RECREATION:

For all events go online www.cityofdavenportiowa.com/parks to register or call 328-PARK (7275) for more information. Look this month to pick up the Fall/WINTER copy of THRIVE! and special events. Registrations begin August 10th for our Fall Session which starts Sept 12th!

• - This extremely rare and exciting opportunity will be a blast for the whole family.  Please come and support these young students. Info on times and locations can be found @
• Kindernature: Stars and the Moon. Tues August 9th, 10:00pm-11am at Vander Veer Botanical Park Conservatory. Cost $6.00. Bring your preschooler to learn about the night sky! Price includes an interactive program and snack.
• Back to School Fiesta: Fri August 12th 1:00pm-7:00pm at Garfield Park. FREE! This is a family fiesta-that has games, activities, dunk tank, piñatas, etc... all to prepare for a fun back to school time!
• 8th Annual Doggie Dig: Fri Aug 12th 6:00pm-7:30pm at Fejervary Aquatic Center. Cost $3.00 per dog, people get in free!
• Central High School Jazz & Marching Bands: Wed August 17th at LeClaire Park-Music on the Levee Series. Cost: Free.
• Chicago Cubs vs St Louis Cardinals Bus Trip to Wrigley Field! Fri August 19th, leaving The River's Edge at 9am. Return will be promptly after the game. Cost 95.00 per person, includes a ticket to the game.
• City of Davenport Appreciation at the River Bandits! Sat August 20th. Cost-FREE, must pick up tickets at Davenport Parks and recreation and show proof of residency.
• Iowa Prairie Heritage on display! Aug 20th-Oct 9th, in the Vander Veer Botanical Park Conservatory Park Store we will be hosting a special educational display. The displays will have huge panels that educate the public on the past, present and future of tall grass prairies in Iowa.
• Wheelchair Basketball Clinic: Tues August 23rd, 5:00-6:30 location TBD. Call the parks office at 328-PARK (7275) for more information.

RIVER'S EDGE- Located at 700 W. River Drive (Across from Modern Woodmen Park)

• The Rivers Edge Turf is hosting another fun month in August!
• The Ultimate Sports Lock In: August 6th- Join us for an overnight stay packed with sports, sports and more sports! The fee is $40 and runs from 8PM to 8AM.
• "Summer Showdown" Indoor Soccer Tournament: August 13th- A Coed bracket with a round robin style play leads to a champion! Team fee is $200.
• Rage In The Cage Dodge ball Tournament: August 20th- Grab the bull by the horns and take home the trophy! Coed bracket, Team fee is $75.
• Rivers Edge Community Flea Market: August 27th- Join us for one the QC Areas largest flea market. Admission is FREE, Vendor tables are $25 and you keep 100% of your profit. Market opens at 9 am.

Davenport, Iowa (July 26, 2011) - Some top-notch, free grounds attractions will entertain thousands of people next week at the Great Mississippi Valley Fair.

The 92nd fair is being held Aug. 2-7, at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, 2815 W. Locust St., in Davenport.

Fair manager Bob Fox says he expects Dallas, the Fire Guy; Robinson's Racing Pigs; Kachunga & the Alligator Show; and Jungle Adventure, a diving show, to be very popular attractions.

Street entertainer Dallas Saupe is known as Dallas, the Fire Guy, and has been providing clean, family oriented entertainment for more than 20 years.

A popular Mississippi Valley Fair attraction for the past several years, Dallas and his escape-artist son, Nicktorious, perform a blend of comedy, juggling, balancing and fire-blowing in a self-contained, high-energy, audience participation show.

Robinson's Racing Pigs return this year to the Mississippi Valley Fair after a brief absence.

In the fall of 1984, Paul and Carlota Robinson started racing pigs. In February of 1985, they took their show to the Florida State Fair, and the act soon became a staple for other fairs around the country.

Since the passing of the Robinsons in the late 1990s, Randy and Sharon Ross have continued the legacy.

Kachunga & the Alligator Show, which has been a popular MVF attraction over the years, began in 1982 as a public awareness program designed to bring alligators and other wildlife to schools to educate students.

Over the last 15 years it has grown into one of today's most popular shows at fairs and festivals.

Jungle Adventure, Fox says, is a high-diving show from Australia. It is new to the fair this year, and will be located not far from MVF's landmark Twin Towers.

Fun Cards, good for daily admission to the grounds in addition to all grandstand shows, are for sale at Hy-Vee stores and the fair office. They are $45 each.

For those without Fun Cards, grounds admission is $10 at the gate for adults and $3 for children 4-12. Children 3 and under are free.

For more information, go to www.mvfair.com or phone (563) 326-5338.

-30-

What: Meet American Pickers Star Frank Fritz at Street Fest
Dates: Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30
Time: 4 p.m.
Where: 2^nd Street, Skybridge/RME Courtyard in downtown Davenport

Frank Fritz, co-star of the popular History Channel show, American Pickers, will be available during Street Fest for a meet and greet at 4 p.m. both Friday and Saturday!  The Davenport native is coming home to meet with fans and enjoy Street Fest throughout the weekend.  The meet and greets will take place on the Skybridge/River Music Experience Courtyard.    An American Pickers booth will also be present at the festival.

(end)

On August 5th, 2011, Connection Church throws a party. In effort to build neighborhood community and to help kids in need, Connection will host a Block Party featuring free food, fun games, an outdoor movie, and a school supply giveaway.

At 7pm the party begins with free food and exciting games for the whole family. Two inflatable bounce houses, a dunk tank, as well as other games will provide children a fun and safe place to play. Walking tacos, fruit, and snow cones will be available for free to eat.

At 9pm the movie will start. An award-wining DreamWorks Animation film will be shown outside on the lawn. People are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to sit on while enjoying the movie.

Besides having fun, the Block Party will be an opportunity to give school supplies to children in need. Quad City families in need of supplies can come to the party and pick up a backpack and some classroom essentials. For those who want to donate money towards this effort, stop by Connection's Food Pantry on Tuesdays from 9am-1pm. The Food Pantry is located at 4373 State Street, Bettendorf, which is also the location of the party.

Jason Holtgrewe, a pastor at Connection, believes the Block Party is a great way to help those in need. "Not only is this party a way to bring neighbors together for a little fun, it's also an opportunity to be there for others," says Jason. "There are more families in our city than we realize who need support in meeting the financial demands of another school year."

Connection is throwing a party on August 5th at 7pm. The location of the party is 4374 State Street, Bettendorf. Please call the church at 563.209.6384 or email jason@connectionqc.org for more information, including movie details.