On Saturday, May 10, the Putnam Museum & Science Center (1717 W. 12^th St., Davenport) will celebrate the inaugural Putnam Palooza. The spring festival will honor the beauty of spring pollinators and the rich tapestry of the Quad-City cultural scene.

With the Putnam and many other local partners, you will experience a variety of crafts and activities, encouraging hands-on learning and creativity. The FREE event will feature an array of family-friendly activities designed to engage attendees of all ages. Enjoy live music that will set the perfect backdrop for a day of fun, while local food trucks will be on-site to satisfy guests cravings with delicious offerings.

The day will feature plenty of family-friendly activities and performances from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., including Snap Circuits from STEAM on Wheels, plantings with the Quad City Botanical Center, face painting, and Chalk the Walk.

Performances will include Larry Lockwood, part of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, with Native American Storytime Drumming at 11 a.m. and Quad Cities Ballet Folklorico at 2 p.m.

One of the many recent improvements to the Putnam Museum & Science Center (1717 W. 12th St., Davenport) is a redesigned main entrance (photo by Jonathan Turner).

As part of the festivities, you will have the chance to explore the exciting new improvements brought to life through the Putnam Reimagined capital campaign, showcasing the museum’s commitment to enhancing the beloved institution’s experience for everyone.

Once the family-focused fun wraps up, the mood of the Putnam Palooza shifts to a more adult feel. Local bands will perform after 5 p.m. with food and beverages available in the Putnam Grand Lobby.

• La Flama Food Truck
• Flavor Train Food Truck
• Live Music:
  • Liv Carrow at 6 p.m.
  • Subatlantic at 7 p.m.
  • CHRASH at 8 p.m.
• Beer, Wine and Mixed Drinks for sale

The May festivities don’t stop on the 10^th, as the Putnam’s Giant Screen Theater is hosting a “Star Wars” marathon, showing the first six episodes in the breathtaking space saga (which launched May 1 with “Episode I: The Phantom Menace”).

The movie schedule (all films start at 7 p.m.) continues with:

• May 8: “Episode II: Attack of the Clones”
• May 15: “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith”
• May 22: “Episode IV: A New Hope”
• May 29: “Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back”
• June 5: “Episode VI: Return of the Jedi”

For more information, visit putnam.org.

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Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner -- who has called the Quad Cities home since 1995 -- has decades of experience as a professional journalist and pianist. His experience writing for daily newspapers, public radio and local TV encompasses a wide range of subjects, including the arts, politics, education, economic development, historic preservation, business, and tourism.

Jonathan most loves writing about music and the arts (which he now does as a freelancer for the River Cities Reader and Visit Quad Cities). He has a passion for accompanying musicals, singers, choirs and instrumentalists, including playing for QC Music Guild's 2023 productions of RENT and SWEENEY TODD. He is assistant music director and accompanist for the spring 2025 Music Guild show, ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. He wrote an original musical based on The Book of Job, which premiered at Playcrafters in 2010. Jonathan penned a 175-page history book about downtown Davenport, that was published by The History Press in 2016, and a travel guide about the QC published by Reedy Press in 2022.