MUDPUPPY FESTIVAL
Bring the Family and Celebrate the Sangamon River's Coolest Creature
LCF's annual Mudpuppy Festival is a lively way to learn about the fascinating foot-long mudpuppy salamander and the other wildlife that LCF works to protect. Monarch Events Center, in downtown Monticello, provides a colorful setting for indoor winter fun — crafts, face-painting, a scavenger hunt, and more!
Mudpuppy at Allerton Park. Photo by Alex Lourash
Learn what makes mudpuppies so uniquely weird and wonderful. Watch our video to see how researchers count mudpuppies in the Sangamon River — while mudpuppies count on us to keep their river homes clean!
Marissa Jones works on a 2021 mudpuppy survey in the Sangamon River at Allerton Park. Photo by Alex Lourash
The 2026 Mudpuppy Festival
LCFs Mudpuppy Festival was a big hit on February 1st, 2026, with hundreds of people enjoying the festivities. There was lots of family fun, games and prizes and all while learning about our surrounding natural habitat which shapes our everyday life, directly and indirectly.
Thank you to Paddy Daddys for serving food outside the venue — it was delicious! The Mudpuppy Festival was truly a wonderful experience, and seeing the excitement build through people of all ages was inspiring.
Events like this are only possible because LCF has the support of wonderful exhibitors, volunteers and sponsors. Please take a look at how many people were involved in making such an enjoyable event come together.
Our 2026 Guest Exhibitors
Thanks to these guests for sharing their knowledge and offering hands-on learning (and face-painting fun), at this year's festival! LCF appreciates the participation of these experts:
Mudpuppies
Andy Kuhns
Illinois Natural History Survey
Mussels
John Griesbaum, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
Sarah Alee-Douglass, Illinois Natural History Survey
Pollinators
Judy Baxter & Mike Skreiner
Local Naturalists
Birds
Anton Meyen
Decatur Audubon Society
Small Animals
Ashton Dukeman
Macon County Conservation District
Sangamon River
Bruce Colravy
Upper Sangamon River Conservancy
Mettler Woods Habitat
Cassandra Meyen & Jordan Gesell
Land Conservation Foundation
Fungi of Mettler
Adara Meyen
Land Conservation Foundation
2025 Festival Sponsors
Updated 1/29/2025
$2,000 Sponsor
Steve Beckett Law Office LLC
$1,000 Sponsors
Ayers Farm
Janice Bahr and Ernie Hoffman
Bunny’s Tavern
Kirby Medical Center – Monticello
Lott & SuAnn Thomas
Willow Run Subdivision –T ed Rund
$500 Sponsors
Decatur Audubon Society
Heidi Hurd & Michael Moore
$250 Sponsors
Piatt County SWCD Foundation
Robeson Family Benefit Fund
White Roofing & Contracting
William Van Hagey
$100 Sponsors
Animal Hospital of Monticello
Cinema Gallery
Fasprint
Little Bluestem Montessori
2025 Festival Volunteers
Along with our exhibitors, we thank all of these people who make our festival a success!
Jim Ayers
Steve Beckett
Reilly Connell
Sophie Espinosa
Theresa Feller
Fran Harty
Mary Hay
Diane Marlin
John Marlin
Callia Meyen
Tayanna Meyen
Tom Meyen
Amanda Pankau
Phil Van Ness
Kids’ Fun Center Volunteers
Karla Griesbaum, Leader
Illinois Extension, Land Conservation Foundation
Special thanks to
Teresa DeWitt, Photographer
Elizabeth Otto, Website Admin
Melissa Records, Photographer
Miriam Tworek-Hofstetter, Graphic Artist
Megan Huckaba-Barber, Face Painter
Shoshanna Bauer, Face Painter
Chris Berti
Camille Born
Nina Carmichael
Katie Courter
Steph Dawson
Stella Enger
Dasia Grace
Allisyn Griesbaum
Gavyn Griesbaum
Annette Mensah
Rehmur Namwanje
Sandy Lu Newport
Dailynne Orcutt
Austin Smythe
Oluwasegun Thomas
Shania Zoch
Festival Day Is "Mudpuppy Day" in Monticello!
The day of the festival is official Mudpuppy Day in Monticello! The proclamation shows why we named this festival for the mudpuppy (in addition to its fun name!):
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WHEREAS the Sangamon River is on the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, honored for its rich variety of aquatic resources; and
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WHEREAS the mudpuppy, a state threatened species, is found in the waters of the Sangamon River near Monticello; and
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WHEREAS the presence of the mudpuppy is a sign of a healthy river; and
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WHEREAS the mudpuppy is active in the winter and is unique in its aquatic lifestyle and colorful external gills; and
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WHEREAS the Land Conservation Foundation and the City of Monticello share an interest in the health of the mudpuppy and the Sangamon River; and
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WHEREAS the Land Conservation Foundation's annual Mudpuppy Festival invites the community to celebrate this remarkable creature and the waters where it lives.
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Now therefore I, Larry Stoner, Mayor of the City of Monticello, do proclaim Saturday, January 27th, 2024, of this year as Mudpuppy Day in the City of Monticello.
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And urge all citizens to understand, enjoy, and protect the unique natural resources in and along the Sangamon River in Piatt County.