Davenport RAGBRAI Announces Logo, Theme and Dip Site
This year marks the golden anniversary of RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa). Once again, it returns to Davenport on Saturday, July 29, just like 50 years ago. Participants will come to Davenport and the Quad Cities region on July 21 before they head to Sioux City to begin the ride.
The Davenport RAGBRAI team releases its logo today and the theme “Be Bold. Ride Gold.” The logo and theme incorporate the 50 years of RAGBRAI, the excitement of the riders to tackle the 500-mile route, and the importance of the Mississippi River for the dip site. Each town creates its own logo separate from the official RAGBRAI logo.
“I am incredibly honored and proud that Davenport was chosen to be the end town for the 50th Anniversary RAGBRAI event,” said City of Davenport Mayor Mike Matson. “We look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to our community, just as we did fifty years ago as the dip site during the inaugural RAGBRAI event.”
This year’s dip site will be at the Marquette Street boat ramp and Veterans Memorial Park. The route to the dip site will be announced by RAGBRAI’s event organizers soon. Recent renovations to Veterans Memorial Park include a river overlook with built-in benches and sunshades near the bike path as well as a new mural honoring our veterans. In addition to the route announcement, other details including the host committee, housing, transportation, parking, campgrounds, corporate sponsorship & volunteer opportunities, the vendor program, and entertainment will be announced in the coming months as a lead up to the event.
“RAGBRAI is a cultural phenomenon, and we are humbled to be a part of the largest touring bike ride in the world,” said Dave Herrell, President and CEO, Visit Quad Cities. “We are a bold destination that has a tremendous amount of momentum that we need to leverage for future success. The privilege of hosting the 50th Anniversary of RAGBRAI is an opportunity to turn the QC gold as we welcome thousands of guests from all over the globe. We strongly encourage all Quad Citizens to get involved as we can use this event to further the positive story of downtown Davenport, the world-renowned Mississippi River, and our cycling community.”
Riders and Quad Citizens can find information about RAGBRAI arriving in Davenport at www.davenportragbrai.com. Organizers will continually update the website as details and logistics are finalized.
Inviting thousands of people into your community for an event means that volunteers are needed to help greet those visitors and assist them with directions and information. The Davenport RAGBRAI Committee is looking for volunteers to assist with many aspects of the event. Interested individuals can sign up at www.davenportragbrai.com.
“The excitement for the fiftieth has been building since we dipped tires in Lansing last year,” said Matt Phippen, RAGBRAI ride director. “We can’t wait to welcome record crowds this year from all fifty states and seventeen countries. This year’s route will definitely highlight Iowa communities for the whole world to see.”
About RAGBRAI
RAGBRAI is the oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle touring event in the world. This rolling celebration of Iowa attracts participants from all 50 states and many foreign countries. The ride will begin on July 23 on the west side of the state at the Missouri River.
About the City of Davenport
Davenport, Iowa, with a population of more than 100,000, is the regional epicenter of the metropolitan Quad Cities, population 400,000, and the third largest city in the State of Iowa. It is a place proud of its unique heritage at the crossroads of America. Davenport is a vibrant and progressive community that has been declared “The Most Livable Small City in America.” Covering the entirety of the city from fields to the riverfront, the City of Davenport has a Mayor/Council form of government with a professional City Administrator that implements policies of the elected City Council and oversees day-to-day operations of the City. The City’s four frontline departments and library system are accredited.
For more information, visit davenportiowa.com.
About Visit Quad Cities
Founded in 1990, Visit Quad Cities is the official and certified Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMO) for the region. Visit Quad Cities is a private 501(c)(6) non-profit engine charged with driving economic opportunity through tourism, building our authentic brand, telling & selling the Quad Cities story, and enhancing Quad Citizens’ quality of life and quality of place.
