Organizers of Mississippi River Festival Talk History, Process and Why They Believe in Renewing the Event

ALTON - For the organizers of the Mississippi River Festival, this Saturday, June 22, 2024, is sure to be a night to remember.

Nick Bifano and Zack Johnson, who organized the festival alongside REX Productions, the City of Alton and Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, said they are excited for the festival to begin. Doors open at 5 p.m. at the Alton Amphitheater on June 22. Headliners Larkin Poe will play alongside Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown, Fastball and FEEL.

“We are stoked about this,” Bifano said. “Tickets are going fast, so make sure people jump in as soon as they can, because it’s going to be a historic night in Alton.”

Bifano and Johnson received approval to organize the MRF three months ago. In that time, they’ve booked the bands and spread the word about the festival. They’re excited to see all their hard work pay off this weekend.

The MRF had its original run from 1969–1980 in Edwardsville. Bifano and Johnson spent over a year researching the history of the MRF. They also spoke to Lyle Ward, the previous MRF managing director, who has voiced his excitement over the renewed festival.

As they prepare to restart the event, Bifano and Johnson said they have heard a lot of concerns from people who worry that the 2024 MRF will be too different from the 70s MRF. They acknowledged that it will be different, but they believe they are honoring the history of the MRF while creating something new.

“We weren’t there, but man, we understand, and that's what we want for our generation, is that feeling you have in your heart for your thing, your Mississippi River Festival. That’s what we want for our generation,” Johnson explained. “We love music, we love the arts, we love people just as much as you did back in the 70s. And we believe that we need that today and we can pull that off today. Obviously, different parameters, but that same feeling and the heart is what we’re trying to do and get to people who show up on Saturday.”

They also hope to share their love for Alton with the audience. Bifano pointed out that it’s tempting to keep Alton’s music scene exclusive, but they want to show other people how impressive the local art is. By bringing people to the riverfront to enjoy the MRF, the men hope the spirit of the MRF will bleed into other festivals and events around town.

“There's kind of this tension between this cool local thing that we want to keep for ourselves, but at the same time, this level of musicianship, craftsmanship, artistic expression deserves recognition from more eyes than just our own,” Bifano said. “Our goal is to do our part in bringing attention to the Alton music scene and what’s happening, and our hope is that that sort of ripples out and we can continue to do things.”

Above all else, the men are excited to welcome the four bands to the riverfront. They explained that this first MRF is a “statement,” and they decided to prioritize rock n roll music as an homage to the music of the 60s and 70s. All of the bands were influenced by musicians that previously played on the MRF stage. Johnson predicted a “special, special atmosphere,” especially with potential crossovers between bands.

Though the organization of the MRF started three months ago, Johnson and Bifano have been working toward this goal for almost two years, and they look forward to sharing the finished product on Saturday, June 22. They encourage people to buy tickets online, though there will also be a box office onsite on Saturday.

General admission tickets to the MRF cost $25. There are also reserved and VIP tickets available. For more information about the Mississippi River Festival, visit MississippiRiverFest.com or the official Mississippi River Festival Facebook page.

“Everything has just fallen into place,” Bifano added. “It’s cool. It feels timeless.”

More like this:

Related Video:

Print Version