ALTON - Besides Air Supply on July 23 and Better Than Ezra on Aug. 5, the City of Alton and the Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater Commission have announced the rest of this summer's lineup and schedule.
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This weekend, June 3, the Tour De Cure will be hosted at the amphitheater, featuring music from the band Super Jam.
On June 24, an entirely new event, Bikes and Barbecue, will take place. That event will feature music from the band, Joe Dirt, as well as the opportunity to sample some of the best barbecue from the St. Louis Metro Area. Amphitheater Commissioner Robert Stephan and Alton Mayor Brant Walker said barbecue will be sourced from such places as Bogart's, Pappy's Smokehouse, Sugar Fire, Capitalist Pig, South Town Pig and Doc's Smokehouse. Besides the barbecue, more than 20 rare, custom historic bikes will be on display alongside more than 100 other show bikes. St. Louis radio personality Dave Glover will also be at the event.
On June 30, the amphitheater will be showing "The Secret Life of Pets" as part of its free movies series the city and commission have brought back for the 2017 season after last year's popularity.
On July 3, the city will be hosting its annual free fireworks display. This year, the Air Force Band of the Midwest - which is based out of Peoria - will be playing in three separate bands. Stephan said the band is a rare treat for people.
Air Supply will be coming to town July 23. Tickets for that event can be found at MetroTix, or purchased in person at the Alton Convention and Visitors Bureau or the Argosy Alton Belle Casino.
A second movie, "Sing," which Walker said was a pretty freshly-released film, will be shown for free on July 28.
Better Than Ezra will be coming to town Aug. 5. Tickets for that may also be purchased online at MetroTix or in person at either the Alton CVB or the casino.
From noon until 3 p.m. on Aug. 21, people can enjoy the full solar eclipse at the amphitheater for free. Stephan said glasses and other safe viewing equipment will be made available for observers.
The Food Truck Festival will return for its second year on Aug. 26.
A new Jazz and Wine Festival will come to Alton on Sept. 9 featuring a yet-to-be-released roster of jazz talents and a selection of several wines.
(The best news yet) The beloved Alton Expo will return to the riverfront for the first time in nearly two decades from Sept. 13-17. The Expo will feature local music, a beer tent, rides and a Ferris wheel.
"It took us years to get a carnival here again," Walker said. "We've been trying to get the Expo back here since day one when I took office."
Besides the listed events, more steamships will be docking at the riverfront and even more movies will be announced in the future. They will be shown throughout the fall.
Walker said local non-profits may also sell beverages at the amphitheater this year and receive 15 percent of the revenue as part of fundraising. He also said the amphitheater commission can also help small groups rent the amphitheater for a significantly lower price than large ticketed events.
"The best part is: all of this is sponsored," Walker said. "It doesn't cost a bit of taxpayers' money."
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