Rock The Hops

09/03/2026

If you follow Rock the Hops, chances are you care about live music in Alton! Here's your chance to help shape its future.

The Alton Amphitheater is asking for community feedback, and it only takes a few minutes to complete the survey. We'd love to see our music-loving community show up and make our voices heard!

Your answers to this survey will help shape the Alton Amphitheater's 2027 season and beyond. We urge you not to wait to submit your response. We’ll actively review responses as we make decisions, so please submit your survey as soon as you can for your feedback to be considered. This section inclu...

08/11/2026

Whew! It's a wrap on Rock the Hops 2026, and we're still coming down from it.

First things first: THANK YOU.

Thank you to all of the musicians who got up on those stages and shared their original music with us. We are lucky to have so many talented artists in this area, and it was a pretty great reminder of just how much music is happening right here in our own backyard.

Thank you to the beverage producers who poured, the food folks who fed us, the artists and vendors who brought their creativity, and all of the venues and their crews who helped make the day happen.

And our volunteers and crew? Absolute rock stars. Sound engineers, hospitality, check-in, runners, setup, teardown...all of it. RTH doesn't happen without you, and we appreciate the heck out of you.

Huge thanks to our sponsors and community partners for believing in what we're doing and helping us keep original music at the center of this thing. Simmons Hanly Conroy, AltonWorks, Cope Plastics Inc, First Mid Band and Trust, Ardent Mills, Liberty Bank, and Amalgamate Vintage

And thank YOU for showing up.

Because here's the thing: a music scene doesn't build itself. It takes musicians willing to share their work, venues willing to give them a place to play, and people willing to get off the couch and come listen.

So if you found a new favorite band at Rock the Hops this year, go see them again. Bring a friend. Follow them. Buy their record. Throw a little cash in their tip jar/ask for their Venmo so you can buy them a coffee. Tell somebody about them.

And if you're thinking, "Hey, I'd like to get more involved with this whole Rock the Hops thing..." we'd love that.

Volunteer. Sponsor. Donate. Help us spread the word. Come hang out. There are plenty of ways to get your hands dirty and help us keep original music moving in Alton.

Oh, and we've still got some RTH '26 t-shirts available! Because apparently we made a dozen too many. 😆 Comment below or shoot us a message to grab one while we've got 'em!

We're grateful for this community, grateful for the music, and grateful that you all keep showing up for it.

Until next time...keep listening, keep supporting local artists, and we'll see you out there. 🩷

ROCK THE HOPSDream. Create. Gather. Celebrate. Rock the Hops is a multi-venue celebration of music, art and craft beer, taking place on Saturday, August 8, 2026 in Downtown Alton, IL. TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Help us open the doors wider. Investing in our creatives means investing in the heartbeat of ou...

08/07/2026

We're looking forward to gathering with everyone tomorrow at Rock the Hops 2026! Online tickets are sold out! There's a few left at Bossanova Martini Lounge and Restaurant and The Old Bakery Beer Company, so get there quick.

Before you head out, be sure to check out our Know Before You Go page. You'll find everything you need to make the most of your day, including:
• Event hours
• Parking & shuttle information
• What to bring
• Event map
• FAQs
• And tips on being a good audience

Bring your water, sunscreen, and money to eat out and buy art and merch from the bands. Update your Uber app, and get your ride lined out ahead of time.

And as always, please be respectful to our town, the establishments, and one another. Be cool, ok?

Visit rockthehopsalton.com/2026 before you arrive, and we'll see you soon!

🚨Low Ticket Warning! 🚨 〰️ 🚨Low Ticket Warning! 🚨 〰️ LOW TICKET WARNING! If you miss out on online tickets, head to a venue to try and score some! Post Commons, The Conservatory, Bossanova, Flock, Old Bakery SHHH…THE MUSICIANS ARE TALKING. We’re here to celebrate live, local t...

08/05/2026

We sat down with Jama & Nikki over the weekend and talked about the importance of creating spaces for people to gather around music, balancing art, work, and family, the history of RTH, and a buncha other stuff.

According to Jama and Nikki, "If you care about local music, creative community, and the future of live performance in Alton" you should give this episode a listen. Check it out on your commute home or while you make dinner tonight! 🤝

On this episode of According to Jama and Nikki, Jama and Nikki talk with Hope and Drew Mater, the co-founders of Rock the Hops, about the festival returning

08/04/2026

Hope took one for the team and modeled this year's fest tee! Shirts will be available on Saturday at check-in from 2-4pm. Alton Visitor's Center - 200 Piasa Street.
🚨The ticket countdown is on... only a handful left online! Secure yours before we hit reserves, or hit up Bossanova, Post Commons, FLOCK, Old Bakery, or The Conservatory and grab yours there before they're gone!
🎟️ rockthehops2026.eventbrite.com

08/03/2026

The glasses for Rock the Hops 2026 have arrived, and as per usual they are SO CUTE...and a surprise at that! We had to rush down to Old Bakery and fill them up with some of our fav local brews. If you got your ticket, there will be one of these beauties waiting for you at check-in on Saturday, and if you haven't gotten yours yet, you better HURRY.
🚨2 for $50 ends tonight! 🎟rockthehops2026.eventbrite.com

08/03/2026

Final Venue Spotlight: The Conservatory!

🚨 https://rockthehops2026.eventbrite.com

One of Alton's most intentional spaces for live music, The Conservatory is serving up a lineup packed with heavy riffs, sludgy grooves, hip-hop, psychedelia, and punk attitude at Rock the Hops 2026!

🎶 Sisser – Celebrating 10 years as a band, Sisser has become a household name in the various rock orbits of STL, and continues to deliver dark and powerful rock riffs with a series of new singles rolling out throughout 2026, including fresh releases this summer.
🎶 Rec Riddles – Newark-born and St. Louis-based, Rec Riddles is a producing MC whose intricate lyricism, self-produced beats, and hidden messages create a hip-hop experience that's equal parts puzzle and performance. We are always honored to have Rec on the fest, cause like, how has this guy not blown up and taken over hip-hop yet?!
🎶 Zantigo! – Bringing their crushing experimental rock and metal to the fest for the first time, these south city experimental scene vets are gearing up to record a split 7" while already touting their second album, out now on El Gran E Records.
🎶 Tape History– After reforming for the first time since the pandemic, Tape History has come out of nowhere making us wonder where they've been all our lives. You'll probably want to let their hypnotic and heavy instrumental rock compositions wash over you in mid-day.
🎶 Neighboring Villages– Blending emo, indie & math rock, Neighboring Villages recently wrapped recording their sophomore EP, set for release this summer. You probably caught their excellent video for their new single "Acid Bath" making the rounds lately, but if not, run on over there and check it!
🎶Candylion – St. Louis punk rock veterans Candylion recently released their newest vinyl album, Already Dead, and continue to bring their energetic live show to venues across the region after years of tearing up local stages.

🍻 28 original bands. 5 venues. 30+ styles of craft beer. Artists & Makers.

Grab your tickets, plan your route, and make sure The Conservatory is one of your stops during Rock the Hops 2026!

Tickets are going fast! https://rockthehops2026.eventbrite.com

07/29/2026

Y'all wanna see some works of art?!

You'll find this incredible lineup at The Old Bakery Beer Company during Rock the Hops 2026! From paintings and prints to jewelry and apparel (and even preserved mushrooms!), these talented makers are bringing their creativity to Downtown Alton on August 8th.

🎟 Tickets: rockthehops2026.eventbrite.com