Juneteenth – short for “June Nineteenth” – marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were told by Union troops that they were free. Since then, the date has become a national celebration of emancipation. Join us Tuesday, June 15th at 6:30 pm for a virtual discussion led by Ryan Saddler, CEO of the Friends of MLK, Inc. as we talk about the history and celebration of Juneteenth. Registration is required to receive Zoom meeting details. Register here: https://davenportlibrary.libcal.com/event/7647800 Keep up with our virtual programming on our Virtual Branch Calendar of... Read More

The Mockingbird On Main will be holding an audition for a new adaption of Henrik Ibsen’s Enemy of the People by Quad City playwright Alexander Richardson on Thursday, June 24 at 7pm. This powerful drama explores the impact of pollution in a small town and the consequences of uncovering the truth. Follow the story of one man’s brave struggle to do the right thing in the face of extreme scrutiny and social intolerance. In Richardson’s modern-day reimagining of the classic Ibsen tale, it is revealed that the true corruption in the town and the entire country is that all the power lies with... Read More

One of the finest young country talents in the world will be performing August 10th at the Raccoon Motel in Davenport. Vincent Neil Emerson will be stopping here after his Hinterland appearance a few days prior. For those of you who were lucky enough to catch Colter Wall and Tyler Childers at the OG Motel, this is one of those shows just like those. He likely will never be able to play such a small joint again. DO NOT MISS! TICKETS to all Raccoon Motel shows can be purchased HERE!!  Read More

American indie rock legends Nada Surf will be coming to Davenport for the first time, Nov. 12, for a single show at The Raccoon Motel. Tickets for Nada Surf  are available NOW for members and will be available to the general public at 10 am central time, this Friday, June 18! TICKETS to all Raccoon Motel shows can be purchased HERE!!  Read More

The Library is partnering with the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in association with the Smithsonian Institution for ‘Are You Smarter Than an 1850s 8th Grader?’ Join us Monday, June 14th at 2:00 pm and learn more about one-room schoolhouses and early education, then we will put the audience to the test by taking the 8th-grade graduation exam from the 1850s. This program will be meeting virtually using Zoom. Registration is required to receive Zoom meeting details. Register here: https://davenportlibrary.libcal.com/event/7700993 Keep up with our virtual programming on our Virtual... Read More

I think by now we’ve all heard about the carnage, the brutality, and the humanity of the Great Quad-Cities Pickle Wars of June 2021. For those unaware, the owner of Cafe Fresh made a lengthy post the other day claiming that her Cafe was in fact the originator of the dish which has been floating around the midwest for almost 100 years, and lambasted Meatball’s sandwich shop for having the audacity to add pickle wraps to their menu. The Quad-Cities erupted in brine and bile, putting the Cafe Fresh owner in quite the pickle as she was called out by hundreds of people for not, in fact,... Read More

A new regional video project is shining the spotlight on our Downtown Quad Cities and all they have to offer residents and visitors alike. The fast-paced short video promotes the vibrancy, fun and uniqueness of all our downtowns with scenes from their signature events and festivals, venues and their businesses. View the video here: https://youtu.be/ojBA-4sDgcg  The video features seven cities, which were coordinated by Downtown Bettendorf Organization, Downtown Davenport Partnership, East Moline Main Street, City of LeClaire, Moline Centre, Development Association of Rock Island, Silvis Main Street.... Read More

Teens (11-19) are invited to join Miss Amber on Tuesdays beginning June 22nd at 2:00 pm in the Fairmount Street Library’s Garden for a new teen audiobook club! This summer we will be listening together to one of 2020’s best-selling and award-winning books, Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism and You written by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi and read by Jason Reynolds. As a group, we will listen to portions of the audiobook and work on quiet projects in the garden including gardening, crafting, and meditating. Teens can choose to bring their own projects (such as a sketchbook, etc) or... Read More

Saturday in the Arts is a weekly feature covering a trend, subject, event or personality of local interest. It runs every Saturday morning on your site for the best entertainment and arts coverage in the area, QuadCities.com! Brianna Hobbs was in middle school when the then-new River Music Experience first opened its doors June 12, 2004, in the historic Redstone building at 2nd and Main streets, Davenport. Now, the 28-year-old East Moline native is thrilled to join the growing nonprofit’s staff as new programs director, as the veteran RME leaders Bret Dale and his wife Kate transition out as... Read More

Artist Lesley Dill, a renowned New York-based artist, brings historical and literary figures from America’s past to life in a new exhibition curated by the Figge Art Museum, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport. Opening this past weekend, Lesley Dill, Wilderness: Light Sizzles Around Me features a collection of hand-painted and sewn textile sculptures and banners created by Dill over the past six years. Her work carefully interweaves imagery, text, and historical visionaries into stunning three-dimensional encounters. Gracefully suspended from the ceiling, the clothing of each figure is delicately... Read More