Alternating Currents, Be Downtown Cancelled

Event organizers from Downtown Davenport Partnership today announced the cancellation of Alternating Currents, originally scheduled for August 27-30, 2020 as a regional event across five Quad Cities downtown areas. Downtown Bettendorf Organization’s Be Downtown event, originally re-scheduled from June to coincide with Alternating Currents, also has been cancelled. Both organizations are divisions of the Quad Cities Chamber.

“In order to keep Quad Citizens and visitors safe, we felt it best to cancel events that included large gatherings downtown,” stated Kyle Carter, Executive Director of DDP. “We will continue to support our downtown businesses as we have throughout the pandemic with promotions that encourage people to eat, drink, shop and explore downtown within public health guidelines.”

“The Downtown Bettendorf Organization is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month,” stated Ryan Jantzi, Director of DBO. “Although we’re disappointed that we won’t be able to host Be Downtown this year, we are able to support our downtown businesses in other ways including new streetscape improvements and our new promotions committee will develop a marketing campaign to promote downtown businesses.”

This week, DDP is launching the Downtown Front Porch project which is a way to get to know the humans behind the businesses in downtown Davenport. Featuring more than 40 organizations, the images and stories that will be shared are reflective of the energy, passion and resilience of the people that make downtown tick.

“As we all try to navigate a global pandemic, finding ways to connect with our neighbors is more important than ever,” stated Carter. “With a year of cancelled events and less foot traffic on the streets, it’s critical that we spend our dollars locally to support the people in our own community. Small, locally owned businesses are at the center of what makes downtown a special place. This campaign is an opportunity to show the faces of hard-working Quad Citizens and ways the community can rally to support them.”

The goal of the Downtown Front Porch project is to remind people that downtown is vibrant, welcoming and open for business.