The Hoover Presidential Library Association and City of West Branch are charging up for an unforgettable celebration with fun-filled activities for all ages.  From magicians to raptors to inflatable games & bungi jumping to water fights to toe tappin' music & over 100 exhibitors offering artisan treasures  - we have it all.  We're "Going Green" this year with the Department of Natural Resources traveling display and many other "green" exhibitors.  Hungry?  How about a pork chop-on-a-stick or other Iowa delicacies?  Satisfy your sweet tooth with baked goodies, kettlecorn, and chocolate delights.  How about a game of Hoover-Ball? There is free admission, free birthday cake, and free parking & shuttle service.  Enjoy entertainment, food, arts and crafts, fireworks and more! Come join us for Hoover's Hometown Days beginning on August 5 at 4:30 with a Beer Tent and the music of "Loaded."  Join in "Fire in the Hole Championship games at 5:00 PM.  Saturday begins with a parade at 10:00AM and ends with fireworks at dusk.  See you there!!!  For more information visit www.hoovershometownday.org

Delene McConnaha

Promotions and Academic Programs Manager

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association

302 Parkside Drive

West Branch, IA  52358

319-643-5327

800-828-0475

Davenport, IA / July 20, 2011 - Local residents will have a chance to tour Living Lands and Waters' new floating classroom at LL&W's annual Barge Party Thursday, August 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m at the Lake Davenp or t Sailing Club at Oneida Street Landing on   River Drive  .  The 150-foot long barge features a handicapped-accessible classroom, which can host up to 60 students at a time, as well as sleeping quarters for an 8 person   Living   Lands   and Waters crew.  LL&W crews will be providing tours of the new classroom during the annual Barge Party, a celebration and appreciate event for of volunteers and supporters of the environmental group.  Chad Pregracke and his Living Lands & Waters' staff and crew will be on hand to celebrate fourteen years of river cleanups, environmental education w or kshops, the Million Trees project and engaging communities in river stewardship.

The menu for this year's Barge Party will feature a catfish fry & shrimp boil.  Guests will also have a chance to taste-test various preparations of Asian Carp, an invasive species in the  Mississippi  that is commonly served in  Asia .  The Barge Party will also feature live music and a silent art auction, featuring the works of nearly a dozen regional artists who donated river-inspired pieces, including salvage material sculpture, mixed media painting, folk art, driftwood pieces, quilts and glass art.  Chad Pregracke will update guests on the progress they've made this year. "We couldn't keep these barges running, making the river a cleaner place, without the support of Quad-Citians who volunteer and support Living Lands & Waters. It all makes a difference and we are so grateful," said Chad Pregracke, Founder & President of Living Lands & Waters. Tickets for the event are $35 per person. Reservations can be made by calling the office at (309) 496-9848 or going to their website www.livinglandsandwaters.org.

Teachers interested in exploring a workshop for their students should contact Tammy Becker at LL&W:  tammy@livinglandsandwaters.com or 309-496-9848. "We have had over 1,600 teachers in our Educational Workshops dating back to 2003.  This will create an opportunity for thousands of students to experience the river first hand" said LL&W founder Chad Pregracke.   Also on display at the barge party, LL&W's new one-thousand horse power tow boat, needed to push the new floating classroom.  The floating classroom was made possible by the generous support of five of LL&W's long-term partners:  Cargill, ADM, Caterpillar, AEP River Operations and Ingram Barge Company.  

The Living Lands & Waters Barge Party is held in appreciation for volunteers, supporters and fans of LL&W's efforts, as a celebration of the power of committed staff, volunteers and sponsors working together to meet an important need.  Among the reasons to celebrate this year:  LL&W founder Chad Pregracke's endowment with a 'Points of Light Award.'  This distinguished honor, established by former U.S. President George H. W. Bush was awarded during a televised ceremony from the   Lincoln   Center   which featured all of the living former presidents.     Chad   ads this honor to many others he's been given to recognize his achievements since founding LL&W.  They include a Jefferson Award, and awards from the American Institute f or  Public Service; Heroes of Conservation Nomination and Field & Stream Magazine. 

Chad Pregracke started Living Lands & Waters in 1998 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the beautification and restoration of America's major rivers and to the education of people about environmental issues. From his single boat beginning, LL&W has grown to an internationally known organization with a fleet of barges and workboats.  LL&W engages thousands of volunteers each year in river cleanups, hands-on environmental education workshops, the Great Mississippi River Cleanup, Adopt-a- River-Mile programs and the Million Trees Project. 

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What: Bucktown Bash! featuring "The Kraken"
Where: 225 East 2^nd Street
Date/Time: Friday, July 29 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Price: $15

(Davenport, Iowa) - MidCoast Fine Arts (MFA) is proud to announce that Bucktown Center for the Arts will celebrate its 6^thanniversary during Bucktown Bash! Friday, July 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This special event will feature a wide range of original local artwork for sale, live music, food, drinks, and more.

The infamous Muscatine River Monster, fondly known as "The Kraken," will be making its first appearance in the Quad-Cities during Bucktown Bash! This larger than life beast is an inflatable sculpture installation that must be seen to be believed. Its long tentacles will be beckoning the nearby Street Fest patrons to meander a little further down 2^nd Street in downtown Davenport on Friday.

Falling Up, a locally produced science fiction film, will be shown throughout the evening, and live music will be provided by Lock & Dam, Ragaman, and Rock Island Rhythm. A "Mirror,Mirror" fundraiser for MFA featuring works by local artists for sale will be held in conjunction with the "VANITY" show currently on display in the 2^nd floor gallery. MFA's own Dean Schroder will be showing his rarely seen functional art display, as well. Bucktown Bash! will also serve as a closing reception for the "And They Followed the Waters" exhibit on display in the 2^nd floor showcase.  

Food and beverage vendors will be available, and all of Bucktown's many shops and studios will be open. From jewelry and paintings to photography and sculpture, attendees of Bucktown Bash! can expect to discover a wide range of high quality artwork to peruse.

"I'm thrilled that MidCoast Fine Arts is hosting another amazing art event," said Heather Pederson, MFA Board President.   "We do know how to put on a great party, and with Bucktown Bash being bigger and better than ever, we're looking forward to the community showing their support by having a heart for art."

Admission is $15 at the door; however, patrons who visit a shop at Bucktown between July 20^th and July 28^th can pick up FREE tickets in advance! Please visit www.BucktownArts.com or www.Facebook.com/bucktownarts for additional event details. MFA would also like to provide a special thank you to Deere & Company for their support of Bucktown's Bash!

Bucktown Center for the Arts is made up of over a dozen unique shops and studios featuring creative, affordable, unusual and useable works of art for sale. Bucktown is a component of MidCoast Fine Arts, a leading Quad-City non-profit organization focused on stimulating our community's economic vitality through the support of regional visual arts and artists. Founded in July of 2005, Bucktown has played an important role in the continued growth of downtown Davenport's Cultural and Entertainment District.

For more information about MidCoast Fine Arts, please visit www.Midcoast.org. For additional details regarding "The Kraken," please visit www.MuscatineRiverMonster.com.