ALTON - The Mississippi Earthtones Festival, presented by Alton Main Street and the Sierra Club, is a celebration of our river through art, music, and conservation. The 18th annual event will be held at the Alton Amphitheater on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024 from 12 p.m. until 10 p.m. There is no charge for admission.
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Each year, MEF introduces a fresh theme along with an exciting array of new components. This year's theme, "Emerge and Be Heard," reflects the festival's coming of age at 18—a pivotal time filled with important decisions. Additionally, it honors the simultaneous emergence of the 13-year Brood alongside the 17-year Brood, symbolizing a powerful moment of growth and connection.
Local artists have been commissioned to build large installations to enhance the festival grounds. The Riverbend Yarn Bombers are knitting & crocheting a colorful textile cottage and garden, cultivating a space for the community in a fantasy environment that inspires growth and stewardship of the land and the gifts it gives us. The Kooliverse will present its fantastic rotating water fountain with a water-powered record player, including a dancer statue on top.
Jacoby Arts Center is lining up an amazing day of performances and interactive art experiences, and all local artists are welcome to participate. The Macoupin Art Collective’s ArtBus will have exciting projects for kids of all ages. Participants can get creative as they paint on the Alton Music Exchange piano and the Ride Finder’s van. The Sierra Club will offer a free make-it-and-take-it craft featuring the periodic cicadas.
Everyone is invited to the Zen Zone Tent for a free Spiritual Stress Relief technique meditation from 2-2:45 p.m. It is said that chanting "HU" for 15 minutes a day can change your life by offering you the time to forgive yourself and others, as well as find a deeper connection to the Divine Spirit.
The Old Bakery Beer Company has created a special “Earthtones IPA,” an India Pale Ale with tropical fruit notes, which will be available at the festival. This exciting collaboration is available at the brewery leading up to the festival.
Live music will fill the air throughout the day. The entertainment lineup on the main stage will feature: Ahna and the Couch Burners (blues, jazz, classic rock, and reggae) from 12-2 p.m., Aaron Kamm & the One Drops (Roots Reggae and Mississippi River Blues) from 3-6 p.m., Jake’s Leg (the longest running Grateful Dead tribute in the United States) from 7-10 p.m., and between each act will be a performance by Jason “Gordo” Gordon (one-man, 10-piece band) from 2-3 p.m. and 6-7 p.m.
A fun recreational paddle on the Mississippi River called the Great Rivers Rendezvous is being coordinated by the Mississippi River Water Trail Association on the morning of the festival. Participants can choose from three launch points departing three miles, seven miles, or 12 miles upriver. Participants on all routes will be accompanied by trained safety boaters from paddling organizations associated with the Missouri Paddling Coalition, and all participants will finish at Alton’s Riverfront Park for a photo opportunity, similar to the Quad City’s River Action Floatzilla! Full details and registration information can be found at www.MississippiRiverWaterTrail.org
For more information, please visit www.DowntownAlton.com. To stay up-to-date on announcements, please visit www.facebook.com/EarthtonesFestival.
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