Monthly Archives: July 2019

Iowa’s second largest fair kicks it up a notch for 100th Anniversary

Katy Williams Henderson July 28, 2019 Festival

Those summer nights amidst Iowa’s soft breeze and humidity have been around for decades. The smell of fried food and the screams of delight from amusement rides and concert-goers have become a staple in late July and early August in the Quad Cities. It’s tradition–a one hundred year tradition–that we previewed the history of with coordinator, Vicky Speth. Through my preview, I learned that the fair has taken the spot of Iowa’s second largest fair (after the Iowa State Fair) — an incredible honor for one of our favorite Quad Cities events. Among the historical displays, the fair will return with fan-favorite and fanatic new features for the 2019 season.

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Mississippi Valley Fair Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Katy Williams Henderson July 24, 2019 Festival

History and heritage are two important components of the Quad Cities. We pride ourselves in the growth and redevelopment of the beautiful community, but we never forget our roots.

It’s a history full of twists and turns and many prized contributions — one of which we will celebrate this summer. The Mississippi Valley Fair (MVF) is 100 years old this year, and we’re all ready to party during Fair Week–July 30th through August 4th.

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Delightful Little Conductor’s Day at QC Botanical Center

Meghan Cooley July 24, 2019 Family

If you have any young (or older) train enthusiasts in your family you won’t want to miss Little Conductor’s Day at the Quad City Botanical Center.

A day of family fun focused on trains includes train-themed crafts and activities hosted inside the facility. The highlight, however, is the Heartland Central Garden Railway set up in the outside Railroad Garden. For this special event, conductors from the Heartland Model Railway Club will be on hand to answer questions and host a variety of trains on the garden tracks. The trains are 1:24th scale and up to four separate trains can operate at a time.

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Chic Soiree Bakery: Hidden Gem for Gluten-Free Bride

Katy Williams Henderson July 10, 2019 Food

Being gluten-intolerant is far from fun. So many things that were once a delectable treat become outlawed in your daily diet. While the amount of gluten-free items at restaurants, grocery stores and bakeries have increased, the ability to cough down $5 for an item that would usually cost $2 is difficult. It’s a struggle I faced while wedding planning. I found that most of the gluten free cupcakes and cakes I could find we’re going to cost us well over $1000. Because of that, I put my research cap on and started scouring for local places that wouldn’t break our budget. After looking through downtown, I came across a hidden shop in the West End of Davenport that sold gluten-free and vegan friendly options called, Chic Soiree.

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The Rust Belt

Deborah Davis July 9, 2019 Music

The Rust Belt is a music venue located at 533 12^thAvenue in East Moline, Illinois. It is a little off the beaten path, tucked away in an industrial area in an old car manufacturing plant. It is the newest addition to the Moeller Nights line up of venues where local talent buyer, Sean Moeller, books live shows.

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Best Sandwiches in the Quad Cities

Meghan Cooley July 9, 2019 Food

I asked my fellow Quad Citizens for the best sandwiches available in the Quad Cities and they delivered. My mouth is literally watering as I write this and I can’t wait until my next lunch date! My advice: just start at the top of the list and work your way down. There’s not a single sandwich or establishment on this list that you will regret trying. Sooooo many tasty recommendations!

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Quad Cities Welcomes Portillo’s

Katy Williams Henderson July 9, 2019 Food

When you travel the world, it’s no secret that people will ask you where you’re from. If you say Moline, Davenport, Rock Island, Silvis, East Moline, or Bettendorf or anything beyond the Midwest, the natural response you will get is, “Oh, is that near Chicago?” As you attempt to explain that you live nearly three hours from the city, you finally just give in and respond that it is close to Chicago. While we face these travel frustrations and own where we’re from, we can’t help but wish that a little bit of Chicago cuisine could move just a little bit closer to home. Dish-deep pizzas, Italian beef, Chicago dogs and more. But what if our wishes had finally come true? The long-awaited Portillo’s has been packed in Davenport.

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