DAVENPORT, IOWA (August 4, 2025) — Common Chord is celebrating its 21st year by hosting the Great River Ducky Derby to benefit music education and enrichment programming in our community.
The Ducky Derby takes place on Saturday, August 30, 6:30PM, at Davenport’s Credit Island Park.
Watch your duck compete by floating to the finish line fastest. Then stick around for an awesome concert in the park at 7PM from “Steely Dane,” a Steely Dan tribute band, along with the QC Rock Academy.
Simply go to commonchordqc.org and adopt a rubber duck for $10 each for a chance to win top prizes of $1,000 cash, $500 cash, or a year of free Redstone Room concerts for two. Proceeds from the Ducky Derby support Common Chord’s music education programs, providing inclusive and accessible music education, and enrichment experiences to kids all over the Quad Cities.
For Businesses and Community Organizations, we are offering an additional way to win. Gather your coworkers or compatriots and sign up as a business/organization team. Each individual registration can list your team. The team with the most duck adoptions by August 29, 5PM, wins a Free Party in the Redstone Room for your business/organization with live music included.
This is the final concert of The Big9 riverfront series, a partnership between the City of Davenport and Common Chord with special thanks to the Regional Development Authority, which hosts free, family-friendly concerts along Davenport’s nine miles of riverfront at a variety of locations, including Quinlan Court, LeClaire Park, The Last Picture House, and more. The series features a mix of musical genres, from country to soul. Food vendors will be available.
Bring your own drinks. Coolers, etc, are permitted. (No glass containers.) Bring your own blankets and chairs. Tents, pop-ups, umbrellas, and other tall items are allowed, but must be placed further from the stage, behind the line marking “tent area.”
Parking will be available on the island. Please follow traffic directions upon arrival.
Well-behaved pets are welcome! Dogs must be leashed.
Steeley Dane Winner of multiple awards for best tribute band, Steely Dane is dedicated to not only faithfully reproducing the Steely Dan and Donald Fagen songbook, but to bringing an energetic live-show experience to the crowd. Fourteen of Dane County’s best jazz and rock musicians have banded together around their passion for Steely Dan music, playing in the same configuration as the Steely Dan touring band including a four-piece horn section and three background singers. Shows consist of hits and deep cuts and sometimes even complete albums and are sure to have you out of your seats singing along.
QC Rock Academy opened in December 2011 and has been teaching the Quad City area to rock since day one. Located in Davenport, right off of Kimberly Road, they offer lessons, group classes, and rock camps led by some of the best instructors in the area with years of experience and expertise. Programs are available for ages seven to adult. Learn more at qcrockacademy.com.
Special thanks to our partners at Living Lands and Waters for their assistance in corralling the ducks to ensure the cleanliness of our river.
More information about the Great River Ducky Derby and Concert can be found at: commonchordqc.org.
Common Chord is a local non-profit working to activate the power of music to improve our community.
