Last June, I compiled a list of 40 summer things to do in the Quad-Cities.
I don't know if it's because we (finally) got some sunny weather, but I felt the urge to compile that list earlier this year.
And, because I'm competitive, I added two extra to-dos.
Hopefully, the following list of events, from the second Turnbuckle festival at Codfish Hollow to "The Book of Mormon," at the Adler Theatre to Alternating Currents, helps fill out your spring/summer bucket list.
Of course, this is only a portion of what's on tap in the next few months in the Quad-Cities. Wondering what's going on this weekend? Check out my picks.
Read on for 42 ideas for fun to check out through September around the Quad-Cities (and beyond).
1. An Evening with Joshua Bell
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Joshua Bell, one of the celebrated violinists performing today, is coming to Davenport for a Quad-City Symphony Orchestra special event gala concert. Bell is set to perform Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture” and “Symphony No. 7” and Bruch’s “Violin Concerto No. 1” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 3 at the Adler Theatre, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. For tickets, $33-98, visit qcso.org, the Quad-City Symphony Orchestra Box Office or call 563-322-7276.
2. Village in Bloom Festival
Village in Bloom, the sixth annual festival for the arts honoring Isabel and John Bloom, will be held in the Village of East Davenport from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 5. Student sculptures made with recycled materials supporting the theme of "Life on the Farm,” will be on display along with work by students who participated in the high school sculpting contest. Festivities also include live performances, face painting, mural making, art activities and exhibits of Isabel and John Bloom’s artwork. Admission is free. For more info, visit villageinbloom.org.
3. Circa ‘21 presents ‘Bridges of Madison County’
On May 25, Circa ‘21 Dinner Playhouse, 1828 3rd Ave., Rock Island, will kick off a run of “Bridges of Madison County.” The show is based on the best-selling novel of the same name and developed by the Pulitzer- and Tony Award-winning creative team of Jason Robert Brown and Marsha Norman. Circa '21’s production of “Bridges of Madison County” will be performed through July 14. Following that show, "Mamma Mia" will run July 18-Sept. 15. Circa ‘21 performances happen at 7:45 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The doors open at 5:45 p.m. and a buffet dinner is served from 6-7 p.m. On Sundays, doors open at 3:45 p.m., dinner is served at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 5:45 p.m. In addition, matinee performances happen at 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Tickets for the Wednesday through Sunday evening performances are $48 plus tax; tickets for the Wednesday matinees are $42.50 plus tax. Reduced prices are available for students, seniors, and groups of 12 or more. Subscriptions to the 2017-18 season are also available. For reservations, call 309-786-7733 or visit circa21.com.
4. The Suffers at the Stardust
The Suffers, an eight-piece soul ensemble based in Houston, Texas, will perform Friday, May 4, at the Stardust, 218 Iowa St., Davenport. Special guest Krystal Metcalfe will open up the show. Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m. Tickets costs $12 in advance and $15 on the day of the show. For more info, visit moellernights.com.
5. ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ exhibit
“Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak: The Memorial Exhibition 50 Years, 50 Works, 50 Reason,” is an exhibit that celebrates the author Maurice Sendak’s career. On display will be original illustrations as well as drawings featuring characters from “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Little Bear” and “In the Night Kitchen.” The exhibit runs from May 12 to Aug. 12 at the Figge Art Museum, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport. For more info, visit figgeartmuseum.org.
6. Storytelling event: ‘Mom Roast’
Hey moms, have you ever wanted to tell funny stories about your kids? This storytelling event gives you that chance. This event, called “Mom Roast,” presented by Moeller Nights and Hive Event Consulting, invites mothers of all ages to take The Triple Crown Whiskey Bar & Raccoon Motel stage to tell stories about their kids. Doors open at 6 p.m. and stories start at 7 p.m. For tickets, $15, visit moellernights.com.
7. Matthew Logan Vasquez at the Raccoon Motel
Matthew Logan Vasquez, a rock ‘n’ roll musician based in Texas who co-founded Delta Spirit, will be performing on May 27 at the Triple Crown Whiskey Bar & Raccoon Motel, 304 E. 3rd St., Davenport. Special guests Parker Gispert and Brett Newski will open up the show. Tickets cost $15 and are available at moellernights.com, where you can find more upcoming shows at the Raccoon Motel this summer.
8. Mercado on Fifth
Mercado on Fifth, the weekly open-air night market at 5th Avenue and 12th Street in Moline, is set to kick off its season on Friday, June 1, with live music from Crooked Cactus. The market will host food trucks, a variety of food and retail vendors, kids activities and live music each week this summer. Admission is free. For more info and to see the full live music calendar, visit mercadoonfifth.com.
