Nerdfest, A New Putnam Exhibit, Outdoor Shows And More In This Week’s FUN10
It’s Sunday, and QuadCities.com proudly presents Fun10, a list of the top 10 things to do in the Quad Cities this week, and every week!
Every Sunday, we drop a new Fun10, to give you a head start on your week and a heads up on what’s going on over the coming seven days. Check out Fun10 every Sunday for the details on ten awesome events happening around town. It’s a cool read, and a great way to get started planning your entertainment for the week.
FUN10 — ten ways for you to have fun in the Quad-Cities, this week and every week, running every Sunday, only on your site for fun, free, local entertainment, QuadCities.com!
So what’s on the Fun10 for this week? Read on …
Putnam Opens New Exhibit Wednesday
In an age of complex environmental challenges, why not look to the ingenuity of nature for solutions? The forms, patterns, and processes found in the natural world—refined by 3.8 billion years of evolution—can inspire our design of everything from clothing to skyscrapers.
The traveling exhibit, Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design, opens Wednesday, Sept. 1 at the Putnam.
This approach to innovation, called biomimicry, is becoming increasingly popular. Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design opens Wednesday, Sept. 1 at the Putnam Museum and Science Center (1717 W. 12th St., Davenport), a Smithsonian affiliate.
“The Putnam is the first stop on this exhibit’s national tour and we’re honored to be selected for its premiere,” Rachael Mullins, CEO/president of the Putnam, said in a museum release. “Our ability to host this exhibit—our first traveling show since before the pandemic—speaks to the Putnam’s resiliency and the many ways that the Quad-City community has supported cultural institutions during this difficult period in history. We are so grateful to our community and can’t wait to show a bit of our appreciation through this wonderful new exhibit.”
Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design brings together design and environmental science using artifacts and photography, and interactive learning stations. The traveling exhibit will be enhanced with special items from the Putnam’s own treasured collection.
Nerdfest Ends Today
Nerdfest is ending today at the Davenport RiverCenter!
With your ticket to NerdFest 2021, you’ll have access to hundreds of activities happening at this new festival running through Aug. 29 in the Quad Cities. Celebrating and supporting all the different nerd, geek, and fandom cultures, NerdFest 2021 takes place in the Quad Cities (IL/IA) bi-state regional destination at the RiverCenter and other close venues in downtown Davenport, Iowa.
Come ready to play at the hundreds of trading card games and tabletop games, featuring Audio Dungeon. There will be tournaments and casual play for Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, Yugioh, Digimon, and Dragon Ball Super. You’ll also find Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, StarFinder, and a great-sized selection of board games. The video game section will have most major titles for competitive and casual play, with competitive speed runs.
Organizers are partnering with QC Co-Lab to create the world’s largest Dice Tower with 100% of the proceeds going to charity. Dive into the interactive world of Lego Robotics and S.T.E.M. with the Davenport Community Schools CTE program. They’re bringing lots of cool interactive and family friendly activities.
Meet the well-known cosplayers at the All-Star cosplay corner, such as Sunny Doom, Vampy Snow, Papa Bear, and Orangegofish. Saturday includes a Red Carpet cosplay contest and on Sunday is a Jr. Nerd cosplay contest at 1 p.m. followed by a family-friendly cosplay parade.
New items will continuously be added to the NerdFest schedule. Check the website at qcnerdfest.com and their Facebook page www.facebook.com/qcnerdfest.
Tickets are now on sale at www.qcnerdfest.com/tickets. Get the early-nerd special in which three-day passes are $60. VIN (Very Important Nerd) Passes are also available for $100 and include exclusive access, early entry, and some cool NerdSwag!
Also on the website at www.qcnerdfest.com, information can be found about vendor booth space, volunteering, sponsoring an activity, and artist submissions.
The Moline Bass Street Landing series
Bass Street Landing Summer Concert Series Shines On Moline Thursday
Moline Centre is presenting Thursday night Bass Street Landing Summer Concert Series, off 17th Street and River Drive.
Moline Centre “is taking many extra precautions to ensure that these series of concerts are following all CDC/State of Illinois Covid-19 safety guidelines,” the group posted. “We ask that all guests please wear a mask anytime social distancing is not possible. Social distance whenever possible. Frequently use the hand sanitizing stations that will be provided. Avoid concentrated gatherings of people. Please stay home and do not attend these concerts if you are sick or feeling sick.”
The Thursday night lineup for the free 7 p.m. concerts is:
- 2: Dynoride
Blackbox Theatre Offers Last Chance At ‘Murder’ Today
Opening this weekend at Blackbox Theatre in Moline is the psychological thriller “Murder in Green Meadows” by Douglas Post. The original production received six Emmy Award nominations when presented on TV with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. The Black Box production stars James Driscoll, Jenny Winn, Jonathan Grafft and Lora Adams and directed by Jacqueline Isaacson. Set design by Adams 
with construction by Michael Kopriva. The production will run through August 29.
