Visitors Guide for Events May 2010
Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway Area
Madison, Jersey & Calhoun Counties, Illinois

RUG RETREAT
Elsah
  April 29 - May 2, 2010
Professional rug hooker Kathy Meentemeyer is a certified McGown rug hooking teacher from St. Louis, Missouri. She teaches at workshops throughout the country, as well as her studio at home. Kathy is an accomplished dye artist and specializes in color planning. Her desire is to help students express their own creativity. The camp includes overnight accommodations at one of Elsah's bed and breakfast inns, catered meals by My Just Desserts, a house tour and a walking tour of the village.
Registration Fee.

For reservations or more information call My Just Desserts at 618-462-5881
CINCO DE MAYO
Alton, IL
  Saturday, May 1, 2010
4 pm to 10:30 pm
Third Street between Piasa and State
Downtown block party featuring great Mexican food and drink specials, authentic Mexican music, dancers and more. Kids activities begin at 4 and adult activities begin when the sun goes down and the bands begin playing at 6:30.
For more information call 618-465-6676

ANNUAL SPRING
GAS-UP & SWAP MEET

Jersey County, IL
  May 1 - May 2, 2010
7 am - dusk both days
Tri-County Antique Club Grounds, IL-3 between Grafton and Jerseyville
Come buy, swap and sell anything and everything, except illegal or obscene materials, and poultry and livestock. There is something for everyone at the annual gas up and swap meet.
Free
For more information call 618-7639-4192

LEWIS & CLARK DEPARTURE DAYS
Hartford, IL
  May 15 - May 16, 2010
10 am - 4 pm both days
Lewis & Clark State Historic Site
Come and commemorate the departure of the Lewis & Clark Expedition from Camp River Dubois as reenactors portray life as members of the Corps of Discovery preparing for their epic trip west.
Free
For more information call 618-251-5811

KID'S DAY
Cahokia Mounds
State Historic Site
Collinsville, IL
  Sunday, May 16, 2010
11 am - 4 pm
Collinsville Road
This special event features hands-on crafts and activities, such as arrowhead making, pottery making, face painting, spear throwing, corn grinding, Indian games; dance performances and more. For kids of all ages.
Free
For more information call 800-289-2388 or 618-346-5160

HUMMINGBIRD FESTIVAL
Pere Marquette State Park
Grafton, IL
  Sunday, May 16, 2010
1 pm - 4 pm

Pere Marquette Lodge & Conference Center
Hummingbirds prosper in the wonderful environment of The Lodge, seeking it out on their annual migration. Join The Lodge’s staff at this annual Hummingbird Festival and be able to see these "always on the go" magnificent little birds up close. The Illinois Audubon Society will on hand banding the birds. Visitors will be able to adopt one for a small fee and receive updates on how your bird is doing and where it is
.
Free

For more information call 618-786-2331
NATURE/CULTURE HIKE
Cahokia Mounds
State Historic Site
Collinsville, IL
  Saturday, May 22, 2010
9:30 am - 1 pm
Collinsville Road
Take a three mile hike with an archaeologist and a naturalist through various habitats. Learn about the cultural and natural resources, excavation results, and native uses of plants of Cahokia Mounds.
Canceled in case of rain.
Free
For more information call 800-289-2388 or 618-346-5160
ALTON BLOCK PARTY
Alton, IL
  Saturday, May 29, 2010
4 pm - 10:30 pm
Third Street between Piasa and State
Alton holds a downtown block party on the last Saturday of every month from May through September. This event features a wide variety of food and drink at reasonable prices. Kids activities begin at 4 and adult activities begin when the sun goes down and the bands begin playing at 6:30.
Free
For more information call 618-465-6676
ALTON MEMORIAL
DAY PARADE

Alton, IL
  Monday, May 31, 2010
10 am
Washington and College Avenues
This annual Memorial Day Parade in Upper Alton, running continuously since 1868, honors the contributions of local veterans.
Free
For more information call 618-462-7527
     
Probable Events
Dates, times, and other details will change and will be listed as soon as we get updated information.
PREHISTORIC PEDAL
BICYCLE RIDE
Granite City, IL
  Saturday, May 2, 2009
Registration: 11 am - Noon
Horseshoe Lake State Park
Explore the forests and fauna around Horseshoe Lake State Park. Complete the bike ride on your own, map provided. After the ride plan a visit to Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site hosting a Native American storyteller as part of the St. Louis Storytelling Festival at 2 pm. Choose your route length out and back o the MCT Schoolhouse Trail.
Free
For more information call 314-416-9930

WOOD RIVER
RENDEZVOUS

Wood River, IL
  May 2 - May 3, 2009
9 am - 5 pm both days
Camp Dubois
Route 143 and Route 3
Celebrate the historical period between 1700 and 1840. See demonstrators in period clothing, a black powder shoot, a "hawk" throw, fire starting with flint and steel contests, children's and women's activities, period food sales, crafts, Fife and Drum music, vendor sales of period items, contests, flag raising, a battle each day at 2 pm, and much more. Period costumes encouraged for campers, crafters, and other participants. Illustrations of Lewis & Clark's epic journey are located on the trail around the lake.
Free - donations encouraged
For more information call 618-254-8120

MIGRATORY BIRD WALKS
Godfrey, IL
  Sunday, May 3, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009

