June 14, 2023

Just days away from the official start of Summer 2023, the heat has already arrived and the season’s festivities are underway in the Quad Cities. Here’s what’s going on in downtown QC:  

Davenport

In Davenport, the Downtown Davenport Partnership is organizing some of our region’s premier summer events. 

Spectators will ooh and awe on July 3 as Red, White and Boom fireworks return to the riverfront. It’s the largest fireworks display in the Quad Cities shot into the sky from barges floating in the Mississippi River.  

BixBRAI comes to downtown Davenport on July 29. It’s where the end of the RAGBRAI route meets the Quad-City Times Bix 7 race. The day-of festivities feature massive post-race block parties and family-friendly events immediately following the races. 

Alternating Currents returns on August 17-20 with four days packed full of music, film, comedy and art experiences. The annual festival celebrates Quad Cities businesses through a unique downtown experience that highlights some of the QC’s most vibrant downtown venues. 

“These events reflect our vision for growth and innovation in Davenport. We’re excited to welcome Quad Citizens to downtown Davenport this summer to join the lively atmosphere we’re focused on creating,” said DDP Executive Director and the Chamber’s Vice President of Community Place Management Kyle Carter.   

Perhaps the best starting point for your downtown Davenport journey is the Freight House Farmers' Market, which hosts an outdoor market filled with amazing homemade products from dozens of vendors every Saturday. 

Learn more about downtown Davenport's annual events. 

 

Moline

In downtown Moline, there’ll be a variety of indoor and outdoor concert series blasting musical soul into the summer air. 

The free Bass Street Landing Summer Concert Series is jamming out every Thursday through August 10. All spectators need is a lawnchair to enjoy the concert.  

Downtown Moline businesses are also joining in the summer music fun. Pour Bros. Craft Taproom hosts their Railside Music Series every Saturday through September 30, while O’Keefe’s Irish Pub also hosts their summer music series every weekend through the end of August. 

“People should be excited for the variety of activities taking place in downtown Moline this summer. There’s live music, the Black Box Theatre, the Channel Cat Water Taxi and so much more. And a lot of the events are free and family-friendly,” said Moline Centre Program Manager Kirk Marske. 

Mercado on Fifth returned for their seventh season on May 26, with a record- breaking crowd attending the festival on opening night. “We’ve closed 5th Avenue at 12th Street through the month of June to give Mercado on Fifth some more space. The market keeps getting bigger every year,” said Marske. The market presents live music, food trucks, vendors and kids’ activities every Friday night through September. 

Then on August 25-26, the inaugural MO.LIVE! Art and Music Festival launches in downtown Moline. Built on the success of Moline’s 2022 sesquicentennial celebration, the festival will feature live music, art exhibits, food vendors, kids’ activities and more. 

Learn more about what’s going on in downtown Moline this summer. 

Bettendorf

This summer In Bettendorf, Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO) Executive Director Ryan Jantzi is making efforts to connect the two sides of downtown Bettendorf divided by the I-74 Bridge. “We’re working to create greater connectivity between the east and west side of downtown. The new Be The Light Park underneath the I-74 Bridge is one of the ways we’ve been able to accomplish that.” 

 Be The Light Park was commemorated on June 13. The pocket park is a tribute to the late Dale Owen, a former CEO and president of Ascentra Credit Union. The park gives the west side of Downtown Bettendorf a much-needed recreation space with amenities that include a new patio, picnic tables, benches, lighting and landscaping. 

“We want our downtown to be inviting. It’s a place where people live, work and play. So this project helps break up the urban jungle and draw more visitors to downtown,” said Jantzi.  

Despite being intersected by the I-74 Bridge, traversing downtown Bettendorf is becoming an increasingly tranquil experience, thanks to DBO’s beautification efforts, with hanging pots, bump-outs and self-watering ground pots lining the downtown. 

Residents and visitors can see DBO’s beautification projects during Bettendorf’s Independence Day Parade, taking place on July 4 at 10 a.m.  

Find out what else is happening in Bettendorf during Summer 2023. 

 

Rock Island

In Rock Island, the newly founded Rock Island Downtown Alliance (RIDA) is supporting and hosting numerous summer events to ring in the summer season. 

On Sunday, June 18, Common Chord and The Lincoln Center are hosting Rhythm on the River: Black Music Heritage Festival at Schwiebert Park, a Juneteenth event featuring live music from Black musicians. 