Reviewers called “Murder in Green Meadows” “A thoroughly satisfying thriller on all points. Four stars.” —WMAQ-TV. “It spins a web of deception, sex, murder and mind games as two suburban couples discover their darker sides.” —Chicago Tribune. “An archly manipulative psycho-thriller…a well-made murder mystery…it holds your attention like a leash.” —Windy City Times. “A screaming hit…a tautly constructed plot…the people are the action.” —Portsmouth News. “This tale of lust and death in the ‘ideal’ home is certain to become a classic.” —Southampton Daily Echo.
On picking the show for the season co-founder Adams said, “It’s not that you don’t know who done it, it’s finding out why.”
The plot finds Thomas Devereaux (Driscoll), a successful architect and local contractor, and his beautiful wife, Joan (Winn), have just moved into their dream house in the quiet suburban town of Green Meadows when they are visited by their new neighbors, Carolyn and Jeff Symons, and a friendship develops quickly between the two couples. But underneath the cool, middle-American exterior, something is truly rotten. A previous sexual relationship is revealed, as is the fact that Thomas learned of the infidelity and may have murdered his wife’s lover. Then, one summer evening, following the Symons departure after a friendly game of cards, Thomas lets Joan know that he is aware of her new deception, and his violent, possessive nature surfaces. What follows is a diabolical plot that continues to thicken through the final showdown between a murderer and an aggrieved widow.
Thursday night tickets are $13, all other performances $16. Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2:00 pm.
Tickets are available at theblackboxtheatre.com.
Full STEAM Ahead For Rock Island Library!
Rock Island Public Library children’s librarians will continue to show up at our Longview Park Library2Go bookmobile stop from 2:30 to 3:30 pm on Wednesdays in August for Full STEAM Ahead. Stop by for some fun with our STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) kits. Miss Ranell will bring a new kit each week.
This event is great for grades K-6! (Wednesdays are early dismissal days for Rock Island-Milan School District #41.)
For more information, see www.rockislandlibrary.org
Zoom Bingo Going Virtual At Davenport Public Library
Calling all BINGO lovers! Join us for Zoom Bingo. Prizes will be awarded. Registration is required in order to get the login information. Your Bingo cards will be emailed to you on the day of the program. The event URL will be sent via a registration email. Households can use the same Zoom login.
Registration is required. Register here: https://bit.ly/dpl-zoombingojuly
Keep up with our virtual programming on our Virtual Branch Calendar of Events at https://davenportlibrary.libcal.com/calendar/virtual.
This event is FREE and open to the public. For more information visit www.davenportlibrary.com or call the library at (563) 326-7832.
RME Rocks With Live At Five On Fridays
The River Music Experience, 2nd and Main streets, Davenport, has brought back the free Live@Five on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The RME courtyard will host live music featuring a wide range of genres and styles.
This year’s schedule of bands is:
- Sept. 3: The Bobby Ray Bunch
sponsored by MidAmerican Energy - Sept. 10: Avey Grouws Band
- Sept. 24: The Wontu Trees
sponsored by Dahl Ford Davenport
See Backwater Gamblers Water Skiing Tonight!
Live On Tuesday Night, It’s Trivia Night Live!
Trivia Night Live is rolling into The Tangled Wood in Bettendorf every Tuesday at 7 p.m.!
It’s 
Free To Play, with up to eight people per team playing in various categories.
What is Trivia Night Live?
Trivia Night Live is a live interactive team trivia game played at your favorite restaurants and bars. The game consists of four rounds of questions of increasing difficulty and point values. Categories range from current events, history, geography, science, sports, and more….
Trivia Night Live is free to play, and you can have up to 8 members on a team.
Prizes are awarded for the winner of the 1st half and the overall winners win a $25 gift card for 1st Place, $10 for 2nd Place (cannot be used the same night).
We ask a question, and then play a song. Your team has the duration of that song to turn in your answer. No cell phones. web devices or smart watches can be used, just the useless trivial knowledge contained between your ears.
#LiveFromDavenportItsTriviaNight
presented by Think & Drink Entertainment.
Bootleg Hill Open Mic Every Thursday
Looking for a spot to showcase your talents?
How about the Bootleg Hill open mic night?
The musical open mic night is back. Happening weekly at Bootleg Hill Honey Meads in downtown Davenport. All are welcome. Hosted by Dan Fennesy and starts at 8 p.m.
