Friday, July 27, and Saturday, July 28
Downtown Davenport IA
Two eagerly awaited outdoor events are set to take place in downtown Davenport July 27 and 28, with the 47th Annual Street Fest energizing crowds on Friday and Saturday, and Saturday morning bringing with it the 44th Annual Quad-City Times Bix 7, the challenging summertime foot race that has captivated runners from all over the world.
Taking place between Harrison and Ripley Streets in the heart of the downtown area, this year's Street Fest will feature numerous food and beverage vendors, arts and crafts vendors, children's activities, and concert sets by more than a dozen thrilling local acts. On Friday, the musical lineup boasts: the RME Blues All-Stars and students from the QC Rock Academy (11:30 a.m.); singer/songwriter Lojo Russo (1:45 p.m.); acoustic rocker Jordan Danielsen (4 p.m.); blues artist Hal Reed (6 p.m.); the pop, rock, and R&B talents of Soul Storm (8 p.m.); and country artists Dirt Road Rockers (10 p.m.). And on Saturday, the Street Fest concert schedule features: the Super Happy Funthyme Jug Band (10 a.m.); jazz hits with the River City 6 (11:30 a.m.); music and marching with the River City Dixie Marching Society and the Good Time Brass Band (1:30 and 2:30 p.m.); the Latino musicians of the Crooked Cactus Band (1 p.m.); oldies-and-goodies with Class of '82 (3 p.m.); the Sidewinders 34th Army Band (5 p.m.); the reggae talents of Rude Punch (7:30 p.m.); and Breakdown, in which Jason Carl plays the hits of Tom Petty (10 p.m.).
Meanwhile, beginning at 8 a.m. on July 28, the largest non-marathon race in the Midwest gets underway in the Quad-City Times Bix 7, beginning at the foot of Brady Street. Founded in 1975 by Bettendorf resident John Hudetz and covering seven miles of Quad Cities territory, the inaugural race had a field consisting of 84 runners. Today, the Bix is often run by between 12,000 and 18,000 individuals, with such running legends as Bill Rodgers and 1984 Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Meb Keflezighi among those returning to compete this year. In addition to the Bix 7, other options for participants include the Quick Bix, a two-mile fun run or walk up the Brady Street hill with live bands playing alongside the course, and the Jr. Bix 7 for ages 12 and under who traverse courses of seven-tenths of a mile, a half-mile, and, for the littlest kids, 70 yards. A post-race party will also be held in the Quad-City Times' parking lot, with food and beverages courtesy of the race-day sponsors.
For more information on the July 27 and 28 Street Fest, visit DowntownDavenport.com and QuadCitiesChamber.com, and for more on Quad-City Times Bix 7 activities, visit Bix7.com.
