13 Oct 2026

Prynne and Proper: Courtney Lyon Stages Ballet Quad Cities' World-Premiere Take on “The Scarlet Letter,” October 23 and 24 at Moline's Spotlight Theatre

By Mike Schulz

Chatting with Ballet Quad Cities' artistic director Courtney Lyon about the professional dance company's The Scarlet Letter, a world-premiere adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's famed 1850 novel, I'm catching the choreographer early in the rehearsal process. How early? I wind up learning who'll be dancing the ballet's principal roles before the dancers do.

13 Oct 2026

Quad Cities Archives Fair, October 24

By Reader Staff

On October 24, Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center will host the eagerly awaited 2026 Quad Cities Archives Fair, allowing the public to experience Quad Cities history by visiting with regional cultural and historical organizations, learning about unique collections and services, listening to talks on historical topics, and discovering some of the area's hidden gems.

13 Oct 2026

Keith Alberstadt, October 23 and 24

By Reader Staff

A regular at the world-famous Comedy Cellar in New York City admired for his playful personality, clever wit, and refreshingly PG-13 material, comedian Keith Alberstadt enjoys a two-night engagement at Rock Island's Bally's Quad Cities, the Aspen Laff Festival's executive director Gram Slaton praising the standup as "a genius" who performs "the toughest kind of humor to consistently pull off."

13 Oct 2026

Ohl Strong Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Tailgate, October 24

By Reader Staff

With the event taking place in a new location for 2026, the Dr. Brent Ohl Strong Pancreatic Cancer Support and Awareness Organization hosts its annual tailgate event at Davenport's Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds on October 24.

13 Oct 2026

“The Brothers Bettendorf: Scandal, Death, & the Founding of a Legacy,” October 25

By Reader Staff

Delivered as the latest program in the German American Heritage Center's popular "Kaffee und Kuchen" series, the fascinating presentation The Brothers Bettendorf: Scandal, Death, & the Founding of a Legacy will take place at the Davenport venue on October 15, with author and historian John Brassard Jr. sharing an arresting narrative detailing the namesakes of a particular Quad City.

13 Oct 2026

“Hold Onto Your Butts,” October 29

By Reader Staff

A wildly inventive tour-de-force of comedy, physical theatre, and live Foley artistry will be presented at the University of Dubuque's Heritage Center on October 29, the venue hosting a touring production of the internationally lauded, and live, Jurassic Park spoof Hold Onto Your Butts.

06 Oct 2026

Caged Aggression XLII: “The Perfect Storm,” October 16 and 17

By Reader Staff

Delivering a two-night mega-event that will also be broadcast on pay-per-view, the mixed-martial-arts spectacle Caged Aggression XLII: The Perfect Storm will take place at the Davenport RiverCenter on October 16 and 17, with more than two dozen supremely talented MMA greats facing off in the nightly battles.

06 Oct 2026

Neil Dahlstrom, October 22

By Reader Staff

Appearing in a special “Evenings at Butterworth” event, archivist, writer, and speaker Neil Dahlstrom will deliver a October 22 program at Moline's Butterworth center, the presenter and Quad Cities native's books including Tractor Wars: John Deere, Henry Ford, International Harvester, and The Birth of Modern Agriculture.

15 Sep 2026

“Legacy of the Land: Treaties and the Shaping of America,” through February 7

By Reader Staff

Developed in collaboration with the National Museum of American Indian and Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street, the Putnam Museum & Science Center's fascinating new traveling exhibit Legacy of the Land: Treaties and the Shaping of America will be on display through February 7, a special exhibition preview event scheduled for Friday, September 18.

12 Aug 2026

“Everyday Lives, Extraordinary Voices: Ruth Suckow's Iowa,” through November 15

By Reader Staff

Inspired by her upbringing at the turn of the 20th century and considered “Iowa’s first feminist writer,” Ruth Suckow was largely forgotten until researchers rediscovered her story in the 1980s. Consequently, the Ruth Suckow Memorial Association, with the support of Humanities Iowa, has developed a traveling exhibition celebrating the life and work of this Iowa novelist and short-story writer who lived from 1892 to 1960, the exhibit Everyday Lives, Extraordinary Voices: Ruth Suckow's Iowa on display at Davenport's German American Heritage Center through November 15.

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