Alton Main Street Newsletter January 2024
Director’s Note ~
Celebrate the return of our American Bald Eagles at the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau’s Alton Eagle Ice Festival on Sat, Jan 6th! The free fun begins at 10am at Flock Food Truck Park with a live eagle meet and greet, ice carving, live music, face painting, s’mores around a fire pit & more. The Audubon Center at Riverlands and National Great Rivers Museum will also host activities, including bird watching hikes and tours of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam. An Art Market will take place during the event at Jacoby Arts Center! A 45-minute eagle watching shuttle tour will be available during the Eagle Ice Festival as well as every Saturday in January and February at 11am and 1pm, beginning and ending at the Alton Visitor Center. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased HERE!
~ Sara McGibany, Executive Director
Are you looking for a fun NYE celebration that the whole family will enjoy?
Join Flock Food Truck Park for their 2nd Annual “NOON Year’s Eve” balloon drop for all ages! The event will take place on Dec 31st from 11am-2pm with celebrations at Noon and food from the Pig on a Wing food truck.
If you’re after a traditional late-night NYE party, then don’t miss the bash at The Conservatory!
They’ll feature live music from Spillie Nelson (reggae, rock, blues & jam), Loftys Comet (the juveniles of funk), and New Cosmo, as well as a house DJ live mix provided by DJ BDK. Doors will open at 7pm and the party goes until 2am. Your $10 cover charge includes free LED party swag for the first 50 people through the door, as well as a champagne toast at midnight! CLICK HERE to RSVP and spread the word on Facebook.
For a low-key New Years evening, reserve a table for dinner at State Street Market and enjoy a delicious 4-course meal.
Their limited seating is filling up fast, so book your spot now and decide from Chef PK ‘s creative selections of crab bisque, charred romaine Caesar, Steak Oscar, lemon blueberry key lime tartlets and many other specialties to choose from.
Get a jump on your New Years resolution to get more exercise while also enjoying the great outdoors by joining the Sierra Club for their Annual New Year’s Day hike at Pere Marquette State Park!
You can choose to either meet the group for breakfast at the Lodge at 8:30am, or feel free to skip the meal and meet in the lobby at 10am to join the hike in the park. The route will be decided on that day depending on weather conditions. Please dress for the weather and bring water. To register, please CLICK HERE.
Alton Little Theater is commemorating 90 years of providing theatrical events to our community!
Every month in 2024, ALT will host special entertainment events to mark this milestone:
TWO ROOMS by Lee Blessing (Jan 11th-13th at 7:30pm)
RED JASPER by Michael Madden (Jan 18th-21st at 7:30pm)
THE ELEPHANT’S GRAVEYARD by George Brant (Jan 26th-28th at 7:30pm)
Tickets are $10 or $25 for all 3 shows, plus a local charity will benefit from tickets sales for each play!
BEST OF THE BEST OF COUNTRY LOVE CONCERT (Feb 10th at 7:30pm and Feb 11th at 2pm)
Tickets are $25 for a wonderful collaboration from a dozen of the best voices in the area and some wonderful storytelling behind their favorite country hits!
THE FOUR POSTER (Feb. 16th, 17th, & 21st-24th Evenings – 7:30 pm / Feb. 18th & 25th Matinees – 2 pm)
This touching romantic comedy play that focuses on the trials and tribulations, laughter and sorrows, hopes and disappointment of a couple over 35 years of marriage. The show bears witness to the magnificence of marriage!
Check out ALT’s website: www.AltonLittleTheater.org or give us a call 618-462-3205!
Alton Main Street APPRECIATION PARTY
Thursday, Jan 11th from 5-7pm at The Lovejoy located at 401 Piasa St.
Partners, sponsors and volunteers are invited to meet our Board of Directors, check out photos from 2023 projects, and learn about ways to get involved.
We will give a brief presentation around 6:00, but the rest of the evening is about making connections, enjoying the company of other Downtown enthusiasts & getting excited for 2024. A complimentary appetizer & dessert buffet will be provided, and a cash bar will be available. Please CLICK HERE to RSVP.
For info on how to get involved, please visit:
Honeybee Vintage
Coming soon to 114 E. Broadway! Vintage, antiques, upscale resale, wallpaper, paint, home décor, gifts & more! There will be a vintage clothing loft, a “bee-tique” of new-to-you children’s clothing, and a growing collection of handcrafted items from local makers. Things are coming together with renovations at the shop, inside and out…please sign up online to be notified of our grand opening in the new year. Until then, shop our website with shipping and free local pickup. Digital gift cards can be personalized and scheduled for delivery on Christmas Day!
Mississippi Hippie & Mom Said No
Hey, last minute shoppers – all is not lost! Both shops will be restocking with plenty of new items, so you won’t have to worry about finding a great variety of gift ideas. Whether you are looking for clothing, horror stuff, Grateful Dead merch, music tees, jewelry, snarky kitchen towels, mugs, or classic toys of all shapes and sizes (much better to find under the tree than just another phone!), we have you covered. It is just one way of thanking the community for shopping local and supporting your neighbors! Our side-by-side stores are located at 301 East Broadway, inside the historic Mineral Springs building. Don’t miss our 20% off sale that’s running through the weekend – our store hours on Christmas Eve will be 10am-3pm and the discount applies storewide except for vintage items and collectibles!
The Alton Dispensary
is celebrating all 12 days of Christmas with amazing deals and the holiday spirit. On Dec 23rd and 24th, anyone dressed head-to-toe as Santa, Mrs. Claus, or even the Grinch, gets a free amount of flower. Our food drive also goes through Christmas Eve and gives a stackable 10% off for the donation of a non-perishable food item to the Crisis Food Center. We are always running new and exciting deals and promotions, and have new inventory constantly. For details, check our website:
TheAltonDispensary.com!
Senior Services Plus
Holiday Closures: 12/24 & 12/25 in observance of Christmas, and 12/31 & 1/1 in observance of New Years.
On Jan 18th from 11am-1pm OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center is conducting Anxiety and Depression Screenings which are free & confidential. Space is limited. To make an appointment, call 618-465-3298 ext. 123.
Are you looking for romance, or perhaps new friends? SSP presents: Speed Connections, February 9th at 2pm in SSP’s School House Grill. Created for older adults to create new connections, participants will take turns speaking with each other on timed intervals. $10 to participate. Visit seniorservicesplus.org/speed-connections to sign up and make a connection!
Call For Nominations for the honor of YWCA Women of Distinction
YWCA is requesting the public’s help in soliciting nominations for 2024 Women of Distinction. The community is urged to nominate exceptional women who create real change in our communities. Nomination deadline is Tues, Jan 9th at 5:00 pm. Nomination materials may be accessed at www.ywcaswil.org or by calling YWCA at 618.465.7774.
A volunteer panel of judges will select the honorees from nominations. Nominees must live, work or volunteer in the YWCA service area of Madison County. Nominees must demonstrate the following qualities: exhibits leadership in her area of expertise, serves as a positive role model for young women in the community, serves as a mentor to other women and girls in her community involvement, demonstrates a commitment to the YWCA mission of eliminating racism and empowering women, supports policies, practices, attitudes and actions designed to produce equitable outcomes for all, and gives back to the community through her time, talent, and resources outside of her employment. The Women of Distinction Gala will take place on April 25th, 2024 at the Lewis and Clark College Commons in Godfrey.