Kids Movement and Meditation at 12:30, Pride Incorporated Beautification Awards at 1:30, a discussion on Spiritual Stress Relief Discussion at 2:00 and a yoga class at 3:00.
Live music will fill the air throughout the day. The entertainment lineup on the main stage will feature: Ahna and the Couch Burners (blues, jazz, classic rock, and reggae) from 12:00-2:00, Aaron Kamm & the One Drops (Roots Reggae and Mississippi River Blues) from 3:00-6:00, Jake’s Leg (the longest running Grateful Dead tribute in the United States) from 7:00-10:00, and between each act will be a performance by Jason “Gordo” Gordon (1-Man, 10-Piece Band) from 2:00-3:00 and 6:00-7:00. Musical performances are part of the free festival and no additional ticketing is required to enjoy the shows.
Come hungry because there will be a large selection of delicious local eats and treats available for purchase. The Old Bakery Beer Company has created a special “Earthtones IPA”, an India Pale Ale with tropical fruit notes, which can be enjoyed at the festival from their booth as well as purchased at the brewery. Additional offerings of food & beverages will be provided by: Gentelin’s on Broadway, CJ’s Juicery, Taqueria Los Toros, Pig on Wing, Lamay’s Catering, Taqueria Maya, Lulu's Shaved Ice, Big Boys Q & Southern Soul, Main Street UMC’s Team Honduras, Flourish Farmstead, Mo'z Sweet Treats, Bubba Grump'z Smoked Pretzels, and Boba Bae. Illinois American Water will provide their trailer of spigots offering free chilled water; our guests are encouraged to bring a reusable water bottle.
Local artists will offer nature-inspired, hand-made, and environmentally-friendly wares for sale throughout the entirety of the festival. A variety of fun and educational activities are planned for families from Noon until 6:00 p.m., and there will be several agencies on hand to teach consumers how to incorporate more sustainable practices into their daily lives. Conservation-based organizations will offer exhibits to showcase their missions, and environmentally-conscious businesses will have booths to promote their products to the crowd while also supporting our community’s commitment to protect the Mississippi River—our region’s most important natural resource.
Learn about the importance of our region to the migration path of birds at The Audubon Center at Riverlands booth. The Alton Museum of History & Art will present information on the history of the Mississippi River, including a lantern slide viewing and Piasa coloring book handout. The Hayner Public Library District will highlight items from circulation and special collections, and will also have items from their new “Library of Things” plus information on their new Seed Library.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rivers Project will provide helpful information about recreation on the river; rangers will be on hand to chat with visitors about safety on our waterways. New this year, the St, Louis Canoe and Kayak & Team River Runner will provide information for individuals and families on how to participate in kayaking and canoeing activities around our area. Trinity’s Way will offer interactive environmental education activities where kids can take their carbon footprint quiz and test their knowledge about recycling. The United Congregations of the Metro East will share about their efforts to support environmental justice and offer an enviroscape watershed activity for kids.
Make your voice heard at the OneSTL booth; volunteers will be collecting information from festival goers for their regional plan for sustainability. The Missouri Botanical Gardens will be on hand with information and activities regarding the mission of the gardens as well as the Shaw Nature Preserve. HDR Engineering, Inc. is gathering input on behalf of IDOT for the transportation needs that concern local residents the most in each of their respective communities. The input received will help inform IDOT’s Long Range Transportation Plan over the next 20 to 30 years. Give your input in person and grab a coloring page for your young ones. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will offer their interactive Wildlife Trailer for kids.
Visit with Heartlands Conservancy to learn about watershed planning while the little ones cool off in their water table activity area. The RideFinders booth will highlight the benefits of carpooling instead of making solo commutes for air quality improvement - children will be encouraged to draw earth friendly art on the RideFinders van, and adults will enjoy great giveaways! The Great Rivers Prescribed Burn Association will showcase a variety of their common tools, photos of past burns, and you can check out their Fire Utility Terrain Vehicle. At the Ducks Unlimited booth you can learn about this great nonprofit organization that conserves, restores, and manages wetlands and habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife.
At the Madison County Resource Management booth you can check out the Wheel of Recycling and an Electric Generation Wheel, and at the South West Illinois Wild Ones tent you can gather information about native plant landscaping while kids enjoy a native plant related activity. Visit The Nature Institute to check out information about the organization’s upcoming events as well as participate in a grip strength activity to compare your strength to those of animals in our region. And at the League of Women Voters booth there will be information on water quality, protection and advocacy for the 5 states in our upper Mississippi River region.
Pride, Incorporated will highlight the importance of community beautification and their efforts to combat littering at their booth; families are encouraged to stop by to create their own “litterbug” and enjoy a photo opportunity. River City Oddities will offer a paper craft where you can design your own butterfly with pressed flowers, recycled paper, and other things found in nature! At the Purple Martin Coaching tent you can learn about holistic horticulture with experts skilled in plant identification, organic pest and disease care, plant sourcing & propagation, native and edible plant garden design, and ecological land tract management.
