Quad Cities celebrates Oktoberfest Season with cruise, music and food

Fall is the season of leaves, cooler temps, pumpkin spice, and Oktoberfests! There are a lot of different versions to this fun classic event in the Quad Cities.

Cruise the Mississippi on the Oktoberfest cruise on September 19, 2019, with Barefoot Becky & the Ivanhoe Dutchmen. This band will get toes tapping and everyone out on the dance floor! You can expect a mix of your favorite Oktoberfest polkas and waltzes and a mix of some party favorites. Even the crew joins in! This lunch cruise on the Celebration Belle riverboat departs at 10:30 a.m. from Moline, Illinois. For more information, visit www.celebrationbelle.com

Oktoberfestbier returns to Crawford Brew Works, 3659 Devils Glen Rd. in Bettendorf, Iowa, on Friday, September 27 from 12-9 p.m. with a day of fun planned with food, live music, specialty mugs and t-shirts, and of course, beer. Enjoy Floyd’s Burgers & Slider food truck in the afternoon and Zeke’s Island Hopper food truck in the evening. From 1-3 p.m. there will be a polka band and from 6-9 p.m. Muzik Krauts will play music with prosts and sing alongs. For more information, visit www.crawfordbrewworks.com

Roktoberfest is Wake Brewing’s take on Oktoberfest on Saturday, September 28 from 12-8 p.m. outside at Wake Brewing, 2529 5^th Ave. in Rock Island, Illinois. They will release their traditional Oktoberfest beer served in take-home beer steins. Also if polka music isn’t your thing, they will have live rock music, and food served by The Dark Side food truck. A portion of money made from beer sales that day will go to Kings Harvest Pet Rescue No Kill Shelter. For more information, visit www.wakebrewing.com

Dogs get in on the fun too at Dogtoberfest! Free doggie bags for first 150 visitors through the gate on Sunday, September 29 from 12-3:30 p.m. at Crow Creek Dog Park, 4800 Devils Glen Road in Bettendorf. Live auction, raffle baskets, food and drink for sale. For more information, visit www.bettendorf.org

On Thursday, October 3, 2019, enjoy unlimited pork, beer and seasonal specialty drink samples at Hogtoberfest featuring local establishments competing for various awards at the RiverCenter, 136 E. 3^rd Street in Davenport, Iowa, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Guests will also be treated to a silent auction, beer pull, grub grab, live entertainment, giveaways, games and more. The funds raised at this event will benefit the programs and services Friendly House provides to Quad Cities families. Admission is $40 per person in advance and $50 at the door. For tickets and more information, visit www.friendlyhouse.org

Put on your best lederhosen because Shoptoberfest is making its debut in historic downtown LeClaire, Iowa, on Saturday October 5, 2019. Starting at 2 p.m., the LeClaire shops host the Midwest’s best breweries so you can sip, sample, and shop your way through town. Enjoy delicious Oktoberfest craft beer samples from a 5 oz. souvenir tasting glass. Meet at Green Tree Brewery in LeClaire for the after-party with raffling prizes to raise money for the North Scott Rotary Club! Prizes will be given for best Oktoberfest costumes and we will have a Stein Holding Competition as well. Tickets are $20. For tickets and more information, visit www.facebook.com/shopswithhops/

The Bierstube restaurant, 415 15^th St. in Moline, Illinois, celebrates their Oktoberfest on Friday, October 11, 2019. They’ll celebrate from 8 p.m. to midnight with live music, food, drink, games, and prizes. For more information, visit www.bier-stube.com

The Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, 2815 W. Locust Street in Davenport, Iowa, hosts its first Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 12, 2019. Doors open at the huge, indoor event hall at 12 p.m. and there will be food, drink, and live music all day from North Of 40, Dani Lynn Howe, Casey Muessigmann, and Dirt Road Rockers. For more information, visit www.mvfair.com

Snowstar Winter Sports Park isn’t covered in snow just yet, and they are ready to celebrate fall with an Oktoberfest event on Saturday, October 19, 2019, from 12-8 p.m. with food, beer, music, and games. Play Snowstar-themed Oktoberfest games that will lead up to a tournament. Enjoy food from renowned Barley & Rye Bistro in Moline. There will be a vendor fair and craft market, bounce houses for the kids, and traditional Oktoberfest music! Tickets are $8, and that includes a goody bag and free drink ticket. Children under 12 years are free. For tickets and more information, visit www.skisnowstar.com

The German American Heritage Center, 712 W. 2^nd Street in Davenport, Iowa, hosts a fun-filled evening of Cheers & Biers from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, 2019, with German style home-brews you can’t get anywhere else and brat baskets from Jerry’s Meat Market. Beer from our friends from MUGZ, The Powder Keggers, REFS, and Trade My Homebrew will be available to test, compare, and enjoy! Admission is $15 per person in advance and $20 at the door. For tickets and more information, visit www.gahc.org

With all the Oktoberfest events featuring beer, we can’t overlook the number of great microbreweries in the Quad Cities. As you’re celebrating Oktoberfest, get rewarded by following the new QC Ale Trail. Get your QC Ale Trail passport stamped at each local brewery you visit and receive QC Ale Trail prizes. Craft beer enthusiasts can pick up a QC Ale Trail passport from the participating breweries, Visit Quad Cities Visitor Centers, or download the passport at www.qcaletrail.com. This passport serves as the guide to the 14 local breweries (and counting).

Contact Visit Quad Cities at 800-747-7800 or visit their website at www.visitquadcities.com. The Quad Cities is located on the Mississippi River and is made up of the riverfront cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Moline, East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois, and surrounding area. The area is just a 2-½ hour drive from Des Moines, Iowa, and Chicago, Illinois. It is easily accessible via I-80, I-74, I-88 and several major state highways.

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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