Happiness is…opening your first main show in over a year; starting a new jazz duo in a new intimate bar, planning for your first musical in far too long, and a new film series in the soaring theater space… The super talented husband-and-wife pair of Sara and Brent Tubbs – who own Moline’s Spotlight Theatre are pretty giddy at their recent good fortune. Last month, Sara (a veteran singer and actress) brought her new jazz lounge act with pianist/singer Mason Moss to christen the opening of the new Blueprint Bar and Lounge, in a previously unused (and totally renovated) room off the Spotlight... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: The International Softball Congress (ISC) will return to the Quad-Cities to celebrate its Diamond Anniversary at the 75th Annual ISC Men’s Fastball World Tournament on August 14-21, 2021. Due to ongoing effects of the pandemic and future unknowns associated with it, the 2021 ISC World Tournament will move from its scheduled site in Kitchener, Ontario, to Sheridan Meadows Park in Eldridge, Iowa, according to Visit Quad Cities. “With the potential travel restrictions and the impacts on sponsorships and volunteers in the Kitchener area, the host committee suggested to us that... Read More

When Jack Cullen first visited Rock Island in 2008, to look at Augustana College, he fell in love with downtown. After he graduated from Augie in 2013, downtown is one reason he decided to settle in the Quad-Cities. Come April 1, the enthusiastic 30-year-old (who grew up in Madison, Wis.) will return to Rocktown as the first downtown Rock Island director for the Quad Cities Chamber. Under a new two-year-contract with the city, Cullen will provide place management services for the historic riverfront business district and create a new downtown organization. “It’s really gonna be filling... Read More

The Bison Bridge Foundation debuted a new video today of the proposed site for the future National Park! The video displayed a panoramic view of the current bridge and the future spot for the National Park, as previously reported on QuadCities.com, which would include a bison crossing, breathtaking views and other amenities. The video can be seen here. The foundation also posted the following on its social media: What will be the location of the new I-80 Bridge? The Iowa and Illinois DOT is in the first phase of replacing the current I-80 Bridge, which includes an environmental study. They... Read More

The Shenanigans have long been over, but some new shenanigans — at a second Daiquiri Factory — are about to begin. The Daiquiri Factory, long a mainstay among popular downtown Rock Island nightclubs, will be opening up a second spot in the old Shenanigan’s Pub building, 303 W. 3rd St., Davenport. Owner Kyle Peters has been talking about the move for a while, and the new venue is looking to happen in early summer, by July, just in time for outdoor events. According to the Daiquiri Factory website, Daiquiri Factory is an eclectic chill-out place home to the world’s most unique... Read More

Western Illinois University School of Music alumnus Andrew Gibb-Clark has been named one of Yamaha’s inaugural “40 Under 40” music educators. Gibb-Clark received his master’s degree in music (choral conducting) from WIU in 2017. He is the director of choral activities and fine arts department chair at Highland High School in Highland, IL. He is also choir director at Faith Lutheran Church in O’Fallon, IL. Yamaha released its “40 Under 40” list, and accompanying music education advocacy program, in February. The program celebrates music educators at all... 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! Jessica Sheridan loves to share the light, capture the light, and be the light. The bubbly, passionate 34-year-old Bettendorf native has a strong theatrical background and she’s consistently used her devotion to storytelling – on stage and off – to make a career as a professional photographer and theater artist. Sheridan graduated in 2008 from St. Ambrose University... Read More

The morning after he gave a visionary talk on repurposing the I-80 bridge across the Mississippi River, Chad Pregracke was back at the Rust Belt Friday to push the process of gathering public support for the planned Bison Bridge. Jake Ford, director of government affairs with the Quad Cities Chamber, led a morning legislative forum on the project with Pregracke, president/founder of Living Lands & Waters; Matthew Hughes, consultant with MRH Solutions, Kevin Marchek, retired engineer from the Illinois Department of Transportation, and Illinois state Sen. Neil Anderson. Before the meeting, Quad... Read More

How does a hot, fresh, delicious Harris Pizza sound? Pretty darn delicious, eh? Well, you could win a $50 Harris Pizza Gift Card from Harris Pizza and QuadCities.com! For real! How? It’s easy! Share this post on Facebook and follow these instructions: 1.  “LIKE” both the Harris Pizza and QuadCities.com pages on Facebook! 2. Mention Harris Pizza and QuadCities.com in your post! Tag those pages! 3. Tag at least 2 friends! The contest runs through Friday, April 2 and a winner will be chosen on Saturday, April 3! The winner be announced on our Facebook pages! HarrisPizza.com QuadCities.com  Read More

There’s a sarcastic meme going around on TikTok in which a guy brags about making a million dollars in the “stonk” market. After a show of bluster and ego, he begins going into details on how he did it. He starts by showing off his portfolio of one million, and then says, “I started when my Dad loaned me two million, and a month later, after all my investments, I’ve got a million dollars!” It’s funny, but it’s also true. And it’s often overlooked when we’re considering people that the media tells us to regard as massive successes in the... Read More