ALTON — The seventh annual Market Street Community Block Party and Health Fair in Downtown Alton is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, between Third and Sixth streets and Market and Alby streets.
Activities such as horseback-riding, fire engine and smokehouse vehicles, face-painting, inflatable bounce houses, arts and crafts, live entertainment, water misters, and food and soft drinks will be held outside along Market Street between Third and Sixth streets. “Sweet treats” like ice cream and cookies will be provided at First Presbyterian Church on the corner of Fourth and Alby streets. The Salvation Army of Alton at Fifth and Alby will host the Illinois Child Identification Program and indoor activities. Preregistration for the Child Identification Program is available at (800) 392-0936.
The free health fair led by Alton Memorial Hospital is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The health fair will be held inside of Heneghan Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at the corner of Third and Market streets. Health fair vendors will include AMH Senior Renewal, AMH Sleep Disorder Services, AMH ambulance, Children’s Hospital Mobile Intensive Care Unit, Lewis and Clark Community College Family Health Center, Southern Illinois Health Care, Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine, OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center, Senior Services Plus, Glenhaven Gardens, Madison County Health Department, Alton Physical Therapy, Nautilus, Sickle Cell Association and more.
Shriners Hospital for Children will offer screenings in the lower level of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, also from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., for a variety of childhood ailments, including cerebral palsy, clubfoot, rickets, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, scoliosis and spina bifida. To make appointments for the Shriners portion of the health screenings, call (800) 392-0936. No appointments are required for the rest of the screenings. Visitors are asked to enter Heneghan Hall from the Market Street entrance.
All activities for the block party and health screenings are free. The first 400 school-age children who successfully complete the Activity Passport will receive a free school backpack and school supplies. Visitors are asked to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items for food bank containers for the Crisis Food Center and Salvation Army of Alton.
This year’s partner churches and sponsors for the block party are Alton Memorial Hospital’s parish nurses, Lewis and Clark Community College, St. John Missionary Baptist Church, Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, Episcopal Parish of Alton (St. Paul’s and Trinity Chapel), First Presbyterian Church, the Salvation Army of Alton and Union Baptist Church.
For information, visit www.communityblockparty.org.