Alton, Mo. – The Alton Chamber of Commerce met on Thursday, March 19, 2026, for their monthly meeting. Some of the topics discussed were the Chamber scholarship, pocket park, Walnut Festival, and 250th Anniversary events.
Scholarship
For the chamber scholarships, student applications are due by March 27th, and the counselor will organize them for review shortly after with Robin and Hannah choosing the recipient.
Walnut Festival
The musical bands Creek Rocks and Vicki McGee have been booked, so the music for the Walnut Festival is complete.
The chamber voted to raise all vendor booth fees by $10. The previous rates were $25 for a single space without electricity, $40 for a double space without electricity, and $50 for a double space with electricity.
The first batch of vendor letters will be mailed on May 1st, with a second round in August.
A motion was also made for the Chaber to buy a storage box for the electrical cords on the outside of the square to prevent tripping hazards. Additionally, the chamber plans to speak with Gary Simpson about running electrical power to the side of the square with the license bureau to better spread out food vendors.
Pocket Park
The chamber discussed raising money for the Pocket Park. Key ideas include selling engraved bricks or plaques to donors and creating visual posters of the park’s design to attract donations. The chamber hopes to have the space usable, even if incomplete, by the 4th of July, potentially adding a portable stage.
250th
The chamber is planning to order new banners for the court square to honor the nation’s 250th anniversary. They want some of the designs to be reusable for future years.
The Chamber also mentioned the Oregon County Pageant that the Culture Club is putting on and the Community Potluck happening on July 5th.
