City of Rock Island Government

06/12/2026

No plans this weekend? Spend it in Downtown Rock Island! Join us Saturday at the ROCK ISLAND block letters for 2nd Saturdays on 2nd (Avenue) for live music, outdoor fun, the QC Farmers' Market, and soft opening of Blue Collar Bagels! Come back Sunday for the Rock Island Artists' Market at Skeleton Key Art and Antiques, 520 18th St., from noon to 5 p.m. and the YWCA Quad Cities Summer Block Party, right next door!

06/12/2026

🥳We'd like to wish a very happy birthday to Rock Island Public Works Director Mike Bartels! Mike has been director of the largest department in the City for seven years, managing more than 170 employees and an annual budget of $50 million. Sadly, he's leaving us June 19 for another opportunity. But we're celebrating him today nonetheless! We are grateful to have had a leader like him as part of our staff. 🎉

06/12/2026

💪Team Rock Island held their own last night during Quad Cities Corporate Games trivia night at Stoney Creek Inn in Moline. We placed 4th in our division among dozens of very smart and competitive teams. Congrats to City of Moline on their 2nd place finish! (We beat City of Bettendorf,!) One of the questions was, "What Rock Island neighborhood has more than 500 Queen Anne and Victorian homes?" Broadway Historic District, Rock Island, of course! 🏘️The City was represented by Tanner Osing, Tarah Sipes, Sarah Hayden, Amanda Torres and Leslie Day.

06/11/2026

📣Now hiring! We are seeking a health inspector and a police customer service assistant. Join a fun and productive team while earning a great salary and benefits! Apply at rigov.org.

06/11/2026

2nd Saturdays on 2nd (Avenue) are BACK! Rain or shine, come out to Downtown Rock Island and enjoy all there is to offer. We are excited for the soft opening of Blue Collar Bagels on Saturday, right next to the ROCK ISLAND block letters in the former Daquiri Factory building! 🥯

2nd Saturdays are back in Downtown Rock Island.

Join us Saturday, June 13 for the first 2nd Saturdays of the season, presented by Gas & Electric Credit Union, with the QC Farmers' Market, live music, fitness, pop-up shops, family-friendly activities and downtown business specials happening throughout the day.

Here’s what’s happening:

2nd Avenue Festival Street | 1800 block of 2nd Ave.
• 8 a.m.–12 p.m. | QC Farmers' Market featuring local produce, baked goods, specialty foods, flowers, artisan goods and more
• 8 a.m.–12 p.m. | Rock Island Public Library pop-up with summer reading info, a free take-and-make craft and library updates
• 8 a.m.–12 p.m. | The Original Huckleberry's Great Pizza & Calzones pop-up at the QC Farmers Market with breakfast pizza and other menu items featuring seasonal products from local growers
• 10–11 a.m. | Rock Island Preservation Society (RIPS) walking tour of historic Downtown Rock Island, starting at 2nd Avenue and 19th Street

Arts Alley | 1719 2nd Ave.
• 9–10 a.m. | Yoga-Pilates Fusion with Refined Fit Lab. RSVP encouraged: https://bit.ly/June-refinedfit
• 10 a.m.–2 p.m. | Arts Alley Pop-Up Shops featuring Amore Creations and The Irish Candy Co -Flaherty's

Green Lawn | 1801 2nd Ave.
• 8 a.m.–12 p.m. | Giant lawn games
• 9:30–11:30 a.m. | Bubble stations by Absolute Science and live music by Mo Carter, curated by Common Chord, on the Blue Collar Bagels deck

Nearby downtown businesses and partners:
• Bev's Yarn Barn | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | June Vendor Pop-Up with three visiting businesses and double loyalty points
• Blue Collar Bagels | 6 a.m.–3 p.m. | Soft opening with the dining room and deck open to the public
• Brick and Motor Boutique | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Summer Sip & Shop with new arrivals, BOGO sale rack, sweet treats, summer-themed mimosas + Brewed Awakening Coffee Company pop-up
• Looney's Little Chicago | 7 a.m.–12 p.m. | Breakfast, beverages and patio seating
• Rock Island Ale House | 11 a.m.–10 p.m. | $5 drafts, half-price cheese curds and a chance to win a staycation at the Holiday Inn Rock Island
• YWCA Quad Cities | 9 a.m.–12 p.m. | Buy one entry, get one free at the indoor aquatic center

Plus, Schwiebert Riverfront Park is nearby with spray fountains, the playground and public restrooms open from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Make a day of it in Downtown Rock Island.

