26 Mar 2015

Will to Ben: Village of Port Byron, tourism bureaus, chambers and others partner for bicycle tour across Illinois, Wisconsin

By Jessica Waytenick

Fall Bicycle Ride Ties Port Byron and Sparta's Ambassadors Will B. Rolling and Ben Bikin' 

Port Byron, Illinois - The Village of Port Byron, the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Blackhawk Waterways Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Sparta (WI) Area Chamber of Commerce, and communities in-between have partnered to create the inaugural "Will B. Rolling to Ben Bikin'" bicycle tour to be held October 3-9, 2015.

The tour covers portions of Northwestern Illinois and Southwestern Wisconsin at a time of year when fall colors should be at their peak and when Sparta's Fallfest is in full swing to offer riders festivities at the conclusion of the tour.  The ride covers six days, averaging 10 hours per day.

Port Byron is located directly on the Mississippi River and the Great River Trail, a trail which stretches more than 60 miles in Illinois from Rock Island to Savanna.  Sparta is the "Bicycle Capital of America" so the two communities make a strong bicycling team.

In 1995, Sparta designed and manufactured a large fiberglass "man" dressed in Sparta colors (red and gold), sitting on a penny-farthing bicycle.  The bicycle and rider were installed in the Information Area on the corner of Water and Highway 16, a prominent spot for viewing, and was named "Ben Bikin'".  The statue was manufactured by a local Sparta company called Fiberglass Animals Shapes & Trademarks (F.A.S.T.)

Former Port Byron Mayor Larry Bay visited Sparta to ride the famous Elroy-Sparta Trail in 2013 and was impressed with the statue.  He commissioned F.A.S.T. to build a replica to be called Will B. Rolling for his town.  Bay then gifted the statue to the village and it was installed in 2013 in a prominent location in downtown Port Byron, adjacent to the Mississippi River and the Great River Trail.  A friendship between mayors rose and there was talk of connecting the two towns by way of a bicycling event.  The Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce began collaborating between the two cities and eventually contracted with Bicycle Illinois to coordinate the logistics of the event.

To register, go to www.willtoben.com

Contact Information:

Mayor Kevin Klute or Trustees Bruce Peterson or Clinton Sullivan, Village of Port Byron, (309) 523-3705

Joe Taylor, President/CEO, Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau, (309) 736-6820

Diane Bausman, Executive Director, Blackhawk Waterways CVB, (800) 678-2108

26 Mar 2015

New Vintage Camper Rally Coming to the Quad Cities

By Jessica Waytenick

Rock Island, Illinois - All vintage campers are invited to the first Vintage Camper Rally in the Quad Cities.  It will be held April 30 to May 3 near the Mississippi River at the scenic, award-winning Rock Island KOA, 2311 78th Ave. W. in Rock Island, Ill.  Vintage campers include ones from 1970s, 1960s, 1950s, 1940s, and if there are any older ones still out there.

The Rock Island KOA includes two huge lakes so bring some fishing gear.  Fishing licenses are not necessary here.  And if the weather is nice, kayaks or paddle boats can be rented to get out on the water.  Other campground amenities include volleyball, mini golf, horse shoes, ladder ball, carpet ball, and walking/biking path.

The Vintage Camper Rally is a family event.  Dogs are also welcome, and there is a dog park across the street from the KOA.

Rally activities include campfires, potlucks, breakfast on Sunday morning, and a vintage camper tour on Saturday afternoon for the public.  Donations accepted from visitors as an entry fee to the park, and the money will go to the KOA Care Camp organization. www.koacarecamps.org

Please call the KOA directly at 309-787-0665 and ask for the Vintage Rally spaces.  Camping is $25 per night per unit.  We will be in a great area at the campground and will be placing 3 - 4 campers on their huge pull-through spaces. Each camper will have electric and water hookups. Sewer lines are available.
http://rockislandkoa.com/

For more information about the Vintage Camper Rally, visit http://vintagecamperlifestyle.com

25 Mar 2015

Local Tourism Sees Successful Winter Season

By Jessica Waytenick

Quad Cities - With the first day of spring coming up on Friday, we're ready to say goodbye to Old Man Winter.  Although these Quad Cities' organizations might be a little reluctant after a successful winter season with great visitation numbers.  

