River Action's Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks -- May 28 through June 29.
Channel Cat Talks, Tuesday, May 28, through Thursday, June 27
Riverbend Commons Dock, 2951 East River Drive, Moline IL
Riverine Walks: Wednesday, May 29, through Saturday, June 29
Various Quad Cities Locations
Delivering a blend of local history, environmental issues, education, entertainment, and fresh air, Davenport's River Action will again present a series of outdoor presentations in the first month-plus of the annual Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks: weekly programs that, from May 28 through June 29, will address such topics as local abolitionist freedom fighters, steamboating, birds of prey, infrastructure, and the Quad City River Bandits.
Channel Cat Talk participants tour the Mississippi River aboard the Channel Cat Water Taxi, with boarding taking place at Moline's Riverbend Commons Dock. Experts will provide narration on the themed surroundings, with the Channel Cat Talks for June including: "Lock & Dam for Kids" May 28 and 30), with USACE civil engineer Anthony Heddlesten describing the functions and purpose of a lock and dam for children and parents alike; "Steamboating on the Upper Mississippi River" (June 4 and 6), in which historian Karen Anderson will detail the rise of steamboats to serve land acquired by in the Black Hawk Purchase and how, by 1907, the Streckfus family of Rock Island had amassed the largest fleet of luxury steamboats in the world; "Raptors Along the River" (June 11 and 13), which will find Scott County Conservation Naturalist Dave Mucia discussing birds of prey in our area and offering participants the chance to see a live raptor from the Wapsi River Center up close; "Common Chord RiverCurrents Tour" (June 18 and 20), with Ben Schwind, Education Manager at Common Chord, using the Mississippi River as a guide to detailing the history of American Roots Music, and also offering a live performance with musical examples and the stories behind the songs; and "Fantastic Voyage on the Mississippi" (June 25 and 27), with Guinness World Record holder Dana Starkell sharing entertaining stories from the time he and his father paddled a canoe from central Canada to the mouth of the Amazon River in an amazing Brazilian adventure.
Riverine Walk participants explore the Quad Cities through a series of guided strolls through various area locales, with the late-May through early-July Riverine Walks series featuring: "The Past, Present, and Future of Moline Centre’s Riverfront" (May 29 and June 1), in which Renew Moline's program manager Kirk Marske will explore Moline Centre’s connection to the river front from its rich history and vibrant present to its exciting future, featuring the latest information on the Spiegel Building, the Moline River Front + Centre Plan, and other downtown Moline projects; "Ballpark Backstage Pass" (June 5 and 8), where Quad City River Bandits owner Dave Heller provides an inside look at the clubhouses, batting cages, press box, suites, Quad City Sports Hall of Fame, Champions Club, even the dugouts while recounting behind-the-scenes stories from 17 years at Modern Woodman Park; "50 Years of Re-imagining the Riverfront" (June 12 and 15), as Berklee College of Music professor Gates Thomas places historical events in their modern context, allowing participants to imagine the changes in Davenport’s riverfront over several generations; "Passion for Trees" (June 19 and 22), with Scott Carlson, Lead Consultant & Instructor with Iowa Arborist Consulting, leading a casual walk around Lindsay Park while touching on subjects including species ID, structure, defects, disease, aesthetics, function, and planting; and "Patriots of the Prairie" (June 26 and 29), in which historian Karen Anderson takes participants from Dred Scott ‘s land-grant claim in Bettendorf to John Brown’s slave-train crossing in Davenport, revealing how local abolitionist freedom fighters ignited the fuse that sparked the Civil War.
Channel Cat Talks take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 a.m. and are $20 per person, while Riverine Walks are held on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m., with admission $10 per person. For more information on these “Explore the River Series” presentations, call (563)322-2969 and visit RiverAction.org.
