Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP) is excited to announce the inaugural Alternating Currents Festival; the two-day event will take place the weekend of Aug. 25 and 26, replacing River Roots Live.
Throughout the weekend, a dozen venues across downtown will host a wide variety of live music, film screenings, comedians, and visual artists. Over 50 national and regional acts, big and small, will perform throughout the festival. Patrons will be encouraged to travel from venue to venue and explore all downtown has to offer.
“We’re excited to bring a modern and popular festival model to downtown Davenport and the Quad Cities,” said Kyle Carter, Executive Director, DDP. “From national artists at the Adler Theatre, to film screenings and up-and-coming comedians and bands, we’ll have a little something for everyone.”
The lineup for the event will be announced at a later date this spring; however, DDP is already busy planning in conjunction with a unique group of local talent. Some key “do-ers” in the creative community were tapped to help curate the festival and bring an inclusive and unique vantage point.
Sean Moeller, Moeller Nights; Kate Dale, River Music Experience; Benjamin Crabb, Daytrotter; Cory Ewing, Flood 93 Radio; and Rick Palmer, Adler Theatre, will serve as a brain trust behind the musical aspect of the festival. Joshua Ford, Ford Photography; and Harry Walker; En Media Res, are teaming up to lead film screenings. Dan Bush, Analog Arcade Bar & Triple Crown Whiskey Bar & Raccoon Motel ; and Andrew King, The After Hour; are gearing up to help curate laughs for the weekend.
“We’re excited that festival goers will be given the opportunity to explore venues and businesses that maybe they’ve never been to before.” said Kate Dale, Director of Entertainment, River Music Experience. “The music scene in the Quad Cities is growing at a rapid pace, and we feel lucky to be a part of it.”
Mary Talbert of Crafted QC and a team of “makers” will host “OMG Becky Fest”, a handmade/vintage craft festival, in conjunction with Alternating Currents, as well. Local arts organizations including the Figge Art Museum, Quad-City Arts, and Midcoast will be tapped to provide a hand for the visual arts component, too.
“Alternating Currents supports the regional Q2030 initiative and is an evolution of River Roots Live,” said Jason Gilliland, Director of Events, DDP. “This style of festival, similar to that of SXSW (Austin, TX) and Mile of Music (Appleton, WI), is an exciting result of the vibrant creative scene already growing in downtown and the Quad Cities region
