“This year’s Eagle Fest will be bigger and better than ever,” said Cory Jobe, President and CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. “We are expanding the festival to include adult-oriented afternoon activities, and we are delighted to welcome the National Great Rivers Museum as a co-sponsor of the festival.”

Soaring to wingspans of 6 to 7.5 feet, the birds winter along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Until March 3, Pere Marquette State Park will offer 13 days of programming, teaching visitors how to distinguish between immature and mature bald eagles, which
eagles eat, why they spend the winter months in the area and more.

Programs start at 8:30 a.m. on January 7, 14, 21, 25, 27, 28 and 29, as well as February 2-4, February 25-26, and March 3. There will be a video presentation and program followed by an observation walk to see wintering bald eagles. Tours usually end around 4 p.m. at the park visitor center.

Guests should dress for winter; waterproof boots are strongly recommended. Park officials also recommend a full tank of gas and binoculars, along with snacks and hot drinks.

For details, call 618-786-3323, ext. 1, or visit http://dnr.illinois.gov.

To celebrate the return of the eagles to the region, the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Office, the Audubon Center in Riverlands and the National Great Rivers Museum will host the annual Eagle Ice Festival on Saturday January 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This year’s event has been expanded to include additional afternoon activities in downtown Alton, and for the first time the National Great Rivers Museum in Alton will be hosting concurrent activities with the Eagles.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a free Eagle Meet & Greet is scheduled at the Alton Visitor Center, 200 Piasa St. Liberty, the American Bald Eagle from the World Bird Sanctuary, will be present with his handler.

Also from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there will be family activities at the Audubon Center at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, 301 Riverlands Way in West Alton and the National Great Rivers Museum, No. 2 Locks & Dam Way, Alton.

The Audubon Center will offer outdoor learning activities about eagles and nature along the bird sanctuary trails. There will also be Eagle Meet & Greet sessions at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Advance registration is required; people can also sign up for guided birding hikes and explore the trails of Riverlands.

The National Great Rivers Museum will celebrate Eagle Fest with an appearance by Eric l’Aigle’s mascot, children’s crafts, tours of the locks and dam of Melvin Price, a “nest watch station” with long- views to see a resident eagle’s nest, lectures by an eagle experts, eagle video in the museum theater, and free eagle passport gift bags (while supplies last).

Free adult activities start at 2 p.m. in downtown Alton. The parking lots behind and adjacent to the Alton Visitor Center will be closed to the public and will house hot fireplaces and s’mores kits will be available.

Old Bakery Beer’s new “Snowbird” beer, brewed exclusively for Eagle Fest, will be available. The dark beer has a hint of maple flavor, and Old Bakery Beer representatives will be on hand with samples.

The live ice sculpture by Ice Visions in St. Louis is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the parking lots. Ax throwing will be offered by Riverbend Ax Throwing, also in the parking lot. And special Eagle Fest offers will be available at businesses on 3rd and State Streets.

Throughout eagle season, visitors can take the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Drive to visit the ‘eagle viewing hotspots’ listed on the Great Rivers & Eagle Viewing Mobile Passport. Routes. The free passport, available for iPhone and Android, will take visitors to the area’s eagle-watching hotspots. Anyone who checks in at five of the 10 Eagles Hotspots can enter to win a two-night stay in southwest Illinois this summer.

A full list of area events can be found online at www.riverandroutes.com. For visitors looking to make eagle watching a winter getaway, there are many packages and specials available at hotels and bed & breakfast inns in Alton, Grafton and Elsah.

Guided eagle-watching tours are also available through the Grafton Visitors Center, 950 E. Main St., January 8, 15, 22, and 29. Tours are available from 8 am to 10 am and 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm; the cost is $ 23 per person.

The tour highlights sites where American Bald Eagles winter, including the Brussels Ferry, Calhoun Point, and Pere Marquette State Park.

Face masks are mandatory for all shuttle excursions; the shuttles are cleaned after each visit. The shuttles are not accessible by ADA. Tickets are non-refundable unless the tour is canceled due to weather or COVID-related issues. For details, call 618-786-7000.

From January 15 to January 29, the visitor center will also host a live eagle daily from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm People can see an American bald eagle and learn why the area is a great place for them. see.