9. The Smoking Popes at the Redstone Room
This Chicago-based punk rock band, which formed in 1991, previously performed in Davenport during the inaugural Alternating Currents festival in August. The Smoking Popes are returning to the area for concert on Friday, June 1, at the Redstone Room, 129 N. Main St., Davenport. Opening up the show will be Johnnie Cluney. Doors will open at 8 p.m. and music will start at 9 p.m. Tickets, $15, are available at rivermusicexperience.org.
10. Live@Five concert series
That same day, the River Music Experience is launching its Live@Five concert series. Starting Friday, June 1, mark your calendar for free music at 5 p.m. each Friday outside the River Music Experience, or RME, 129 N. Main St., Davenport. It runs through Sept. 28. For the full lineup, visit rivermusicexperience.org.
11. Laura’s Legacy concert
The Rock Island-born musician Lissie is coming back to host her seventh annual Laura’s Legacy, an outdoor concert honoring her aunt, Laura Swedberg Bartel's memory. This year’s Laura’s Legacy is set for 4-8 p.m. Saturday, June 2, at Schwiebert Riverfront Park in Rock Island. The lineup includes the Ellis Kell Winter Blues All Stars, Mo Carter, Elizabeth Moen and headliner Lissie. Along with live music, there will be family-friendly activities and food and drink vendors. Proceeds will benefit the ALS Association of Greater Chicago and ALS Research at the University of North Carolina. Admission costs $10 for adults and is free for children 12 years and younger with a paid adult.
12. Turnbuckle 2
Turnbuckle, the two-day comedy, music and professional wrestling festival at Codfish Hollow in Maquoketa, is set to return for its second year on June 1-2. The lineup so far includes comedian Nick Thune and musician Ron Gallo. Tickets, $30, are available at codfishhollowbarnstormers.com.
13. Show at The Spotlight Theatre
The Spotlight Theatre, formerly the Scottish Rite Cathedral, is starting to host performances this summer, including a two weekend-run of "All The Great Books (Abridged)," a play that tasks three actors with teaching the audience “everything they need to know about western literature in 90 minutes.” Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. June 1-2 and 8-9 and 2 p.m. June 3 and June 10 at 1800 7th Ave. Moline. For tickets, $20, visit thespotlighttheatreqc.com.
14. ‘The Book of Mormon’ at the Adler Theatre
The Adler Theatre, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport, will host eight performances of “The Book of Mormon,” which has won the Tony Award for Best Musical nine times. Performances include 7:30 p.m June 5-8 and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. June 9-10 at the Adler. Tickets, $38, $73, $88, are available at Ticketmaster.com, the Adler Theatre Box Office and by phone at 800-745-3000.
15. A show at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre
The Clinton Area Showboat Theatre opens its season with performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber's “Jesus Christ Superstar,” from June 7 to June 17 at 303 Riverview Road, Clinton, Iowa. Other shows this season include “The Little Mermaid” from June 21 to July 8, “Cabaret,” from July 12-22, “Oliver!” from July 26 to Aug. 5 and “Tuesdays with Morrie,” from Aug. 9 to 18. For more info and tickets, visit clintonshowboat.org.
16. Quad-City Music Guild presents ...
Check out one of Quad-City Music Guild’s shows this season, which opens with “Mame,” June 8-10 and June. Other shows on the summer lineup include “A Chorus Line,” July 6-8 and 12 -15 and “Shrek” set for August 3-5 and 9-12. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Prospect Park Auditorium in Moline. Tickets cost $16 for tickets and $11 for kids. Call 309-762-6610 for reservations or visit qcmusicguild.com.
17. Gumbo Ya Ya
Mardi Gras comes to downtown Rock Island during Gumbo Ya Ya, the annual sampling of New Orleans culture. Festivities are set to start at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 9. Experience Cajun, Zydeco, and Jazz bands, food vendors and more. For more information, visit downtownrockisland.org.
18. Q-C museum week
Quad-Cities Museum week returns from June 9-17 at area museums. Check out special activities, exhibits and promotions offered at Quad-City area museums, such as the Buffalo Bill Museum in LeClaire, Davenport’s Putnam Museum & Science Center, Figge Art Museum and German American Heritage Center as well as the Rock Island Arsenal Museum in Rock Island. For more information, visit qcmuseumweek.com.
19. MWC’s writers conference
The Midwest Writing Center's David R. Collins Writers' Conference, which offers various writing workshops, is set for June 28-30 at St. Ambrose University’s McCarthy Hall, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport. The keynote event features a series of poems and short films from Motionpoems, a nonprofit based in Minneapolis, which tackle racism, LGBTQIA+ rights, immigration, women’s rights, gun control, educational & social welfare, judicial system reform, climate change and news/media/social platforms. You can register for one workshop for $75 or the full conference for $220. For more info, visit mwcqc.org.
