Alton Eagle Ice Festival Promises Free Fun Through This Weekend

Our Daily Show Interview! Alton Eagle Ice Festival Takes Place Jan 2nd - 3rd!

ALTON - The Alton Eagle Ice Festival promises plenty of fun this weekend.

From 5–10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, various locations across Alton will host Eagle Ice Fest events and fun. Grace Sakry with Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau encourages people to start at FLOCK Food Truck Park and then visit the National Great Rivers Museum and the Audubon Center at Riverlands.

“It’s a full Alton celebration, which is so exciting,” said Sakry, the Bureau’s Destination, Sales and Partnership Coordinator. “People are wanting experiences, to live through something and have that memory. This is something that will definitely give you that.”

The Eagle Ice Festival, now in its 17th year, marks the return of American bald eagles to the Riverbend region, which Sakry considers “an eagle hub.” The theme is “eagles and ice,” with ice-carving, eagle meet-and-greets and more fun throughout the weekend.

From 5–10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the fun kicks off at FLOCK Food Truck Park with live fire performers, music by local group Hollywood 5, and the ice-carving competition. Attendees can snack and sip, with plenty of food trucks, a craft cocktail bar, and a whiskey sampling by Switchgrass Spirits. Kids can enjoy face-painting and s’mores kits.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, a live American bald eagle and its handler will be present for photos and questions. Ice-carving will continue throughout the day at FLOCK, with food trucks and a craft cocktail bar available as well as kids’ activities like face-painting and balloon animals.

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The Audubon Center at Riverlands will also offer guided hikes, $10 ticketed eagle meet-and-greets, crafts, and vendors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The National Great Rivers Museum will have a variety of free family-friendly fun, from dam tours to crafts and bird-focused activities.

Sakry noted that all activities are free unless otherwise stated. The festival aims to bring in families and participants of all ages.

“It’s really welcome to anyone, from kids to adults. I am an adult, but I’m a kid at heart, and I absolutely am stoked to see this eagle up close,” she joked. “This is for anybody. It is family-friendly, adult-friendly, kid-friendly, all of the above. And again, it’s free. It’s just such a cool thing that you can come out and enjoy yourselves and celebrate the region.”

Many local businesses will offer deals and activities throughout the weekend. Community members are encouraged to pick up an Eagle Ice Fest passport and get it stamped at three locations to win a prize. On Saturday, Old Bakery Beer Company will also host their Eagle Market, complete with Eagle Beer and vendors selling their eagle-themed wares.

Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau will offer a free shuttle that loops between FLOCK, the Audubon Center, the National Great Rivers Museum and the downtown Alton shopping district on Saturday.

Sakry, who is new to the area, highlighted her excitement to participate in this year’s Eagle Ice Festival. She can’t wait to share her love for the Riverbend with residents and visitors alike.

“It’s going to be so much fun and a great way to start out the new year,” she added. “This is a really special thing that not a lot of areas get to have. We are very fortunate for the Mississippi River being right on our riverfront. Getting to bring people together, I think, is my favorite part.”

Visit the official Eagle Ice Festival webpage at the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau website or the official Facebook event page to learn more.

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