‘Be Downtown’ on June 1 for family fun in Bettendorf

Sharon Wren
·3 min read

The Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO) is holding the free Be Downtown outdoor event on Saturday, June 1 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the 15th St. Landing, 15th Street and State Street. The event is perfect for families, featuring live music, food trucks, multiple bags tournaments with cash prizes, children’s activities and more.

Live music will be provided in two-hour sets throughout the day, starting at 12 p.m., by area bands Been There Done That, Threat Level Midnight and Heads in Motion. Honor Among Wrestling (HAW) pro wrestling starts at 2:05 p.m.

Verde will offer food and an outdoor bar for alcohol and other beverage sales. Food trucks will be on site from 12 – 6 p.m. and include Smokin’ Goodness and Wolfe It Down Pizza. The K&K Family Fun Zone will be open from 12 – 6 p.m. with bounce houses, bubble stations and a hands-on science experiment. Attendees should bring lawn chairs.

The event also features two bags tournaments at 12 and 3 p.m. Bags will be run by a 4-City Cornhole Club. Registration will be held on-site one hour before each tournament. Each tournament will have cash prizes of $300 for 1st, $200 for 2nd and $100 for 3rd place finisher. Players should download the Scoreholio App and get arrive early to register.

Be Downtown event line-up:

  • 11 a.m. – Sign-up for Bags Tournament #1

  • Noon – K&K Family Fun Zone opens, food trucks open

  • Noon – Bags tournament #1

  • Noon – BTDT

  • 2 p.m. – BTDT

  • 2:05 p.m. – HAW Pro Wrestling

  • 3 p.m. – Bags Tournament #2

  • 3:05 p.m. – HAW Pro Wrestling

    • 3:10 p.m. – Threat Level Midnight

    • 5:10 p.m. – Threat Level Midnight

    • 5:15 p.m. – HAW pro wrestling

    • 6:15 p.m. – HAW pro wrestling

    • 6:30 p.m. – Heads in Motion

    • 9 p.m. – Heads in Motion

On-street parking will be available on State and Grant Streets plus at multiple lots in downtown Bettendorf, including:

  • 15th St. and Grant St. (TBK Bank building lot) available after 1 p.m.

  • 18th St. and Mississippi St. (Asbury Methodist Church lot)

  • 18th St. and Grant St. (City of Bettendorf lot)

  • Bettendorf City Hall

  • Street parking

  • Motorcycle parking will be available on 15th Street

Be Downtown coincides with the City of Bettendorf’s 121st birthday and the city will have a fire truck, police squad cars, snowplows, and recycling trucks on display for visitors to see. There will also be giveaways and Mayor Bob Gallagher will lead everyone in singing “Happy Birthday” to Bettendorf.

“Summer events in Bettendorf are part of what makes our city so much fun, and the Downtown Bettendorf Organization knows how to throw a party!” said Jeff Reiter, Assistant City Administrator. “We are looking forward to bringing out some of our awesome vehicles and equipment for kids and families to interact with, and we will have so many cool things to hand out that the kids are going to love! Be Downtown and Bettendorf’s birthday celebration are natural fits together, and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of all the festivities.”

Click here for more details on the Downtown Bettendorf Organization.

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