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Visitors Guide to Events
in the
Meeting of the Great Rivers
Scenic Byway Area
Madison, Jersey & Calhoun Counties, Illinois |
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Events Listed By Location |
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Alton
including Alton, Illinois and West Alton, Missouri
Alton is the home of special events throughout the year. The Jacoby Arts Center has
rotating art exhibits featuring local and regional artists. The riverfront area is
where to gather to watch the popular Fourth of July fireworks display.
Vintage Voices is a unique cemetery tour in October. Drive through Rock
Springs Park around the winter holidays to see more 2.5 million lights
adorning trees and lighting displays throughout the park. |
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Godfrey
The
centerpiece of the events that the City of Godfrey holds throughout the
year is the Great Godfrey Maze, a giant maze made of corn that is
designed using a different theme every year. Other events held by the
city are Family Fun Day in July and the Snowflake Festival in December.
The Nature Institute offers a number of programs on their property on
the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. |
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Wood
River Area
including Wood River, Hartford, East Alton, and Bethalto
The
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site is the venue for a number of
historical events that explores the time when the Corps of Discovery
camped in the area prior to setting off on their epic journey. Wood
River is the site of the Wood River Rendezvous where visitors can
interact with reenactors portraying fur trappers, mountain men and
pioneers. The National Great Rivers Museum has a number of programs that
focus on different aspects of America’s most prominent river. |
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Grafton
and Elsah, including Pere Marquette State Park
The
city of Grafton holds popular events throughout the year such as the
Great Rivers Towboat Festival and the Grafton Rendezvous. Elsah has a
variety of events, most notably the annual Photography Exhibit of photos
of the area and the Home for the Holidays event in December. Five miles
north of Grafton is Pere Marquette Park which has an extensive schedule
of activities in the summer and fall and its popular Bald Eagle watching
programs during the winter months. |
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Jerseyville
Area
including Jerseyville, Dow, and Otterville
Warm
weather months are when things start happening in the Jerseyville area.
July features the classic Jersey County Fair with agricultural
competitions, grand stand shows, and a carnival. Fall brings festivals
like the Hamilton Primary School Festival and the Jersey County Apple
Festival. The Treehouse Wildlife Center hosts open houses where visitors
can see bald eagles, other raptors, a variety of wildlife. The Treehouse
Wildlife Center also hosts other
special events throughout the year. |
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Calhoun
County
including Kampsville, Brussels, Hamburg and Batchtown
Warm
weather is also when the organizations in Calhoun County hold their
events. The annual Archeology Day is held in Kampsville in July and
explores the prehistoric life of humans in the area as far back as
10,000 years ago. A number of churches hold their annual picnics
beginning in late July and extending into August. Old Settlers Days is
held every October on the banks of the Illinois River and is part
rendezvous and part Civil War reenactment. |
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Southern
& Eastern Madison County
including Collinsville, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Granite City &
Highland
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site holds a variety of events throughout
the year including Archeology Day in August. Other programs at the site
include the equinox and solstice observances and nature and culture
hikes. Festivals that focus on unique aspects of local culture include
the Route 66 Festival in Edwardsville, the Catsup Bottle Summerfest in
Collinsville and Schweitzerfest in Highland. Edwardsville is one of the
sites of the annual ArtEast event featuring the work of a number of
talented artists of Madison County. |
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Pere
Marquette State Park
Pere
Marquette Park which has an extensive schedule of activities in the
summer and fall including nature hikes, wildlife programs, fall color
tours, and the nighttime owl hikes. During the winter months the Park
holds its popular Bald Eagle watching programs where park naturalists
take visitors on a tour of the area to find the favorite spots of our
national symbol. |
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This Calendar of Events provides listings free of
charge for events that are of interest to visitors to the area and that are
organized or sponsored by Non-Profit or community based organizations. To have
your event listed here contact the webmaster. We
reserve the right to limit content. We also willing to provide a web page free
of charge for these types of events to provide more details for our readers.
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