Two Events Every Eagle Lover Should Check Out This Winter in Illinois

Every winter my family loads up in our van equipped with hot chocolate and binoculars to make a trip to the Lock & Dam #13 in Fulton, Illinois to watch bald eagles. If you've never done something like this before, I highly recommend doing it because it is sooo cool to see hundreds of eagles in one spot, flying around and picking fish from the river.

If the above sounds like a plan for your family this winter, perhaps you should plan your trip around these two eagle events that will be happening this coming January in Illinois.

2022 Bald Eagle Fests in Illinois

There are several awesome eagle viewing spots along rivers here in Illinois, and the cities of Alton and Grafton are especially good places to catch some eagle action, In fact, they're so good, both cities host eagle festivals that you should totally check out this winter!

Let's start with the first one;

Alton Eagle Ice Festival - Saturday, January 8, 2022, at the Alton Visitor Center located at 200 Piasa Street in Alton, Illinois. Besides a meet & greet with real eagles and some family family-friendly activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., here's what else you can expect according to the Facebook event page;

there will be ice carving demonstrations, the unveiling of Old Bakery Beer's Snowbird winter craft beer, a live DJ, and fire pits with s'mores kits available. Riverbend Axe Throwing will bring its mobile axe throwing center for free axe throwing entertainment.

Now let's get to the second event;

Eagle Festival - Sunday, January 30, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pere Marquette Lodge & Conference Center located at 13653 Lodge Blvd in Grafton, Illinois. Here's what you can expect at this event according to riversandroutes.com;

Shop unique vendor booths, eat in the restaurant, taste local wine, and meet some magnificent winged creatures! The World Bird Sanctuary will be presenting the Masters of the Sky Show which will introduce guests to winged creatures like owls, falcons, eagles, and more!

Admission to Eagle Festival is free, but there is an admission cost of $10 per person to see the Masters of the Sky Show.