20. Sugarland at the TaxSlayer Center
Sugarland, the country music duo known for hits such as “Stuck Like Glue,” and “All I Want To Do,” is coming to the TaxSlayer Center on Friday, June 29. Tickets, $31.50, $51.00, $71.00, $101, are available at the TaxSlayer Center Box Office, online at Ticketmaster.com and by calling 1-800-745-3000.
21. Genesius Guild’s 62nd season
Mark your calendars for the Genesius Guild’s 62nd season, which opens June 8-10 with “Ballet Under the Stars” featuring Ballet Quad-Cities at Lincoln Park in Rock Island. Other performances this season include Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” set for June 16-17, 23-24, Aeschylus’ “Prometheus Bound,” set for June 30 and July 1, 7-8, Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice,” set for July 14-15, 21-22 and Aristophanes’ “Thesmophoriazusae” set for July 28-29 and Aug. 4-5. All shows are free and start at 8 p.m. at Lincoln Park, 11th Avenue and 38th Street, Rock Island. For more info, visit genesius.org.
22. Rock the District featuring BUSH
BUSH, the English rock band known for hits such as “Glycerine" and "Machinehead,” will headline this year’s Rock the District, the outdoor concert in downtown Rock Island. The show, presented by the Daiquiri Factory and the Rock Island Brewing Company, or RIBCO, is set for June 29. Tickets, $35, go on sale at 8 a.m. Friday. For tickets, visit ticketweb.com.
23. Red, White & Boom
Celebrate the Fourth of July at area Quad-City outdoor venues on Tuesday, July 3. Admission is free for Red White & Boom festivities, which includes kid activities, live music and more at Modern Woodmen Park, 209 S Gaines St., Davenport, LeClaire Park, 400 West Beiderbecke Drive, Davenport, and Schwiebert Riverfront Park, 101 17th St, Rock Island. At 9:30 p.m., fireworks will launch from two barges on the Mississippi River synced to music heard through the parks or via 97X FM Radio.
24. The Lone Bellow at Codfish Hollow
The Lone Bellow, an indie rock group from Brooklyn, New York, recently released its latest album, “Walk into a Storm,” in September. The band, known for songs such as “Then Came the Morning” and “Green Eyes and A Heart of Gold,” is set to play on Thursday, July 19 at Codfish Hollow, the barn/music venue in Maquoketa, Iowa. For tickets, visit codfishhollowbarnstormers.com.
25. Dawn & On festival
Check out this one-day outdoor festival featuring music from The Dawn, The Big Wu, Family Groove Company and six other bands. Dawn & On is set for Saturday, July 7 at Len Brown's North Shore Inn & Marina, 700 N Shore Drive, Moline. Tickets, $5, are available at thedawnband.com.
26. Camp Euforia
The 15th annual Camp Euforia, a three-day independent music festival in Lone Tree, Iowa, is set for July 12-14. The lineup includes Eufórquestra, a group originally from Iowa City that’s based in Fort Collins, Colorado, The Candymakers, The Maytags and Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts. For tickets, $70-110, visit campeuforia.com.
27. Quad-City Times Bix 7
Join thousands of runners and walkers in one of the premier running events in the country — the Quad-City Times Bix 7. Race time is 8 a.m., Saturday, July 28.
There's also the Jr. Bix on Friday, July 27 for the youngsters. That race begins at 6 p.m.
28. Bix Street Fest
Along with the 7-mile race, count on attending the free two-day Bix Street Fest, which will take over downtown Davenport on July 29-30. Expect food and drink vendors, multiple stages with live music and dozens of arts and craft vendors on 2nd Street between Brady and Ripley streets in Davenport.
29. Blues Fest
The Mississippi Valley Blues Festival is set for July 6-7 at LeClaire Park, 400 West Beiderbecke Drive, Davenport. Performers include Walter Trout, Jonny Lang and more. Tickets, $10-15 in advance. For more info, visit mvbs.org.
30. ‘Miranda Sings Live’
Colleen Ballinger, the actor, comedian, writer and executive producer, is known for portraying her character, “Miranda Sings,” a personality that has helped Ballinger amass over 2 billion views on YouTube. Currently, she can be seen as “Miranda” on the newly- released second season of her Netflix original series, “Haters Back Off.” She is set to perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at the Adler Theatre, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. For tickets, $39.50 and $83, are available at Ticketmaster.com, the Adler Theatre Box Office and by phone at 800-745-3000.