Festival goers can take home kid-friendly plants courtesy of Midwest Members Credit Union. The Better Building Institute will teach about energy efficiency, zero-energy home building, and energy audits. Returning this year is the very popular Legendary Mustang Sanctuary! They will bring petting animals to the event that you can visit while learning about the organization’s efforts to rescue wild mustangs and burros through rehabilitation and adoptions to preserve a part of American history. Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau will be sharing regional information, offering giveaways, and providing eco-centric itineraries for locals and tourists. At the AltonWorks booth you can learn about their proposal for our area to receive a Great Rivers National Park designation and provide feedback.
Dozens of local artisans will offer nature-inspired, hand-made, and environmentally-friendly wares. You’ll find wearable art such as tie dyes, knit and crocheted items, leatherwork, handmade pet accessories and upcycled jewelry. A variety of handmade all-natural soap and handcrafted body care products will be available, and you’ll also find unique home décor, pottery, nature themed artwork, photography, products made with local honey, woodworking items, thrifted clothing, hemp products, and plants. Plus, enjoy a live glass blowing demonstration from Alley Cat Glass!
A fun recreational paddle on the Mississippi River called the Great Rivers Rendezvous is being coordinated by the Mississippi River Water Trail Association on the morning of the festival. Participants can choose from three launch points departing 3 miles, 7 miles, or 12 miles upriver. Participants on all routes will be accompanied by trained safety boaters from paddling organizations associated with the Missouri Paddling Coalition, and all participants will finish at Alton’s Riverfront Park to enjoy the festival afterwards. Full details and registration information can be found at www.MississippiRiverWaterTrail.org
At 3 p.m., three local champions for the environment will be presented with this year’s Confluence Conservation Leadership Award: Crystal Stevens of Flourish Farmstead, Maggie Mahoney of Alton Yard Farms, and Carol Frerker of Willoughby Farms.
Volunteer slots still available for short shifts on September 21st at the festival grounds, as well as for the MEF River Clean Up which will take place the following Saturday, Sept. 28th; to date nearly 50 tons of trash have been removed from the river at MEF clean ups. Anyone who pitches in on either Saturday will receive a free festival t-shirt, exclusive for only volunteers. To sign up, visit www.DowntownAlton.com/Events and look for the festival logo.
The Sierra Club will purchase carbon credits to offset the carbon emissions associated with the event’s footprint, ensuring that we maximize our positive impact on the environment. Festival goers will have the opportunity to engage with various non-profit organizations during the event, taking action for both people and the planet while enjoying a festive atmosphere. Christine Favilla, Three Rivers Project Co-coordinator, emphasized, “Attendees can feel assured that we are taking significant steps to minimize the environmental footprint related to the lights, sounds, hotel stays, and transportation to and from the festival.”
“We look forward to filling our riverfront with a celebration of the beautiful Mississippi River and giving local businesses and organizations this platform to talk about their efforts towards environmental sustainability,” said Sara McGibany, Executive Director of Alton Main Street, adding “This event attracts the most wonderful artists, agencies and attendees who are passionate about protecting Alton’s greatest natural asset.”
This event is held annually on the third Saturday in September as part of the State of Illinois’ “It’s Our River Day” initiative to celebrate Illinois watersheds through education, recreation and conservation activities. Alton’s free community river celebration would not be possible without the generosity of our community. Alton Main Street, the Sierra Club, and Jacoby Arts Center express their sincere appreciation to the following local businesses and organizations for supporting the event: City of Alton, Simmons Hanly Conroy, First Mid Bank & Trust, Busey Bank, Village of Godfrey, Erie Insurance / Macias Insurance Agency, Kooliverse, The Old Bakery Beer Company, Midwest Members Credit Union, Chiro One Wellness Centers, Taqueria Los Toros, Audubon Center at Riverlands, Madison County Resource Management, GRID LLC, Illinois American Water, Heartlands Conservancy, River City Oddities, SOJO Batik & Artwear, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, The Telegraph, Riverbender.com, AdVantage and WBGZ Radio. For more information, please visit www.DowntownAlton.com. To stay up-to-date on announcements, please visit: www.facebook.com/EarthtonesFestival.
About Alton Main Street
Alton Main Street is a community based, not-for-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to securing the economic vitality and aesthetic quality of Alton’s historic downtown district. Since 1994, Alton Main Street has led volunteer efforts to transform Downtown Alton into a thriving commercial and residential center through education, historic preservation, and coordination of social, economic, and beautification activities. To learn more, visit www.DowntownAlton.com.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.8 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
About Jacoby Arts Center
The mission of Jacoby Arts Center is to nurture and promote the practice and appreciation of the arts through education, exhibits, cultural programs, and community outreach initiatives. For details on upcoming classes, events and programming, please visit www.JacobyArtsCenter.org.
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