Alternating Currents is recharged and ready to electrify local music fans Aug. 17-20 with over 100 acts across 30 venues throughout the Quad-Cities. Featuring an eclectic and vibrant mix of music, comedy, film and visual arts strewn across two states and multiple locations, it’s a one-of-a-kind fest that allows people to put together a diverse menu of awesome entertainment, and the majority of the shows are free. “Alternating Currents’ goal is to highlight the vibrant cultural scene, cultivate local creators and showcase businesses that make the region unique,” said Jason Gilliland, one... Read More

The 2021 Alternating Currents festival will showcase 120+ live performances, film screenings and art-related events from Thursday to Sunday, Aug. 19-22, at more than 30 venues across three downtown Quad Cities: Davenport, Rock Island and Moline. Designed to showcase the vibrant culture of our downtown areas, the annual event features a variety of indoor and outdoor events including musical acts, film screenings, a comedy lineup and many art-inspired activities. Alternating Currents is a festival featuring more than 60 national, regional and local acts over the four-day event at locations across... Read More

Two energetic, friendly Quad Citizens are now scanning the streets of downtown Davenport to help inform, connect and problem-solve for those who live, work and play here. Emily Dibley, 32, and Omar Gutierrez, 33, are the first Hospitality Ambassadors hired by the Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP), a division of the Quad Cities Chamber. “We’re the eyes and ears of downtown and the face of the Downtown Davenport Partnership,” Dibley said recently. “We’re out there for whoever needs helping. We’re the friendly faces, basically like a walking visitor center. “A lot of people see us... Read More

You can chill out in a winter wonderland in the Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP) expanded 9th-annual Icestravaganza. The celebration will run from 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 15, through 10 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 17, at the Freight House in downtown Davenport, 421 W. River Drive. The free event features beautiful ice carvings (more than 24,000 pounds’ worth) on display all three days at the Freight House and throughout Downtown Davenport. This year’s sculpture theme is “Chilling Winter at the Freight House” with Halloween-inspired ice sculptures, such as witches, haunted houses, jack-o-lanterns... Read More

Next time you hop on Amazon to buy something online, consider keeping your money in the Quad-Cities. That’s the thrust of a new campaign from the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, which has launched “Keep It QC,” to bring awareness to the power of doing business locally. According to Chamber representatives, buying local has many tangible economic benefits for the region, in addition to helping area businesses rebound faster from the financial impact of Covid-19. “Keep It QC is about educating members of our community about why buying local should be the first choice every time,” Erin... Read More

Saturday in the Arts is a comprehensive, in-depth feature on a topic, trend or personality impacting the Quad-Cities, posted every Saturday morning on QuadCities.com. This week we look at the various downtown businesses of the Illinois and Iowa Quad-Cities and how they’ve been impacted by, and have adapted to, the covid-19 pandemic.   The popular Rock Island Brewing Company (RIBCO), in the middle of The District at 1815 2nd Ave., has been through a lot since it opened in 1979. Hailed as a leader in Q-C live entertainment (its starry roster of guest acts includes Bo Diddley, The Wallflowers,... Read More