“Be Downtown” June 5 in Bettendorf Features Bands, Bags, Bites and Beverages

The Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO) will once again present its “Be Downtown” event from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, June 5, in downtown Bettendorf.

Be Downtown will be held Saturday, June 5, at 15th and State streets in downtown Bettendorf.

Located in the city’s parking lot at 15th and State streets, this free, family-friendly event will feature multiple bags tournaments with cash prizes, live outdoor music, food and drink vendors, children’s activities and more. Patrons are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.

The day kicks off at 9:30 a.m. with 1031 Fitness presenting a free 45-minute high-intensity training (HIT) workout. Afterward, the K&K Family Fun Zone will be set up with food trucks, bounce houses, face painting and other family fun provided by the Bettendorf Library.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase from vendors Capriotti’s, Here’s the Scoop, QC FUEL and Smokin’ Butt BBQ. Verde, a new, contemporary Mexican restaurant located at The Bridges, will offer food and an outdoor bar for alcohol and other beverage sales.

The Downtown Bettendorf Organization is putting on the free, family-friendly festival.

Be Downtown will feature three separate bags tournaments at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Each tournament will award cash prizes for first ($300), second ($150) and third ($50) places. Participants may sign up online in advance at http://bit.ly/BeDTBags. There is no cost to enter. Check-in for each tournament is one hour prior to its start.

Beginning at 11 a.m., live music will be provided in two-hour sets throughout the day by area bands Been There Done That, Class of ‘82, Threat Level Midnight, and Rude Punch. Late night live music will continue at two downtown Bettendorf businesses, including Purgatory’s Pub featuring Bad Hair and Harley Corrin’s with Daylight Over.

Verde is a new contemporary Mexican restaurant at The Bridges, 1507 State St., Bettendorf.

Parking for the event will be accessible at multiple lots in downtown Bettendorf, including:

15th St. and Grant St. (TBK Bank building lot)
18^th St. and Mississippi St. (Asbury Methodist Church lot)
18th St. and Grant St. (City of Bettendorf lot)
Bettendorf City Hall
Motorcycle parking on 15^th St. also will be available.

Be Downtown is presented by Ascentra Credit Union with additional sponsorship from Smart Lexus of the Quad Cities, Smart Luxury Motors of the Quad Cities, the Quad-City Times, the Bettendorf Business Network, K&K Hardware, MetroNet and MidAmerican Energy.

Be Downtown event lineup:

Saturday, June 5; 9:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.

15^th St. & State St.

9:30 a.m. Fitness 1031 HIT (high-intensity training) workout
10:30 a.m. K&K Family Fun Zone opens, food vendors begin serving until 6 p.m.

11 a.m. Bags tournament #1 (check-in at 10 a.m.)

11 a.m. Been There Done That

2 p.m. Bags tournament #2 (check-in at 1 p.m.)

2 p.m. Class of ‘82

4 p.m. Bags tournament #3 (check-in at 3 p.m.)

4:45 p.m. Threat Level Midnight

7:30 p.m. Rude Punch

Late night Live music @ Purgatory’s Pub (Bad Hair) and Harley Corrin’s (Daylight Over)

Additional event details can be found at www.downtownbettendorf.org or on the Downtown Bettendorf Organization Facebook page.

Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner has been covering the Quad-Cities arts scene for 25 years, first as a reporter with the Dispatch and Rock Island Argus, and then as a reporter with the Quad City Times. Jonathan is also an accomplished actor and musician who has been seen frequently on local theater stages, including the Bucktown Revue and Black Box Theatre.

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