The formidable talents of Ronnie Baker Brooks, Samantha Fish, Victor Wainwright, Tab Benoit, and many others will be showcased when the Mississippi Valley Blues Society hosts the 2019 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival in East Moline venue Murphy Park at The Bend, the hotly anticipated July 5 and 6 event boasting exhilarating sets with national, regional, and local blues artists on two outdoor stages, plus interactive presentations for kids in the Blues Society's popular BlueSKool program.

A classic Greek tragedy making its first return to the Quad Cities in more than 15 years, Euripides' arresting tale of The Bacchae will be staged by Genesius Guild June 28 through July 7, the outdoor Lincoln Park presentations boasting a cast of 17 and its central characters performing in period-appropriate Greek masks.

Authors of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and more will share their talents and help strengthen the talents of others during the Midwest Writing Center's annual David R. Collins Writers Conference at Davenport's St. Ambrose University, a June 27 through 29 celebration of the written word boasting workshops, readings, book pitches, and more.

Annual explosions of fun will be taking place at both Davenport's Modern Woodmen Park and Rock Island's Schwiebert Riverfront Park when the Quad Cities hosts its Fourth of July celebration Red, White, & Boom!, the July 3 event delivering a spectacular fireworks display over the Mississippi River as well as live music, food and beverage vendors, special presentations, family programming, and more.