(ROCK ISLAND, IL – April 25, 2016) – The District, MidCoast Fine Arts, The ARTery & Quad City Arts present Gallery Hop! on Friday, May 6, 2016 from 6 to 10 p.m. Gallery Hop! is a fun, festive and free downtown art stroll unique to Rock Island. More than 300 artists will be showcased in over 20 locations throughout downtown Rock Island during the event. These locations are not limited to art galleries; artists will exhibit in coffee shops, restaurants, retail shops, and entertainment venues. Jewelry, photography, glass, paintings, drawings, book signings, sculpture, and more will be featured. Gallery Hop! does not lack in variety, there is something for everyone! Gallery Hop will be a wonderful opportunity to find a perfect gift for Mother’s Day, or an unforgettable item for you.
The 39th Annual High School Exhibition at Quad City Arts will be on display during Gallery Hop. With 173 students, and 25 teachers displaying their work, the High School Exhibition showcases the Quad Cities’ most promising artists as they express themselves through their art.
All of the fun does not stop at 2nd Avenue. We have several Hop Stops that are located along 3rd Avenue, along with stops that are located throughout the downtown. Skeleton Key Art & Antiques, located at 520 18th Street, will be a Hop Stop that might take a longer walk, but a walk well worth it! Multiple vendors inside Skeleton Key sell a blend of original art, antiques, vintage, crafts, up cycled, and the irresistible. Skeleton Key is definitely a hop stop that you don’t want to miss. The Quad Cities Botanical Center will also host several artists that will display their artwork in close proximity to the tropical plants, and koi ponds in the Sun Garden. With so much beauty in one place, the Quad City Botanical Center will need to be a stop you hop to!
There will be Gallery Hop! BINGO game cards at each “Hop Stop”. To play Gallery Hop! BINGO just visit at least five locations, have the artist or owner sign off, and complete a straight line on your card. Completed cards can be turned in at MidCoast Fine Arts/The ARTery or Quad City Arts. Winner gets a prize basket full of fun gifts, and art! The winner will be randomly drawn and notified the week of 5/9/2016.
Gallery Hop! is presented by The District, MidCoast Fine Arts, and Quad City Arts and sponsored by the Dispatch-Argus, WHBF, and River Cities Reader.
The event is free. For more information and to print a map of participating locations, please visit www.ridistrict.com.
The Downtown Rock Island Arts & Entertainment District (The District) is a 501(c) 6 not-for-profit organization established in 1992 by local downtown merchants. The District’s mission is to establish and manage downtown Rock Island as a creative and innovative experience by focusing on the development of the arts and quality special event management. It features retail shops, excellent restaurants, live entertainment, dinner theater, art galleries and several entertainment venues. Rock Island is located on the Mississippi River, three hours west of Chicago in an area known as the Quad-Cities which straddles the river and the Illinois/Iowa border. It is at the intersection of Interstate highways 74, 88 and 80 and is served by Quad City International Airport in Moline, IL.
###
