Mississippi River Festival to Showcase Alton's Art Scene

Our Daily Show Interview! Mississippi River Festival is ALMOST HERE!

ALTON - The Mississippi River Festival is two weeks away, and organizers Nick Bifano and Zack Johnson couldn’t be more excited.

After a successful revival in 2024, the 2025 MRF will stretch over two days on June 27 and 28, 2025, at the Alton Amphitheater. Bifano and Johnson promise a “festival atmosphere” celebrating music, art and the Alton community.

“Our whole intent with all this is to keep excellence at the forefront,” Bifano said. “Between the lineup, between all the vendors we’ve got coming, the sound and lighting, all the things, it’s a really concerted effort to honor this festival and move it forward.”

On Friday, June 27, Ben Rector headlines, supported by Wilder Woods, Allen Stone, Brian Owens Soul, and Beth Bombara. On Saturday, June 28, attendees can enjoy Blackberry Smoke, Drew Halcomb & the Neighbors, Nikki Lane, Brent Cobb, Kassi Ashton, Jeremie Albino, Zach Person, and Riley Holtz & the Lost Cause.

The lineup features big names alongside up-and-coming artists who, the organizers believe, are set to take off soon. Johnson noted that their goal is to provide a show that is as fun to play as it is to attend. They want the artists to fall in love with Alton, too.

“We want it to be an event that, for an artist, it’s not just another show,” Johnson explained. “One of the things we made sure to emphasize and advance when we’re trying to book acts is, we present the story and the legacy of the MRF and that we’re trying to restart this deal and place a new step forward into the future and create something special that’s artist-centered and experience-centered and excellence-centered.”

Artists’ greenrooms will be stocked with a special MRF coffee roast from Post Commons and beer from Old Bakery Beer Company. Musicians and attendees are encouraged to explore Alton’s restaurants and shops, and there will be a vendor fair onsite featuring several indie businesses from the Riverbend region.

Bifano and Johnson shared that the MRF is more than music — it’s a celebration of Alton’s art and culture. They commissioned a new mural to advertise the MRF on Broadway downtown, and they hired local artist Michael Snyder as the arts director. Snyder will have several art installations at the amphitheater.

People will be coming from across the country to attend this year’s festival, with Saturday’s VIP tickets completely sold out. You can buy VIP tickets for Friday and general admission tickets for both nights at MississippiRiverFest.com. Bifano noted that they tried to keep prices low, and he believes the price per band is “pretty damn good.”

Johnson encouraged the community to come out and support the MRF and the art scene in Alton. He believes the MRF is a great opportunity to showcase Alton’s culture and bring people together from across the region.

“It’s going to be a heck of a time. What I would love for Alton to do is just to show out,” he said. “If some of the folks from Alton could show out and show love and show the culture and heart of this city that we know and love, that would be the coolest.”

Looking ahead, Johnson and Bifano hope the MRF continues to grow. They expanded this year’s festival into a two-day affair, and they have big plans for the future of the event. They want to support local businesses, artists, musicians and other creatives while celebrating the legacy of the original festival.

“In the deepest parts of our hearts, we just believe that the MRF is something that's sustainable out into the future,” Bifano added. “We’re all Alton guys, but we’re also regional guys too. We just want to see live music in general thrive here. If our part is to steward the MRF, we hope that it’s a catalyst for more things to happen.”

Visit the official website at MississippiRiverFest.com for more information.

Print Version