ALTON – The Alton Expo returns to Alton’s Liberty Bank Amphitheater for four days of family fun with carnival rides, mud volleyball, a catfish tournament, food vendors and a full lineup of musical entertainment, including returning favorites The Dirty Muggs and Platinum Rock Legends .
The exhibition will start at 17:00 on Thursday, September 8 and will run until Sunday, September 11.
“We look forward to welcoming huge crowds to the Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater for four days of great food, fun and entertainment at this year’s Alton Expo,” said Dan Herkert, Chairman of the Amphitheater Commission. “The entertainment lineup for this year’s Expo is the best we’ve had yet, and we’re excited that Alton Sports Tap has come on board to bring mud volleyball back to the Expo.”
This year’s expo kicks off Thursday with carnival rides by Luehr’s Ideal Rides from 5-10 p.m., and music by Super Jam, a four-piece stadium rock band, from 7-10 p.m.
Friday’s exhibit opens at 5 p.m., with Retro Boogie performing from 5-7 p.m. The six-piece band performs pop, rock, R&B, disco, soul, rock & roll and everything in between. They are followed from 7-11pm by The Dirty Muggs known for their high energy, choreographed performances. Carnival rides will operate from 5-10 p.m
On Saturday, the third annual Alton Catfish Classic begins at 4 a.m. with live checks before the 100 teams take to the many boat platforms. No fishing is allowed until 6:30 a.m., and competitors must stop fishing at 2:30 p.m. Anglers must be at the weigh-in line by 4:00 p.m.
One hundred teams will compete for a $15,000 prize in the event sponsored by the Simmons, Hanley & Conroy Law Firm. Last year 117 fish weighing a combined 3,156.07 pounds were caught and released.
Also on Saturday, 32 teams are expected to compete in a two-day, double-elimination clay volleyball tournament hosted by Alton Sports Tap. The business worked with city officials and the amphitheater commission to create two dirt fields at Riverfront Park, which will be turned into clay for the competition.
Carnival rides will operate Saturday from 1-10 p.m. Platinum Rock Legends performs Saturday from 7-11 p.m., featuring impersonations of more than 20 rock icons.
The Expo wraps up Sunday, with the second day of the clay volleyball tournament starting at 11 a.m. and carnival rides 1-5 p.m. Porch Cafe, a five-piece band from Riverbend, will perform from 1-5 in the afternoon.
Food vendors scheduled to be at the Expo include Morales Tacos, Pig On A Wing, Guido’s BBQ, Bri’s Fish and Foo’s Kitchen.
For more information visit www.LibertyBankAmphitheater.com.