8 am
Talahi Lodge at the Olin Nature Preserve
Every spring thousands of birds migrate north along the Mississippi River Flyway back to their summer homes and representatives from The Nature Institute and naturalist and avid birder, Edna Alexander, will lead guided hikes to identify the many species that stop off at the Olin Preserve. Dress for the weather, wear good hiking shoes, and bring binoculars and drinking water.
Admission fee
For more information call 618-466-9930
LEWIS & CLARK
“DEPARTURE DAYS”
BICYCLE RIDE
Hartford, IL
  Saturday, May 9, 2009
Registration: 8:30 am - 10 am
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site
Become a modern day explorer and pedal a portion of the path taken by Lewis & Clark on routes of various distances over flat to rolling terrain. The short route recommended for families and beginning cyclists will use the MCT Confluence Trail. The longer routes are on roads. All routes stop at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site in Hartford “Departure Days” Celebration where you will find food, drinks and displays.
Fees: $8 Trailnet Member, $12 Non-member, $3 Children under 13
For more information call 314-416-9930 x114
  or visit www.trailnet.org
WOMEN IN THE
OUTDOORS

Kampsville, IL
  Saturday, May 9, 2009
9 am - 4 pm
McCully Heritage Project
1 mile south of Kampsville, off Route 100
The McCully Heritage Project will host a Women in the Outdoors event that is sponsored by the National Wild Turkey Federation and Two Rivers RC & D. This day-long event is designed to provide educational outdoor activities for women, and it promises to be not only educational, but also fun! Activities will include archery and other shooting sports, bird watching, wildflower and butterfly walk, local archeology & prehistoric tools, outdoor cooking, trapping & furbearers, gardening. Overnight camping is available the night before the event. Babysitting will be available the day of the event.
Registration is $50
For more information call 217-285-4114

ART EXHIBIT
Alton
, IL
  May 15 - July 5, 2009
Tues. - Sat hours are 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday hours: 12 pm  - 4 pm
Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway
This bi-annual ceramics invitational show is held at the Jacoby Arts Center. This year's exhibit is curated by Susan Bostwick, Charity Davis-Woodard, and Melody Ellis and showcase outstanding clay artists who live and work in the region. This year, twenty-four artists present work that ranges from functional to figurative. It is an exciting show accompanied by workshops and classes in clay.
Free
For more information call 618-462-5222
GREAT RIVER RENDEZVOUS
Grafton, IL & West Alton, MO
  Saturday, May 16, 2009
10 am - 3 pm
Begins in Grafton and ends at the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton, IL

Be a part of the first-ever canoe and kayak race on the Mississippi River. Rendezvous in Grafton where the race will begin at 10a.m. Then, race your way 20 miles down river to the end of the race at Ellis Bay in West Alton, MO. Clubs, shops and spectators are invited to attend. In addition to the race, there will social paddles, skills clinics, family paddles, food and music.
There is a small registration fee with all proceeds going to the Treehouse Wildlife Center of Madison County. To pre-register, go to www.greatriverwatertrail.org or call 314- 518-0950.
For more information call 618-462-6979
  or visit http://www.greatriverwatertrail.org
RIVERBEND BED
& BREAKFAST TOUR

Alton & Grafton, IL
  Sunday, May 17, 2009
2 pm - 6 pm
Come and see twelve of the award-winning bed & breakfast inns and guesthouses of Alton and  Grafton in this unique tour of the inside of some of the area's most unique and luxurious accommodations. There will be thirteen houses on the tour, five of which are new or remodeled since the last tour.
Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 the day of the tour. Tickets will be available for purchase at the Alton Visitor's Center at the end of April.
For more information call 1-800-ALTON-IL or 618-465-6676
POND MANAGEMENT
WORKSHOP

Kampsville, IL
  Wednesday, May 20, 2009
6 pm - 8:30 pm
McCully Heritage Project
1 mile south of Kampsville, off Route 100
Join us at the McCully Heritage pond for this pond management workshop. Jeff Blackory, Resource Conservationist from the Jersey County SWCS will discuss fluctuations in temperature and oxygen levels in ponds and how this affects fish, algae control, dam permits and construction and stocking new and existing ponds. Mike Jones, Fisheries Biologist for the Illinois DNR, will shock the McCully pond for a fish inventory.
Program fee is $3 for adults, youth attend free
Please register in advance by calling the Calhoun-Jersey Extension office at 618-576-2293 or 619-498-2913
WOOD COLLECTORS
PROGRAM

Kampsville, IL
  Saturday, May 23, 2009
9 am - 4 pm
McCully Heritage Project
1 mile south of Kampsville, off Route 100
The International Wood Collectors Society will host a regional wood collectors meeting at the McCully Heritage Project. The daylong event will feature demonstrations, wood for sale, wood craft items on display and for sale, and a tree id walk around the McCully property. At 1 pm a wood auction will be held featuring domestic and exotic woods. This event is open to the public and all are invited to attend and participate.
Free
For more information call 217-942-3751
  or visit www.woodcollectors.org
PRINCIPIA TRIATHLON
Elsah, IL
  Saturday, May 30, 2009
8 am
The Principia Triathlon is a stunningly beautiful and fun challenge for all ages and skill levels in historic surroundings! Come on your own to accept the challenge or bring a team of family or friends. You must register in advance at Active.com. There will be no registration on race day
.
For more information go to www.EscapetotheBluffs.com
GREAT GRAFTON
PUB CRAWL
Grafton, IL
  Saturday, May 30, 2009
Be a part of the Barstool Open featuring ten holes of miniature golf at participating bar and grill locations in Grafton. Scorecards are $10 each and include: T-shirt, shuttle transportation and cardholder drink and food specials. Scorecards may be purchased at all participating pubs and wineries. Prizes will be awarded to the golfer with the best score for all 10 holes.
For more information call 618-786-7678
     
   

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.

 
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS ALONG THE GREAT RIVER ROAD
Lewis and Clark
State Historic Site
McCully
Heritage Project
Mississippi
River Ferries
Sam Vadalabene
Bike Trail