31. Mississippi Valley Fair
One of the biggest events of the summer is back for its 98th year. The Mississippi Valley Fair is poised to bring grandstand acts including Chris Young, Sublime with Rome, Toby Keith, Theory of a Deadman, Billy Currington and Justin Moore to the fairgrounds, 2815 W Locust St., Davenport July 31-Aug. 5 To purchase fun cards, $55, visit mvfair.com.
32. Tribute to Bix
The Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival will return to the Rhythm City Casino Resort, 7077 Elmore Ave., Davenport, this year. It’s set for Aug. 2-4 and features an array of jazz musicians. Other musicians will be playing at LeClaire Park, 400 W. Beiderbecke Drive, Davenport. For more information, visit bixsociety.org.
33. Back Road Music Festival
The Back Road Music Festival is back for its fifth year and is set to bring top country names such as Josh Turner, Chase Bryant, High Valley and Ashley McBryde to Galva, Illinois, on August 11. Tickets, $40, are available at thebackroadmusicfestival.com.
34. Ya Maka My Weekend
Downtown Rock Island is again gearing up to transform into a tropical oasis for the 27th annual Ya Maka My Weekend, a one-day outdoor festival that brings Caribbean food, reggae music and more to town on Saturday, August 11. Admission is $9.
35. Tug Fest
Tug Fest is back for its 32nd run. The ultimate tug-of-war between Port Byron, Illinois, and LeClaire, Iowa is set for Aug. 9-11. The annual event is much more than the Tug, though. It brings carnival rides, bingo games, fireworks, live music and about 35,000 people to the two downtown areas. For more info, visit tugfest.org, owned by the Port Byron side or tugfest.com, run by the LeClaire side.
36. Quad-City Symphony Riverfront Pops
Wouldn’t it be nice, ahem, if you could hear some of the Beach Boys’ greatest hits performed live by the Quad-City Symphony Orchestra by the riverfront. That’s what’s in store for this year’s Quad City Bank & Trust Riverfront Pops, in which the symphony will play the entire “Pets Sounds” album and other tunes by the Beach Boys at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19 at LeClaire Park, 400 W. Beiderbecke Drive, Davenport. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $5 for kids. For more information and tickets, visit qcso.org.
37. Alternating Currents
Alternating Currents, the music, comedy, film and arts festival that replaced River Roots Live and launched last year, is back for its second year. The fest is set for Aug. 23-26 at multiple venues around downtown Davenport. The headliner hasn’t been announced yet, but look out for concerts happening at the Adler Theatre, Daytrotter, Redstone Room and the Triple Crown Whiskey Bar & Raccoon Motel and free live music at other spaces. For more information, visit alternatingcurrentsqc.com.
38. A trip to Modern Woodmen
Add a trip to Modern Woodmen Park, 209 S Gaines St., Davenport, for a River Bandits game to your list of summer to-dos. There are plenty of home games scheduled for August and early September. Plus, check out the park's "Mega-candy drop" event slated for Sept. 2, when, after the game, a helicopter will drop candy and marshmallows on the field for visitors to pick up.
39. Poet Olivia Gatwood at the Stardust
Olivia Gatwood is a poet/writer/educator originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, known for her online videos such as “Pixie Dream Girl” and “Ode to My B*tch Face” and her book, “New American Best Friend.” She will be performing with Joaquina Mertz on Aug. 31 at the Stardust, 218 Iowa St.m Davenport. For tickets, $15, visit moellernights.com.
40. Beaux Arts Festival
The bi-annual Beaux Arts Festival features hundreds of arts and craft vendors on display at the plaza in front of the Figge Art Museum, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport, Sept. 8-9. For more information, visit beauxartsfair.com.
41. GARP
The third annual GARP music festival — set for Sept. 7-8 — is expected to come back to Codfish Hollow, 5013 288th Ave., Maquoketa, Iowa. The lineup hasn’t been announced yet. Last year’s fest brought over 30 musical acts, such as headliner Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats, to the barn-turned music venue. To stay updated on GARP, visit codfishhollowbarnstormers.com.
42. Riverssance Festival of Fine Art
MidCoast Fine Arts presents the annual Riverssance Festival of Fine Art, back for its 27th year, Sept. 15-16. About 100 of the top artists from around the country will showcase their art alongside food and wine vendors at Lindsay Park in the Village of East Davenport. The Riverssance Festival, which is MidCoast’s primary fundraiser, serves as the anchor event for the East-West River Fest, a 10-day arts and cultural celebration in the Quad-Cities. Admission is $4 for person and $6 for a two-day pass. Kids under 12 get in free.