Featuring lyrics by Nell Benjamin, a book by Tina Fey, and music by Jeff Richmond (Fey’s husband), and boasting the exemplary direction (plus choreography and costume design) by Ashley Becher, Mean Girls is sure to put a smile on your face and give you a reason to beat the heat.

Make no mistake: Bonnie & Clyde is not a feel-good musical.

Performing blues-rock that, according to Blues Blast Magazine, delivers a sound "loaded with explosive, steady-driving fretwork" and "a heavy beat and a voice to match," genre great Hughes Taylor performs an August 2 concert sponsored by the Mississippi Valley Blues Society, his Pour Bros. Craft Taproom set treating fans to what Creative Loafing called "a fiery brand of blues-rock whose power trio lineage stretches back to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Cream and Jimi Hendrix."

Infiltration Instead of Invasion: America Betrayed (1944-1954)

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was unanimously adopted by the second Continental Congress of the 13 united states, and soon after sent to King George III to serve as notice of the 13 former colonies' separation from Great Britain, including future jurisdiction and all subsequent authorities of the Crown.

With his professional laurels including three Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards, country-music superstar Brad Paisley headlines the first grandstand concert at this year's Mississippi Valley Fair, his August 4 engagement treating fans to such chart-topping smashes as "He Didn't Have to Be," "Mud on the Tires," "Water," and "Remind Me."

The recipient of four Grammy Awards, 13 CMAs (including two for Entertainer of the Year), 15 ACMs (including the prestigious Triple Crown for Best New Artist, Male Vocalist, and Entertainer of the Year), three AMAs, and two People’s Choice Awards, country-music superstar Keith Urban headlines the August 5 grandstand concert at the Mississippi Valley Fair, the artist having also celebrated nine consecutive gold, platinum, or multi-platinum albums which, combined, have resulted in more than 11 billion streams.

With both artists having enjoyed top-10 Billboard successes (and songs in the horror smash Scream 7) over the past 13 months, ascending country-pop stars Jessie Murph and Stella Lefty jointly headline the Mississippi Valley Fair grandstand concert on August 6, the former's Sex Hysteria a popular and critical hit last July, and the latter's Is This Heaven? released to great acclaim this past May.

Returning to Davenport on July 31 with three internationally revered tribute artists, The Ultimate Elvis Experience will deliver a thrilling celebration of Presley's music and magic with featured headliner Shawn Klush, this stage spectacle having spent numerous years captivating audiences around the globe.

Paying homage to one of the most iconic rock bands of all time, the touring sensation To the Limit: The Ultimate Eagles Experience lands at Davenport's Adler Theatre on August 1, the band devoted to recreating the timeless sound and spirit of The Eagles, and capturing the essence of their music with remarkable precision.

Touring in support of their most recent album Be Right Here, a top-10 Billboard hit that Glide magazine said "goes far beyond mere toe tapping or foot stomping," the lauded country rockers of Blackberry Smoke bring their latest tour to Davenport's Capitol Theatre on August 1, Uncut adding that the group's latest recording is "a minor classic of the genre."

Performing a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, maracas, guitar, upright bass, and whatever else they decide to throw in the van, the unlikely yet wildly successful duo Larry & Joe headlines an August 3 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, their concert boasting a distinct blend of musical inheritances and traditions as well as storytelling about the ways that music and social movements coalesce.

On August 2 a lauded singer/songwriter and gifted pianist/composer will combine their talents at the Orpheum Theatre when Pippi Ardennia and Daniel Leahy perform in a special fundraising concert for the Galesburg venue, their Pippi & Daniel Music jazz project delivering electrifying, emotionally-charged performances that fuse jazz, soul blues, gospel, and R&B into one unforgettable sound.

Covering more than 20 years of the artist's musical career and recognized by Graceland as one of the top Presley tribute acts in the world, Joseph Hall brings his touring sensation Elvis: Reflections of the King to the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts on August 1, this salute to the King of Rock 'n' Roll led by the nationally lauded artist and a former competitor on America's Got Talent.

Lauded by the New York Times as “effortlessly endearing” and by Variety as “enormously satisfying,” The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee closes the 2026 summer season at the Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, the show's August 6 through 16 run sure to demonstrate why composer William Finn's celebrated 2005 musical comedy received two Tony Awards and enjoyed a Broadway run of 1,136 performances.

At the Davenport Public Library's Eastern Avenue Branch on August 1, the Rock Island Auction House's firearms historian Seth Isaacson will highlight a variety of firearms owned by or related to our 26th president in his program Roosevelt's Guns, exploring how, as a Rough Rider, hunter, and conservationist, Theodore possessed a deep interest in firearms, the technology advancing rapidly during his lifetime.

Returning to the area for its incredible 106th year, an eagerly awaited six-day festival boasting games, competitions, vendors, and concert sets by more than two dozen national and local acts returns with the 2026 Mississippi Valley Fair, its August 4 through 9 engagement at Davenport's Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds boasting, as always, grandstand performances by chart-toppers, multi-platinum sellers, and multiple-award winners.

Delivering a blend of local history, environmental issues, education, entertainment, and fresh air, Davenport's River Action concludes its 2026 series of outdoor presentations in the annual Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks – weekly "Explore the River Series" programs that, from August 4 through 29, will address such topics as the Mississippi River landscape, the Kreiter Tree Farm, local barrio communities, and the Quad Cities' 3,500 acre wetland ecosystem.

On August 6, Figge Art Museum Co-Senior Curator Vanessa Sage will lead a special tour celebrating the creativity, strength, and influence of women in art during the Davenport venue's Music & Makers Night event Celebrating All Wonder Women, allowing guests to explore rhe works and stories that highlight remarkable women artists and inspiring subjects throughout the galleries.

To download a PDF of the puzzle, click here.

Christopher Nolan appears seriously invested in our enjoyment, and there are many, many sequences in this grandly scaled adventure as thrilling, juicy, and ticklish as any that 2026 has thus-far produced. Those demanding fidelity to Homer are likely gonna hate it.

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