Marv is on the healing path, but he’s not out of the woods yet, and still needs your help to get back on the tractor again. The amiable Marvin Franzen, the upbeat and genial driver of the tractor shuttling music fans from parking lot to venue at Codfish Hollow Barnstormers, was severely injured in an accident on the property Saturday night, breaking two arms and his pelvis. Codfish Hollow updated his condition with a post late last night: “We’re SO FREAKING excited to interrupt your evening with a Marv-Update! A Marv-date, if you will… Today was a big day for our man, Marvin! Scheduled... Read More

Are you looking for a full day of fun for the entire family this weekend? Then look no further than the 2019 East Moline Freedom Fest! The 2019 East Moline Freedom Fest is happening this Saturday Aug 17 from 2 – 11 p.m. along 15th Avenue in Downtown East Moline. This FREE family-friendly event will provide entertainment for everyone! Enjoy this street festival, which includes a vendor fair, car show, live music, food trucks, Pinup Girl contest and so much more! New this year at the Freedom Fest is the East Mo Food Truck Fest. Food vendors will have the opportunity to enter an item for judging... Read More

The Black Box Theatre opens the multiple Tony Award-winning musical Assassins. With a book by John Weideman and Stephen Sondheim’s music and lyrics the “panoramic story of our nation’s culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it, embodied by America’s four successful and five would-be presidential assassins. Bold, original, disturbing and alarmingly funny, Assassins is perhaps the most controversial musical ever written.” Assassins presents the lives of nine people who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States. From John... Read More

Zipping around the track in a savage ballet, following intuitive patterns as their bodies crash into each other, the women engage, again and again. Muscles sore, sweat dripping from their skin, they push hard, ever forward, a tangle of arms and legs, as through the cacophony, two lithe figures weave between the jigsaw of effort, until they reach an open space, and they sprint, faster, faster, on four wheels driven by long legs, luscious machines of fury. This, is roller derby. This, Quad Cities Rollers Roller Derby, will open its thirteenth season this weekend with a tough opening bout that... Read More

Have you ever wanted to participate in an attempt to break a world record? Well here is your opportunity! Floatzilla 2019 will return in its ‘world-record breaking’ glory, this Saturday Aug 17! Take part in the largest paddlesport festival on the the nation’s greatest river, the Mississippi! Help set a new world record for the Largest Raft of Canoes/Kayaks. Experience the Mississippi River free of commercial barge traffic. All paddle crafts are welcome to participate, but only non-inflatable kayaks and canoes may participate in the World Record attempt. Join Floatzilla and choose from... Read More

While the kids are back in school, the Rock Island Public Library has some great options to help keep adults of all ages keep learning their whole lives. Among other options, adults can learn about the Army history of the World War II battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The free talk is presented by a historian with the Army Sustainment Command (ACS) at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, August 14 at the Rock Island Downtown Library, 401 19th Street. Also on Wednesday, August 14, the library’s genealogy series for online research continues with a video presentation by genealogist James Tanner on “Making... Read More

In 1969, the original Woodstock Festival brought together half a million people in a celebration of peace, music and love. Fifty years later, there are anniversary celebrations of Woodstock large and small taking place throughout the country and around the world, including right here in the Quad Cities. Presented by All Sweat Productions, Sweatstock Music Festival, is the Quad Cities only tribute to legendary performers from the Woodstock Festival. It will take place at Murphy Park in The Bend (900 Bend Boulevard East Moline) this Friday Aug 16 (gates open at 4 p.m.) and Saturday Aug 17 (gates... Read More

Marvin Franzen, the genial chap in the farmer’s hat and overalls who has charmed visitors to Codfish Hollow Barnstormers while trolleying them from the parking lot to the barn on his tractor, is recovering after being involved in an accident at the barn Saturday night. The crashing of his vehicle caused Franzen to suffer two broken arms and a broken pelvis. He’s currently recovering in the hospital and is expected to be out of action for up to two months. A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help with expenses, and an outpouring of well-wishers has flocked to social media to wish the charming... Read More

The Young Emerging Writers (YEW) Summer Internship Program will host a two-part launch party for the latest issue of the Program’s literary magazine THE ATLAS on Thursday, August 15th in downtown Rock Island. The event will start at 5:00 p.m. with a Family and Friends Reception at the Rock Island Public Library Community Room. The interns will give a brief reading of their work, and the Tim Curry Outstanding Intern award will be presented to one of the interns. Then, at 8:00 p.m. the party will move down the street to Rozz-Tox, where the interns will read different selections from the magazine,... Read More

Armed with a career spanning over four decades and a signature brand of feel-good rock’n’roll hits, Canadian icon Bryan Adams is coming to the Quad Cities! Bryan Adams brings his ‘Shine a Light World Tour’ to the TaxSlayer Center (1201 River Drive Moline) this Thursday Aug 15 at 8 p.m. One of the most highly acclaimed singer/songwriters, Bryan Adams is known for hit singles “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You”, “Summer Of ’69” and his Rod Stewart and Sting collaboration “All for Love”. The Grammy winning artist has seen success from a string of number 1’s in over 40 countries... Read More