ALTON - After another successful Rock the Hops festival in downtown Alton, organizer Hope Mader is reflecting on the arts and music scene she wants to see in the Riverbend.
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On Aug. 10, 2024, hundreds of people flooded Bossanova Martini Lounge, Old Bakery Beer Co., The Conservatory, Flock Food Truck Park and Bar, and Ragin’ Cajun Piano Bar for a day of live music and craft beers. Twenty-seven bands and over 40 styles of craft beer were available, and Mader said the day went “very well.”
“Our mission is to uplift, engage and encourage local creative culture and to help music and art and culture become active and honored participants in our community,” she said. “Here are the musicians. Here are the artists who live and work and create here. They have something to say. They have something to show us. It’s just a way to give them our full attention.”
Mader thanked Lauren Pattan with Old Bakery Beer Co. for her help in developing the craft beers. She noted that people like Pattan, who invest in Alton’s art and music scene, make it possible for this scene to grow.
“If we can get more people that are just willing to step in and utilize their skills and their gifts to grow and just shine a spotlight on the music scene here in town, that’s super encouraging,” Mader said.
This support is what Rock the Hops is all about, she explained. While it’s a fun day for the community to enjoy, the larger mission is about giving creative people the chance to be heard. The organization works hard year-round to build up artists in the community.
“Creatives have a very unique point of view,” she explained. “It’s important for us to drive home the importance of putting culture at the forefront, utilizing music for economics, and just getting these creatives a seat at the table. There’s so many things happening in Alton and so many things being developed, and I think it’s really important that we get creatives to sit at those tables where these decisions are being made.”
Mader noted that she has been a part of Alton’s music scene since the 1990s, and it has always “gone in waves.” During some years, there are a lot of venues and musicians in Alton. In other years, these numbers dwindle.
Without the support of the community, Mader said, Rock the Hops wouldn’t happen. She wants to see more support for creatives in the Riverbend, including young kids who take advantage of arts and music programs in the schools. She encourages people to speak up about the importance of creativity and do what they can to support local artists.
“Alton has had this for as long as I can remember, and we need to hold onto it,” Mader added. “We need to value it, but we also need to allow it to organically evolve and shift as it does. Hopefully our scene can continue to grow, but we need involvement from others. We need the buy-in of our community and the buy-in of our leaders.”
For more information about Rock the Hops, including how to get involved, visit their official website at RockTheHopsAlton.com.
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