ALTON - The Audubon Center at Riverlands and Alton Main Street will unveil their new mural in downtown Alton.
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At 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, community members are invited to 224 E. Front Street in Alton to celebrate the mural, enjoy site-specific dance, and then head to My Just Desserts for a reception. The new mural spotlights the Lesser Yellowlegs and aims to encourage bird conservation.
“It is a beautiful mural that wraps all the way around the entire building down on Front Street right next to Mineral Springs as you’re going down Landmarks Boulevard,” explained Sara McGibany with Alton Main Street. “It's a nice sunset scene with these adorable yellow-legged birds. It’s a fantastic addition to our public art scene.”
McGibany pointed to the partnership between Alton Main Street and The Audubon Center as a driving force behind this newest mural. Mike Kelly and Center Advisory Board members Penny Schmidt and Susan Flader collaborated with Alton Main Street to bring this mural to downtown Alton.
The mural was painted by Robert Fishbone, who also installed the nearby Alton Flyway Mural in 2023. Both murals aim to share the importance of bird conservation and highlight the value of the river. The site-specific choreography by Erin Lane will further this message.
McGibany noted that Alton’s beautification and public art scene are important. This mural is especially powerful as it connects to the river and migratory birds.
“This is specifically about our relationship to the river and being on the Mississippi Flyway,” McGibany added. “We’re thrilled to partner with Audubon for another mural that really sets the tone for how our community looks when you drive in the front door.”
The Oct. 18 event is free to attend, but guests are asked to register here so Alton Main Street and The Audubon Center can prepare for the unveiling celebration and reception. For more information about the event, visit the official Facebook event page
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