Alton Main Street Newsletter April 2024

Director’s Note ~

Although The Lovejoy / The Lodge located at 401 Piasa St. is for sale (see the Commercial Real Estate page of our website for details!), there have been no serious inquiries thus far, so owner Russ Smith is going all in with booking parties and events. Their beautiful patio will host a reunion party for all former Pasta House Co. employees on May 11th, and will be a stop on our Pup Crawl on May 18th. They’re also hosting regular events that cater to musicians! Every 1st Sunday of every month there’s a bluegrass open mic and every 4th Sunday of the month there’s an open jam featuring the music of Jerry Garcia. STL City soccer games are always shown on the big screen, and starting April 15th they will be open Wed-Sun with food trucks every Wednesday. For full details and links to their social media to stay up to date, please visit: www.TheLodgeInAlton.com

~ Sara McGibany, Executive Director

Riverbend Earth Day at OBBC

Spring City-Wide Litter Clean Up

Please pitch in for this important biannual effort to clean up our streets on Saturday, April 13th from 9am-Noon. Visit Alton Main Street’s registration station at 3rd & Belle for donuts, bags, gloves, and directions to areas in need. For full details: www.PrideIncorporated.org

Pop-Up Clothing Swap

Give your closet a spring cleaning and attend the Pop-Up Clothing Swap on Sun, April 14th from Noon-3pm! Join us at Mineral Springs Mall, located at 301 E. Broadway. Bring gently used clothing, shoes & accessories that you no longer want and trade for as many new pieces  as you can carry for your wardrobe. Bring your worn out clothing, blankets, towels, etc. in any condition to be recycled with Remains Inc. – let’s keep those fabrics out of the landfill! It’s just $5 to attend if you bring clothes to swap, or $10 to attend empty-handed! A drop off will be held on Sat, April 13th from 4-6pm. Leftover clothing will be donated to local charities to help those in need.

Sure signs of Spring happenings!

Mark your calendars for the rest of our spring events and stay tuned for full details in upcoming editions! Opening day of the Alton Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market is Sat, May 11th (always Mother’s Day weekend!) and the season will run through Oct 19th. Vendor registration is now live on our website for handmade & homegrown products. We will also be having a Community Yard Sale in conjunction with the Market on May 18th where anything goes! Register for a booth for only $12 on our website.

Our Pup Crawl (that’s a Pub Crawl + dogs!) will take place on Sat, May 18th, our All-Wheels Drive-In Car Show is set for Sun, June 9th, and we have just announced the music lineup for our Night Market on Broadway series every Thursday in June & July! Find details at: www.DowntownAlton.com/Events

Downtown Alton is now the headquarters of the 6x Emmy- nominated show Food is Love!

We welcome Master Chef Lasse Sorensen to Alton! The first 3 seasons of his show have been a fascinating look into the people and culture behind the St. Louis region’s food scene, which airs on our local PBS affiliate. In an exciting development, the show will be moving into syndication on FOX Midwest and will also stream on the Hungry app which houses all of the most popular food shows! Now is the time to catch up on previous episodes in anticipation of Season 4 which will launch this summer, featuring chefs who have found success around the country such as Danny Meyer of Shake Shack and around the world as they highlight chefs in Peru & beyond.

Your first opportunity to meet Chef Lasse and the Food is Love team is right around the corner at the season opener of Flock Food Truck Park April 12th-14th! Alton themed Food is Love merchandise will be available, and you’ll get to experience the first look at the coolest food truck you’ve ever seen!

We will enjoy Chef Lasse’s company for at least the next 4 years, as he was brought to town as part of AltonWorks’ strategy to create a culinary destination here. The team will lend their expertise to Alton’s existing restaurateurs and next generation of entrepreneurs to develop a hospitality methodology and build upon our great restaurant ecosystem. Expanding on the theme that food connects people, his team also aims to take a leadership role in addressing food insecurity issues.  More info at: www.FoodIsLove.tv

The Audubon Center at Riverlands invites you to their upcoming events!

Riverlands Native Plant Festival on Sat, April 13th from 10am to 2pm! Local partners will share tips and local resources for native landscaping and its benefits. There will be plant giveaways, a ‘Plant a Plant, Take a Plant’ opportunity for folks to learn how to plant native plant plugs, open tours of the new USACE Riverlands Greenhouse, a speaker series, a guided hike to learn how to identify native plants, and other family friendly activities!

