FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Alton, IL – Dec. 18, 2025) The great American Bald Eagle winter migration is here and southwest Illinois is ready to welcome the birds to their winter homes. The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau is hosting a two-day party in downtown Alton Friday, Jan. 2 and Saturday, Jan. 3 launching the official start of Eagle Season.

The free Annual Alton Eagle Ice Festival will be held Friday, Jan. 2 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at FLOCK Food Truck Park, 210 Ridge St., Alton, along the banks of the Mississippi River. Eagle focused activities will also be held at the Audubon Center at Riverlands and the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton on Jan. 3.

“Eagle Fest is a great way to kick off Eagle Season and gives people the chance to celebrate the return of American Bald Eagles to the region for winter,” said Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. “We expanded our annual festival to two days simply because the visiting public enjoys this festival so much. It gives them a reason to spend more time in the Great Rivers & Routes region to enjoy a wide variety of free eagle-centric activities including seeing a live bald eagle, watching ice carvers and so much more.”

The fun begins on Friday, Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. A variety of food trucks will be on site at FLOCK ready to serve up dinner and snacks. Drinks can be purchased from the FLOCK Craft Cocktail Bar. A fire performer will take center stage from 6 to 9 p.m. An ice carving competition kicks off at 6 p.m. and live music from Hollywood 5 will begin at 7 p.m. Throughout the evening, there will be face painting for the kids and s’mores kits will be available for purchase to use at the on-site fire pits.

Activities continue Saturday, Jan. 3 with a free Eagle Meet & Greet event at FLOCK Food Truck Park where an American Bald Eagle from World Bird Sanctuary, will be on hand with its handler to welcome visitors. Learn more about bald eagles and take photos during this event. IceMan Tools ice carvers will also be at FLOCK creating a live ice sculpture during the event. Free face painting for kids is also on tap. S’mores kits will again be available for purchase so festival goers can enjoy s’mores by the fire pits. Food trucks and the Craft Cocktail Bar will also serve great food and boozy drinks for attendees.

Also, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be family-friendly activities at the Audubon Center at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, 301 Riverlands Way, West Alton and National Great Rivers Museum, #2 Locks & Dam Way, Alton.

The Audubon Center will have outdoor learning activities about eagles and nature along the birding sanctuary’s trails. There will also be guided bird hikes and exploration of the trails at Riverlands along with fire pits, make and take crafts, and ticketed meet and greet sessions with an American Bald Eagle from World Bird Sanctuary. The Eagle Meet & Greet sessions are $10 per person.

The National Great Rivers Museum will celebrate Eagle Fest with children’s crafts, open tours of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam every 30 minutes and a free movie showcasing eagles in the museum’s theater.

Old Bakery Beer Company, 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton, will host the Eagle Market featuring local vendors. The release of the new Eagle Beer will be available for sampling. The market will run concurrently with Eagle Fest on Jan. 3.

There will be free shuttle rides between FLOCK, Audubon and the National Great Rivers Museum from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 3.

A new Eagle Passport will be available during the festival. This free passport encourages people to explore shopping opportunities in downtown Alton. A free shuttle will be available for passport stops. Passport holders who visit at least five shops and make a $10 or more purchase will receive a stamp at each stop. Once five stamps are collected, passports can be redeemed at the Alton Visitor Center for a prize.

Eagle Watching Shuttle Tours will also kick off on Saturday, Jan. 3 in Alton. The tours will be held every Saturday in January and the first two weeks in February. Enjoy a two-hour guided shuttle tour highlighting eagle watching hot spots. Tours begin at 10 a.m. and end at Noon at the Alton Visitor Center, 200 Piasa St. Tickets are $22.50 per person and must be purchased online in advance. Tickets for the tours are available for purchase here: https://www.riversandroutes.co...

Every day visitors can travel along the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway on a self-guided tour thanks to an “Eagle Watching Tour” featured on the Great Rivers & Routes website. The tour is also available via an integrated mobile app for iOS and Android devices. This new tool provides a new way to explore what the area has to offer and includes places to stay, popular restaurants, activities and more. IPhone users can download the app here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/... and Android users can download here: https://play.google.com/store/...



Annually, the opportunities for eagle watching continue to grow in the Alton region. Visitors can head out to view the eagles on their own, or they can take part in some of the traditional eagle watching events in the region, including eagle meet & greets, eagle watching tours and live bird demonstrations. Events take place nearly every weekend and throughout the week in January. A full list of events can be found online at: https://www.riversandroutes.co...


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(The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau is a certified Destination Marketing Organization serving Madison, Jersey, Calhoun, Macoupin, Montgomery and Greene counties and East St. Louis in St. Clair County. The bureau is dedicated to educating visitors about the region by providing information regarding the area’s history, unique landmarks, recreational opportunities, leisure attractions, special events and scenic marvels.)