ALTON - The City of Alton and the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau will once again host the Alton Powerboat Nationals.
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From July 17–19, 2026, community members and visitors can enjoy the Alton Riverfront and several thrilling races on the Mississippi River. There will also be a free meet-and-greet street party on July 17 at Mac’s Downtown. Grace Sakry, a spokesperson with Great Rivers and Routes, noted the excitement of preparing for the races and bringing people together to enjoy them.
“It’s kind of turned into an Alton tradition in the summertime,” she said. “We’re super excited to be able to bring it back and enjoy the summer days along the Mighty Mississippi.”
The fun starts at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 17, with a Test and Tune session at Riverfront Park, which is free to attend. Community members can then head to Mac’s Downtown for a meet-and-greet street party from 6:30–8:30 p.m., where attendees can chat with the racers.
Racing kicks off at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, and Sunday, July 19. The championship awards ceremony starts at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 19.
General admission tickets start at $15 per day or $25 for a weekend pass. You can enjoy a VIP experience for $125 per day or $200 for the weekend, which includes food and drink specials and meet-and-greet opportunities with the drivers. You can buy tickets online.
Sakry noted that this is the third year Alton has hosted the Alton Powerboat Nationals, and the city is proud to continue the tradition. She hopes visitors and Alton natives alike enjoy the weekend on the river.
“We are so excited to be able to bring it back to the Mighty Mississippi,” she said. “This is a really unique event to be able to showcase such an iconic part of our community with the river and Riverfront Park.”
Part of the mission of the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau is to bring people to the region and promote local businesses. Sakry hopes to welcome many visitors to Alton and encourages them to check out the local restaurants, businesses and experiences.
“Getting to bring people out and really showing different opportunities that we can bring to the area and trying to heighten some different interests as well, it’s so cool,” she said. “Being able to bring kids, family members, friends, everybody in — it’s a really fun way to get together in the summertime and experience a really cool event.”
As the community unites to welcome visitors and racers to Alton, people are invited to enjoy the “unique” sporting event with beautiful views of the river. You can watch from Riverfront Park or on the water itself in a boat. For more information about the Alton Powerboat Nationals, including FAQs and how to buy your tickets, visit the official webpage.
“This is something that we want to be able to all do together as one big community and also welcoming visitors,” Sakry added. “There's just something so unique and special about being able to bring both of those factors together.”
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