Every Body In! Accessibility of Public Lands: Paddling and Nature Trails at Riverlands.

Every Body In! Accessibility of Public Lands: Paddling and Nature Trails at Riverlands. Join us on Sat, April 27th from 11am-3pm for a day to celebrate accomplishments over the past two years in making public lands more accessible at Riverlands! We’re thrilled to welcome “every body”, regardless of body type, age, or physical abilities. Sign up for a guided paddle in Ellis Bay and enjoy the use of a universally accessible kayak launch to explore Riverlands, including our current artist-in-residence installation along the universally accessible nature trail featuring trail storybook stations and bird-watching.

These events are free and will be held at 301 Riverlands Way, West Alton, MO 63386

Kids Are the Spotlight at Jacoby Arts Center in April!

April is all about kids! In addition to hosting the Regional High School and K-8 Showcases all month long, the center welcomes young artists to sign up for two classes in the month of April. Starting on the 9th, kids ages 8-12 can learn the art of watercolor with local artist Elyse Webb. Class is only $60 for a four week session. JAC is also bringing back their popular Pop Up Kids Art Fair next month! The fun starts with a one-day workshop on April 14th where young vendors in grades K-8 will learn all about selling art at market and then they’ll return on April 28th from 11-4 for a vendor fair. More details can be found at:
www.jacobyartscenter.org/kidsclasses

OSF Saint Anthony’s Hospital

Summer will be here before we know it. That means more fun in the sun, which can also pose health risks, particularly skin cancer. OSF Moeller Cancer Center, located at 2200 Central Ave., will be hosting a FREE skin cancer screening event on Mon, April 1st from 3:30– 5:30pm. Registration is necessary, walk-ins will only be available if time permits. Our providers will be on-hand to conduct screenings and provide valuable education on skin cancer. For more information: 618-433-7609 or Karen.K.Boyd@osfhealthcare.org.

YWCA of Southwestern Illinois

Reminder that our 33rd Annual Women of Distinction event will be held on Thurs, April 25th at the Lewis & Clark Community College Commons. Purchase tickets or make a donation at www.ywcaswil.org

Alton River Dragons

The Alton River Dragons are thrilled to announce the launch of their inaugural scholarship program aimed at supporting the academic endeavors of exceptional high school seniors in the Alton area. The scholarship, valued at $500 each, will be awarded to two deserving recipients in 2024. Candidates are encouraged to
apply by May 15th, showcasing their achievements, leadership potential, and commitment to personal and academic growth. Find the application along with a game schedule, plus you can buy tickets, merchandise and much more at www.AltonBaseball.com

Affirming Therapy

Paula Moore, LCSW, and her psychotherapy practice, Affirming Therapy, PLLC, is located in the Riverbender Building on 3rd St, in downtown Alton.
She is a trauma therapist, and uses CBT, EMDR and somatic processing as her main therapy modalities. Although she currently has a full caseload, feel free to reach out for a free consult and if she is a good fit for your needs and be put on her waiting list, as openings do occur. 314.252.8446 paulajmoore@protonmail.com Check out her website: paulamooretherapy.com and her Psychology Today Profile.

Country Meadows Antiques

On Sat, April 27th from 11am-4:30pm stop by 401 E. Broadway for a glimpse into weddings of the past. A collection of antique and vintage wedding gowns, accessories, double wedding ring quilts, and more will be on display as owners Pam & Gary Voyles celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Congratulations to a wonderful couple, we wish you many more happy years!

Argosy Casino

JOB FAIR – Don’t miss the chance to meet with recruiters face-to-face, learn about job opportunities, and receive a job offer on the spot! Tues, April 23rd from 10:00am-2:00pm at 410 Piasa Street in Alton. Register now by visiting their website: www2.ArgosyAlton.com

Like them on Facebook at Argosy Casino Alton

Senior Services Plus

Looking to reduce your energy usage? Come to SSP on April 4th when the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and Representative Amy Elik host a Free Utility Bill Clinic. After a brief presentation, sit with a CUB staff member to have your utility bills analyzed. Also, AARP is sponsoring a lunch and forum titled Meet the Legislators on April 26th. Four Illinois State representatives and senators will be discussing various topics and issues concerning older adults. Both events are free and open to the public. RSVPs are required and space is limited. For details call 618-465-3298×123. SSP is located at 2603 North Rodgers Ave. in Alton.