Ski Snowstar in Andalusia ended their season this past weekend.  Looking back, they opened in November for the first time ever and they were open 85 days which is the longest season since 1995-96.  General Manager Ed Meyer says that they had almost 45,000 visits, and they welcomed their one millionth customer at the end of December.  www.skisnowstar.com  

The Bald Eagles visit the Quad Cities in the winter that, in turn, generates an increase in human visitors to view them.  January is a busy month at the Mississippi River Visitor Center on Arsenal Island due to eagle watching.  Almost 3,500 people visited the center this winter.  Mike McKean, Natural Resource Specialist, says, "We pull in a lot of people from out of town, especially Chicago, coming here to watch eagles.  Both last winter and this winter there were great numbers of eagles to be seen. We heard from a lot of people who are coming back each year because of this."  www.missriver.org  

LeClaire is another popular place to go eagle watching.  LeClaire saw eagle watchers and photographers from all over the U.S. and Canada.  LeClaire Tourism Manager Cindy Bruhn wants people to remember that LeClaire does not "close" in the winter.  "We added an Eagle Watching Event this year and organized a variety of events to encourage winter visitors.  The LeClaire Information Center visitation was higher in January and February this year over last year."  www.visitleclaire.com  

The Quad City Mallards are coming down the homestretch of what has been a highly successful season both on and off the ice.  While the team has battled its way to second place and a playoff position in its first season in the ECHL, the organization has also enjoyed plenty of success away from the ice.  The Mallards again this season have provided exciting hockey and promotion-packed entertainment all year and have been met with an overwhelming response: 

  • ·        The Mallards this season have increased weekend attendance by 25 percent over last season.
  • ·        Group ticket sales this season have increased by 50 percent over last season
  • ·        The team's season ticket base has doubled over the last two years.

 

As a member of the premier "AA" hockey league in North America, the Mallards are able to offer excitement to fans from near and far from October through April and beyond.  www.myqcmallards.net

 

The Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau had two successful promotions this winter.  Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard Weekend in January saw an increase of 2,000 coupon views to over 24,000 views.  Most recently Quad Cities Restaurant Week had 148,000 pageviews total, compared to 115,000 last year.

20 Mar 2015

Top Disc Golf Player in the World Playing in Quad Cities Tournament

By Jessica Waytenick

Quad Cities - There's going to be a Rumble in the Quad Cities!  No, not between the Sharks and the Jets.  It's the disc golf Rumble happening on April 24-26, hosted by the Iron Lion Disc Golf Supply.  

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) tournament is one round of 24 holes each day with the showcase round at West Lake Park in Davenport on Sunday, April 26where the Professional players battle it out for the win.   

The Rumble will use West Lake Park in Davenport, Camden Park in Milan, and Middle Park in Bettendorf over the three days of competition, and the courses will be laid out in their toughest pin placement.  This year the tournament has been extended an extra day so that the players could play one full round each day.  Over 200 players have competed the last two years.  

"We believe that the Quad Cities has plenty to offer the players outside of disc golf, and this is becoming a premier destination stop for tournament disc golfers," says Jessica Argyle, co-owner of Iron Lion.  

 

Organizers also received exciting news that the best disc golf player in the world registered for The Rumble again this year.  Paul McBeth, Huntington Beach, Calif., is the three-time world champion and the 2014 PDGA Player of the Year.

 

"I think it says a lot that Paul is coming back to this area and our tournament for the second year in a row," says Argyle.  "He could be going to New Mexico where there is more money in the tournament purse the same weekend."

 

Iron Lion has hosted this event the past three years as an A-Tier tournament.  It was established in 2006 by the former Quad City Disc Golf Club. 

 

For The Rumble tournament registration information and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.ironliondgs.com or contact Iron Lion Disc Golf Supply at 309-757-7685.

 

Media Contacts: Jessica Argyle or Chase Roberts, 309-757-7685

20 Dec 2011

Use TravelMississippiRiver.org this winter to find bald eagles along the Mississippi River

By Jessica Waytenick
GALENA, Ill. - The Mississippi River is the second most-visited natural resource in the United State, after the Grand Canyon. The bald eagles find it a pretty popular place to visit as well.

 

Each year from mid-December through February, thousands of bald eagles migrate south to winter along the Mississippi River near the lock and dams. Turbulence created below the dams provides open water and a smorgasbord of stunned fish for eagles to feast upon. In addition, the wooded bluffs that overlook the Mississippi are excellent habitat for roosting and an increasing number of cases nesting. It's not uncommon to see more than 10 eagles in one tree!

 

Bring your binoculars and take a trip this winter to this Upper Mississippi River region in Iowa and Illinois to catch a glimpse, perhaps for the first time, of the country's national symbol. Take part in the many bald eagle watches throughout January and February in the communities that line the banks of the Great River Road from Dubuque, Iowa, south to Quincy, Illinois. For more information on planning a winter Mississippi River getaway, visit www.TravelMississippiRiver.org

 

TravelMississippiRiver.org is now hosting a contest so you can win a weekend getaway this winter to go eagle watching in one of five different communities along the Mississippi River in Illinois and Iowa. Sign up today at www.TravelMississippiRiver.org. The contest continues through January 20, 2012.

