Mississippi Earthtones Festival Spotlights Art Installations and Animal Encounters at Sept. 19 Event
Organizers say the 20th annual Downtown Alton festival will feature interactive art, live performances and limited-time visits with wildlife, calves and mustang horses.
ALTON - Alton Main Street, the Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project, and Jacoby Arts Center are announcing unique art and animal components of the Mississippi Earthtones Festival on Saturday, September 19th. The 20th annual festival in Downtown Alton is a vibrant celebration dedicated to our river and environment. The free festival allows community members and tourists to come together to enjoy art, music, and local foods in a lively, family-friendly atmosphere.
“The theme of this year’s Mississippi Earthtones Festival is ‘Rooted in Rhythm’, and we will fill Alton’s riverfront with art that interprets this subject. We can’t wait to introduce attendees to the wide variety of entertainers and exhibitors who are committed to celebrating and protecting our beautiful Mississippi River,” said Sara McGibany, Executive Director of Alton Main Street.
Live music will fill the air throughout the day. The entertainment lineup on the main stage will feature: The Matt Taul Band (Homegrown Americana) from 12:00-2:30, Master Blaster Stevie Wonder Tribute led by Steve Ewing of The Urge from 4:00-6:00, 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 2:30-3:30 and 6:00-7:00.
The Jacoby Arts Center Playground will come alive with live performances, interactive art activities, and entertainment for all ages. From 12-2 p.m., you can watch live Clay Throwing and Metal demos; from 2:30-3:30 p.m., there will be a whimsical, reflective ukulele performance by Noel Schriber; from 4- 5 p.m., Monkey Noodle Theatrics will host an Improv Hour; and from 5-5:30 p.m., there will be a Creative Dance Studio student dance performance, led by Rachel Brady. Visitors can create their own spinning masterpieces and unwind beneath the trees on cozy blankets throughout the day, including learning how to use natural materials on a spinning wheel and thread native plants into a re-purposed loom.
In tune with this year’s Rooted in Rhythm themed, participants can immerse themselves in large, interactive art installations curated by Kooliverse, the Riverbend Yarn Bombers, and Alton Music Exchange. There will be an 8-foot drum made out of recycled and natural materials with ample seating for participants to play; a beautiful water fountain and wheel that spins a record player and hosts a driftwood dancer; an intricately crocheted canoe and flowing river will be featured
perfect for photo opps; the Sounds of Alton piano on Broadway will be on-hand for participants to paint, extending the longevity of the exterior of the piano for many more years of local and visiting artists to showcase their piano playing skills; and a live nautical flag performance at 3:45 p.m. titled “100 Rivers: Signals of Repair,” designed to enhance the festival grounds with the focus on “Rooted in Rhythm". Kids and adults will enjoy special activities such as and the Alton Youth Symphony volunteers will lead two kids’ parades featuring instruments they’ve made, at 3:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.
This year’s MEF features local animals: participants may want to plan their visit while the critters will be on-site, as their debuts are for limited timeframes. From 12-3 p.m., Treehouse Wildlife Center will host Crackerjack the Corn Snake, Maddie the Ground Hog, and Billy the American Kestrel; from 12:30-2:30, three highland calves from Highland Acres Farm will be present for petting and cuddling; and the Legendary Mustang Horses will be visiting from 12-6pm and the Legendary Mustang Sanctuary will educate on why they believe giving an animal a second chance through adoption is their mission.
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. To sign up as a volunteer please visit www.DowntownAlton.com/Events. To stay up-to-date on announcements, please follow: 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.
Mississippi Earthtones Festival
Celebrating our river through art, music, and conservation
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