Prairie State Wire

Pere Marquette State Park is set to host the Two Rivers Family Fishing Fair on Saturday, June 7. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park located near Grafton on Illinois 100. Attendees can enjoy the fair without any admission or parking fees, and no fishing license or gear is required.

The fair will offer various outdoor activities for children, including a catch-and-release bluegill pond where young anglers can have their photos taken with their catches. The One-Cast station guarantees prizes for participants, while bow-fishing stations allow youth to shoot at moving targets in a pool or at a three-dimensional target. Children who complete at least seven stations will receive a prize and have the opportunity to catch trout from the pond.

This year, Hall of Fame fisherman Jimmy Houston will join the event to share his fishing expertise. Tim "Mountain Man" Guraedy from "Duck Dynasty" will also be present.

"We want to get kids hooked on fishing, and the Family Fishing Fair helps connect kids and families to fun outdoor activities," said Scott Isringhausen, urban fishing coordinator for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). He added that thanks to generous sponsors like Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery as a Premier Sponsor, along with Farm and Home Supply, Jersey County Board, Walmart, State Farm Insurance of Jerseyville, Carrollton, and Godfrey among others, they are able to continue offering this free event.

Entertainment includes a mobile aquarium stocked with fish species from the Illinois River, performances by "Camo the Clown," music by the Lodge Brothers Band, appearances by Alex Nagy from Twisted Cat Outdoors, as well as food and beverages.

The Two Rivers Family Fishing Fair is organized by IDNR in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's administration. For more information about the event, contact Pere Marquette State Park at 618-786-3323 ext. 1 or Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge at 618-883-2524.

In its centennial year of service throughout 2025, IDNR continues its mission since its establishment on July 1, 1925. The department oversees approximately 400 sites across Illinois encompassing state parks and historic sites; wildlife management; fisheries; forestry; natural heritage; Lake Michigan water allocation; coastal management; conservation police duties; mines and minerals oversight; oil and gas regulation; issuance of licenses and permits; numerous grants distribution; operation of World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; and management of Illinois State Museum.

For further details about IDNR's work and initiatives visit https://dnr.illinois.gov.