Alton Advances Amended Festival And Event Grant Program

City of Alton - Committee of the Whole Meeting

ALTON – An updated plan to establish a grant program for festivals and events in Alton is moving forward.

Aldermen approved an amended resolution establishing a festival and event microgrant to support city-wide events using Food and Beverage Tax Revenue at their June 8, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting.

The item was postponed during the last committee meeting on May 26, 2026 as Alderwoman Martha Pfister sought to clarify the eligibility guidelines for funding recipients. Alderman Chris Bohn previously said he is “open to widening the program” beyond downtown Alton.

At the June 8 meeting, Pfister made a series of amendments to the resolution, all of which were approved. These include changing the phrase “festival and event fund” to “festival and event microgrant,” replacing language concerning the “downtown district” to reflect the entire City of Alton, and the addition of eligibility guidelines for grant applicants.

City Council Coordinator Beth Bear said grants of up to $1,000 would be awarded per event, with up to $10,000 in event funding available per fiscal year for each eligible applicant.

Bear said eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, Alton-based retail businesses, and other contributors to the city’s Food and Beverage Tax fund. Events also must also meet certain criteria, including being publicly available and taking place within the city and fiscal year.

The Alton City Council is now set to consider the amended resolution at their June 10, 2026 meeting before the item returns for final approval in ordinance form.

A full recording of the June 8, 2026 Alton Committee of the Whole meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.

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