Grafton, Illinois

06/07/2026

06/05/2026

Lots to do in Grafton, IL this weekend!😉🇺🇲

The weekend is calling & Grafton is delivering. Here is what is happening around town this week:

📆Thursday, June 4th
Starlifter USAF Band of Mid-America
7 PM – 9 PM at Grafton's Music in the Park

📆Friday, June 5th
Hard Drive Band
7 PM – 11 PM at Grafton Pub

Ethan Jones & Drew Lance
7 PM – 10 PM at The Bloody Bucket Saloon

📆Saturday, June 6th
⭐ SPECIAL EVENT: NMMA Dedication
9:30 AM at Grafton Visitor's Center

Important Event Details: This is a highly anticipated event for our town! There will be absolutely no parking on site at the memorial.

Where to Park: Parking lots will open at Raging Rivers WaterPark, Grafton, IL at 6:30 AM. Free, high-capacity shuttles will run continuously to transport all attendees seamlessly from the water park to the NMMA location.

Mike Morrow Grafton, IL Mayor encourages everyone to arrive early! There will be several vehicles and attractions on display to explore and learn about before the official dedication ceremony kicks off at 9:30 AM.

Homegrown - Live
4 PM – 7 PM at Grafton Winery & Brewhaus

Karaoke & Live DJ
4 PM – 7 PM at 3rd Chute Bar & Grill

Tracy Inman Band
7 PM – 11 PM at Grafton Pub

Matt Taul Music
7 PM – 10 PM at The Bloody Bucket Saloon

Rock the Ruebel - Karaoke
8 PM at Abigail's Tap Room

📆Sunday, June 7th
Bob Gleason - LIVE at the Bloody Bucket Saloon
1 PM – 4 PM at The Bloody Bucket Saloon

The Double Wide Duo
2 PM – 6 PM at Grafton Pub

Joey Miner - Live
2 PM – 6 PM at Grafton Winery & Brewhaus

Catfish Willie
3 PM – 6 PM at The Loading Dock Bar & Grill

🛍️ Shop Local. Make sure to stroll down Main Street and check out our unique mom & pop shops. They are packed with perfect local gifts, one-of-a-kind finds, and river town charm you won't find anywhere else.

Catch the breeze, grab a cold drink, and make a weekend out of it.
Head over to Graftonillinois.com to plan your overnight stay, look up local dining, and find everything you need to enjoy Grafton to the fullest. See you on the river! 🏞️✨

06/01/2026

Send a message to learn more

06/01/2026

🚨 GRAFTON RESIDENTS🚨
The 2026 Jersey County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan is officially open for public review, and because our beautiful river town faces unique challenges, we need everyone to tune in! 🌊⚓

FEMA requires our county to update this safety blueprint every five years so that Grafton remains eligible for millions of dollars in federal disaster recovery and infrastructure grants. If we don’t adopt it, we lose access to the funding that keeps our community safe.

Here is a quick look at what the plan covers for us here in Grafton:
Flooding Defense: Grafton holds 480 of the county’s 768 repetitive flood loss properties. The plan focuses heavily on finding long-term alternatives for frequently flooded roads like Lockhaven and Mason Hollow.

The Airstrip Reservoir Dam: Located just north of town, it is classified as a "High Hazard Potential" dam because of the potential impact on downstream neighborhoods if it ever failed. The plan officially slates a FEMA-funded study to evaluate washout and failure risks to protect our lower-lying streets.

Severe Weather Alerts: New projects to expand our outdoor warning sirens and emergency messaging across the county.

This isn't just bureaucratic paperwork, it's the exact playbook dictating how our roads, water systems, and historic landmarks will be protected over the next five years. 🗓️

The public comment period closes on June 30, 2026!

Take a few minutes to review the draft, check out the flood modeling maps, and make your voice heard to ensure Grafton's neighborhoods are prioritized. 🗣️👇📖

Review the Plan: https://go.isws.illinois.edu/JerseyDraftHMP

💬 Submit Your Comments: https://arcg.is/0q14zK0

05/11/2026

Looking for more than just a typical networking event? Grafton, Illinois business owners and local advocates are ALL invited to attend the next Chamber of Commerce Business After-Hours... and we're heading back to a local favorite!