 

Weekend getaways include : Quad Cities, Iowa and Ill. - January 6-8. This package includes four tickets to Bald Eagle Days, the Midwest's largest event dedicated to bald eagles, and an overnight stay at the Ramada in Bettendorf, Iowa with an indoor pool and complimentary deluxe hot breakfast. Drawing will be held on December 20, 2011.

 

Galena/Jo Daviess County, Ill. - January 15, February 12 or 26. Pack your bags for an exquisite bald eagle watching getaway! Stay overnight at Illinois' oldest operating hotel, DeSoto House Hotel, located directly on Galena's Main Street. Enjoy breakfast for two at their Courtyard Restaurant before you board the bus for the half-day tour. Eagle Nature Foundation's Terrence Ingram will lead you on an insightful tour of bald eagle habitats, feeding habits, migration movements, life history and survival problems. Bring your binoculars and telescopes to Galena and Jo Daviess County this winter! Drawing will be held on December 27, 2011.

 

Muscatine, Iowa - January 27-29. This Eagles & Ivories Getaway Package includes two tickets to the Eagles & Ivories Ragtime Concert Series, an overnight stay for two at the Clarion Hotel, and $50.00 in Muscatine Chamber Bucks redeemable at restaurants, shops, and more. Drawing will be held on January 4, 2012.

 

Quincy, Ill. - January 28-29. The Microtel Inn & Suites in Quincy is hosting a special FAB Getaway for you and it includes food, architecture and bald eagles. Tour an exclusive East End home, as well as the Villa Kathrine, watch for bald eagles at the local lock & dam and enjoy excellent cuisine! Drawing will be held on January 4, 2012.

 

Henderson County, Ill. - February 4. This getaway includes a one night stay at the historical Hotel Lynn in Biggsville. Enjoy a fun-filled day of eagle watching at Lock & Dam 18 with complimentary refreshments. Many eagles will be on-site nestled in the trees along the banks of the powerful Mississippi. A copy of the new Henderson County commercial is included in your prize package so you can show your friends where you went on your trip! Drawing will be held on January 20, 2012.

 

More than a dozen travel & tourism groups in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois have joined forces to promote traveling along the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Visit www.TravelMississippiRiver.org or find us on Facebook to check out regional events, trendy shopping areas, charming restaurants and historic sites. Use the website to plan your next getaway!

#   #   #
28 Dec 2010

Be a Tourist in your Own Backyard!

By Jessica Waytenick

Quad Cities - Head out on the town during a fun-filled weekend of discounts during the 10th annual "Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard Weekend" on January 14-17, 2011.  This year, over 50 Quad Cities businesses and organizations have issued coupons that are good for this special weekend and continuing for several months.

The Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) invites everyone to the Quad Cities for a weekend filled with special prices, activities, and events for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Weekend.  Almost 20 hotels/motels in the Quad Cities area are offering special rates and packages for the weekend.  And over 30 other area attractions, businesses, spas, and restaurants are offering great discounts.

"With Monday, January 17th a holiday for many parents and students, that weekend is a great time to be a tourist in your own backyard and enjoy an affordable hotel stay," says Joe Taylor, President/CEO of the QCCVB.  "People don't have to travel far or spend a lot of money to have a great and affordable weekend getaway."

Go to www.visitquadcities.com/beatourist for a list of all the specials and discounts for the weekend and to easily print the coupons that you'd like to use.  All of the participating businesses have a supply of the coupon booklets.  Supplies of the booklets are limited so it would be a good idea to pick up a booklet before the weekend starts, or just print the same coupons from the website.  Call 309-277-0937 for more information.

Faces of the Quad Cities Contest

Every day from January 5-14, 2011, a new photo of a Quad Cities "face" will be released.  Faces are contained within public art pieces in the Quad Cities and may include statues, paintings, murals, and more.  All faces are accessible by the general public.  People can enter the contest at www.visitquadcities.com/beatourist with all 10 answers submitted by midnight on Monday, January 17.  The winner will receive 2 round-trip tickets on Allegiant.  The runner-up will receive a $100 gift certificate to John Taylor Salon & Day Spa in Rock Island, IL.

Borders Benefit Days

In conjunction with the weekend, the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau is holding a Benefit Days event with Borders in Davenport and Waldenbooks in Moline's SouthPark on January 15-16, 2011.  With the voucher that can be downloaded from www.visitquadcities.com/beatourist, a percentage of the in-store and online sales will be donated to the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau.

 

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