MRF Roadshow Exhibit at Madison County History Museum
“The MRF Roadshow” is a new exhibit opening at the Madison County History Museum on June 6. The exhibit consists of memorabilia collected by Lyle Ward who was involved with festival organization for nine seasons including seven years as concert manager and managing director.
An opening night reception will be held on Wednesday, June 5 from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. with an entrance donation of $20 per person that includes entry to the exhibit. In addition, patrons can enjoy a picnic supper and the music of Butch Moore on the museum grounds. Lyle Ward and Mark Pierce, author of “When the Stars Came Out: The Story of the Mississippi River Festival,” will be at the opening night reception.
The Mississippi River Festival (MRF) was a cultural phenomenon that brought artists and fans from around the country to Edwardsville between 1969 and 1972. At that time, Edwardsville was home to roughly 11,000 people, but the crowds drawn by the MRF were sometimes double or even triple the local population.
The festival began as a cooperative effort between SIUE and the St. Louis Symphony. A natural amphitheater on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) became an enhanced concert venue with the addition of a giant tent with a stage large enough for the St. Louis Symphony and Chorus. The audience could buy a ticket for one of approximately 1,800 seats under the tent, or purchase lawn seating. The ambience of the outdoor amphitheater, the magnificent tent, the incredible performances, and the diversity of the audiences made it a special experience that will likely never be duplicated. The MRF made the performances accessible to almost everyone with very low ticket prices. In 1969, ticket prices ranged from $1 - $5 for all performances. So long as it was operated by the university, the goal for the concert series was not to make money, but to bring exposure to a wide diversity of music and performances.
From June 1969 through August 1980 more than 1.5 million people attended concerts at the MRF. The artists included musicians from all genres, dancers, comedians, drama and more. In addition to the St. Louis Symphony, MRF artists included the Eagles, Harry Chapin, the Beach Boys, Pete Seeger, Ella Fitzgerald, the Chicago Symphony, Van Clyburn, The Who, Chicago, Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, Bob Hope, the Grateful Dead, Ike & Tina Turner, James Taylor, and many others. Jackson Browne, after performing at the MRF, famously recorded two songs for his next album from his room at the local Holiday Inn.
The MRF Roadshow exhibit, curated by Lyle Ward, will have posters, photographs, and artifacts from Ward's personal collection. Also included are schedules (posters) and commemorative t-shirts for every season, autographed photographs of performers, samples of some of the contracts from popular artists of the day spelling out their demands and what it cost to bring them here, plus tickets, gifts from tent master Skip Manley, awards, parts of the giant tent, a plaque celebrating the one millionth ticket sold, and much more.
The exhibit will also include two films about the festival, one created in the festival's inaugural year (1969) and another in 1975.
Beginning June 6, the exhibit will be open throughout the month of June on Wed.-Fri, Noon-4 p.m. and on Sunday 1-4 p.m. or by appointment for groups. The exhibit is available free and open to the public. For more information, call 618-656-1294.
The museum parking lot will be used for entertainment on June 5, so visitors are advised to park at the Eden Church parking lot, a half block north of the museum.