Sonny and the stellar team at Fountain Hill Steak and Seafood are hosting us, and they are planning another fantastic evening. This isn't just about networking, it's about connecting, sharing ideas, and strengthening the entire Grafton business community. We’re in this together, and we need your energy and insights at the table. 🤝

Let’s drive Grafton forward, together. See you on May 20th!
Tag a local business (or a local!) who needs to be part of this conversation in the comments! 👇

SHARE this post to make sure everyone in the Grafton business circle knows they are invited.

Learn more and become a member of the Grafton Chamber here:
🔗 graftonilchamber.com

Questions? Contact:

Dan Ebbing - Chamber President
Paula Jameson - Secretary
Jacqi Kamp - Vice President
Keith Luther - Treasurer
[email protected]

05/09/2026

New business alert! ⚠️ Welcome Boarding House Bistro Grafton!

05/06/2026

Without the Jones Act, here’s what can happen in your neighborhood — and what’s taken away from U.S. mariners.

In a port like New Orleans, international ships already call for import/export trade. But the Jones Act draws a bright line: moving cargo between U.S. ports should be American work, on American vessels, supporting American paychecks.

If the Jones Act goes away (or if unnecessary, broad waivers become the norm), that line disappears — and so do the jobs that come with it. Foreign-flag vessels and foreign crews could take domestic voyages that sustain local operators, terminals, and the maritime supply chain — undercutting U.S. shipping companies and displacing U.S. mariners.

And here’s the economic punchline: this doesn’t deliver meaningful relief at the pump. AWO has warned that broad waivers undermine American jobs while having “no appreciable effect on the price of gasoline,” and inject international-market price volatility into domestic commerce.

Security matters too — and that's precisely why the Jones Act remains essential. New Orleans can’t afford “open maritime borders” for domestic trade.

Uphold the Jones Act — safeguard maritime communities.

04/28/2026

They say that to know Grafton is to know the river, but for nearly two decades, to know Grafton was to know Rosemary Richey.

Rosemary wasn't just a volunteer at the Grafton Visitor’s Center & Museum; she was our unofficial historian and our warmest welcome. From 2007 to 2023, Rosemary greeted thousands of travelers from around the globe with a smile that felt like home. Whether she was sharing a forgotten story about our river town's history or showcasing her incredible creative sewing talent, she made every visitor feel like a local.

A daughter of Grafton through and through, Rosemary’s 92 years were defined by service... from her years as a nurse’s aide to her devoted membership at St. Patrick’s. She didn't just witness Grafton’s growth; she helped weave the very fabric of our community.

City of Grafton, IL will miss her wit, her wisdom, and that unmistakable Grafton grit.

Service Details:
Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, May 1 at 10 AM
Location: St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Grafton
Memorials: In honor of Rosemary’s spirit of giving, the family suggests donations to Shriners Children's-St. Louis, Marquette Catholic School, or St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Rest easy, Rosemary. We’ll keep the history alive for you. 🕊️⚓️

📸 The Telegraph

04/23/2026

The hills are alive, but this isn't your grandmother’s choir rehearsal. 🎸
We’re calling on our community and visitors to head up the highway and support the Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100 High School Guitar Lab. Our local students aren't just "playing for credit", they're genuinely talented musicians delivering sets from legends like Metallica, Foo Fighters, RUSH, Stone Temple Pilots, System Of A Down, The Beatles, Avril Lavigne, and Black Sabbath.

Grafton, Illinois is a proud supporter of live music, and that passion starts right here with our next generation. Let's help pack the auditorium and show these kids the kind of support the Riverbend is famous for. So get to Grafton early... do some shopping, enjoy the outdoors, grab lunch or an early dinner, and then go support our kiddos. When you're done, come on back downtown and crank it to 11 with live music all over town.

📍JCHS Auditorium
📆Saturday, April 25 @ 6 PM
Admission: Only $5! ( But feel free to throw some bills in the "tip bucket" afterwards!)
Clear your Saturday night plans. We'll see you there to cheer on the JCHS Guitar Lab and Choir! 🤘✨