The Rock Island Artists’ Market takes place on the second Sunday of each month from June through October at Skeleton Key Art & Antiques. Lovers of art can also attend the Quad City Arts’ Chalk Art Fest at Schwiebert Park from June 24-25. 

Schwiebert Park is a prime summer location, with the QC Farmers’ Market happening every Saturday in the west parking lot, and the Red White & Boom fireworks show also taking place on July 3. 

The Alternating Currents festival, featuring acts in music, comedy and more is returning to Rock Island this year. The Inaugural VegFest QC, an Alternating Currents affiliate event is on Aug. 19. 

RIDA Executive Director Jack Cullen said, “As we work to get the Rock Island Downtown Alliance off the ground this summer, we will look to support and promote the many special outdoor events organized by our partner organizations and businesses in the downtown while also trying to build capacity to host some additional programs, including during Alternating Currents. This unique slate of events has something for everyone and presents an opportunity for folks in the Quad Cities and beyond to discover or rediscover all downtown Rock Island has to offer.” 

Other happenings promoting fun for all ages will be shared on the Downtown Rock Island Facebook page. 

East Moline

East Moline Main Street is coming in hot this summer with a concert series that’s delivering 14 shows throughout the season. The concerts, featuring music of various genres, take place at Runner’s Park every Sunday from 5-8 p.m.  

 Runner’s Park will also host the Rock Island County Fair Talent Show on Friday, June 16. East Moline Main Street is hosting the event, with top acts from the talent show being selected to perform at the Fair in July. 

Freedom Fest comes to East Moline Main Street on August 19, featuring a food competition, car show, live music and street vendors up and down 15th Avenue. East Moline Main Street President Patricia Hansen said Freedom Fest is a great event for everybody. “Everyone is welcome. It’s always family-friendly. We have such a great group of volunteers and businesses that are delighted to show people what downtown East Moline is all about.” 

East Moline Main Street is also planning for the future after the City of East Moline was awarded nearly $24 million for downtown revitalization from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s RAISE program last August. Hansen said that the grant will have an immense impact on downtown East Moline. “This funding will enable the connecting of the Rust Belt with the rest of downtown. It’ll make the two downtown areas much more walkable and bikeable,” said Hansen. The funding is also going towards making the downtown area safer for residents and visitors with pedestrian railroad crossings, additional sidewalks and dedicated trail connections.   

Find all East Moline Main Street events here. 

LeClaire

Downtown LeClaire is joining the downtown fun with its Quad Cities neighbors this summer. Music lovers will find the perfect destination in LeClaire this summer, according to LeClaire Tourism Manager Cindy Bruhn. “We have six different live music venues that are going on at any given time, and they’ll mainly be performing outdoors.” 

Venues such as The Crane & Pelican Cafe, Steventon’s and Mississippi River Distilling Co. are offering live music every weekend this summer. 

If you’ve never been to Tug Fest, the annual bi-state tug-of-war contest, this is the perfect year to attend. On August 10-12, Iowa pullers in LeClaire and Illinois pullers in Port Byron will go head-to-head for the first time with newly implemented rules aimed at accounting for the river’s current, which gave Illinois an advantage in years past. 

You might not have known it, but there’s a busy community of car enthusiasts in LeClaire. This summer, there are two car shows taking place with the Heartland British Auto Fest on Aug. 5 and Vettes on the River on Aug. 26. It’s also the tenth year of Cars and Coffee LeClaire, a group of car enthusiasts who drive around to various LeClaire coffee shops on multiple dates each month. Any make and model is welcome, and anywhere from 50 to a few hundred vehicles attend the gatherings. 

“People should come to LeClaire this summer because there’s so many things to do for people of all ages. Our downtown is very welcoming and walkable, and you’ll always find something fun,” said Bruhn. 

Learn more about each event going on in downtown LeClaire this summer here. 

Silvis

Silvis Main Street is bringing the summer energy to the Quad Cities with live outdoor music from June through September at the Railroad Park Gazebo. The concert series, taking place on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, is giving Quad Citizens the chance to hear from aspiring local musicians. 

Silvis Main Street Director Melinda Thorngren said, “Downtown Silvis is the perfect place to be this summer, with live music and events taking place at Silvis on Main all throughout the season.” 

Silvis Main Street is also putting on a weekly “Queen of Hearts” raffle at Doc’s Inn in Silvis. There will be a new raffle each Thursday until a “Queen of Hearts” is revealed.  

Head to the Silvis Main Street Facebook page to learn all about upcoming summer fun in Silvis.