More details at downtownrockisland.org/2nd-Saturdays/

06/10/2026

Mayor Ashley Harris issued a proclamation during Monday night's City Council meeting recognizing Saturday, June 13 as Rock Island County NAACP Day. Accepting the proclamation was NAACP - Rock Island County, Illinois Branch Executive Committee Member Steve Scranton and Secretary Corinthia Dothard.

Dothard said the annual Freedom Fund NAACP Banquet will be held this Saturday at 5 p.m. at Bally’s Quad Cities Casino & Hotel, Rock Island. "It takes a village. It doesn't matter what color we are, it takes a village to become better citizens for each other, to understand that we're all human, and that we all have to come together to make our communities better," Dothard said.

The proclamation reads in part, "The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – NAACP is the oldest civil rights organization in the United States and was created in 1909 as a national call for justice for African Americans due to the Springfield, Illinois Race Riot of August 1908 – one of the most infamous events in Illinois and American history. People from across the nation were shocked and dismayed that racial riots occurred in the adopted hometown of Abraham Lincoln, leading activists to gather to take up the struggle for the civil and political rights of Black citizens, ultimately resulting in the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Citizens of the United States of America, white and Black joined together to ensure justice and equality for all citizens.

"The City of Rock Island acknowledges the Rock Island County NAACP for its dedication to the struggle for the civil and political rights of citizens of color."

06/09/2026

🏳️‍🌈Mayor Ashley Harris issued a proclamation during Monday night's City Council meeting recognizing June as Pride Month. The proclamation was accepted by Nate Berthoud, Brent Smith-Gleason and Daniel Gleason of the Quad Cities Pride Alliance, who said nearly 4,000 people attended Pride Fest over the weekend in Schwiebert Park. "We'd like to thank the City for partnering with us as well as Downtown Rock Island," Daniel Gleason said. "We have donated 80 flags for downtown and we'll continue to grow that so we can paint the downtown in rainbows during Pride Month."

The proclamation reads in part, "The Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Q***r plus (LGBTQ+) communities of Rock Island are an integral part of the vibrant culture and climate of Rock Island. The diverse LGBTQ+ community continues to contribute to the widespread academic, economic, artistic and social spheres within and around our greater community.

"The month of June was designated as Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall Riots, which occurred in June of 1969 and are generally recognized as the catalyst of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. The City of Rock Island remains committed to protecting the civil rights of LGBTQ+ communities as the power and purpose of this iconic event proved vital in our unified effort to forge a more open and just society."

06/09/2026

We honored outgoing Public Works Director Mike Bartels at last night's City Council meeting. Bartels is resigning after 13 years with the City for a job as engineering project delivery manager with Iowa American Water. His last day with us will be June 19.

"This was not an easy decision," Bartels said. "I wanted to do the best job I could for the City. It's really the 170 (public works) people -- they're the ones doing the work every day. I'm going to miss the staff, I'm going to miss everyone here. It's the greatest city; I wish you guys continued success."

Bartels was presented with a "Bartels Blvd" sign by Municipal Services Superintendent Luke VanLandegen who credited Bartels with providing steady leadership through numerous historic weather and emergency events during the second-largest single snow event in local history in January 2024, the record-breaking 2019 Mississippi River flood, the August 2020 Derecho windstorm and the March 2023 tornado.

"In addition to his strong operational leadership during these events, Mike oversaw several high-profile capital projects, including the successful downtown reconstruction and the complex demolition of the parking garage," VanLandegen said. "On behalf of the Public Works Department we would like to thank Mike for his leadership over the years."

06/09/2026

06/09/2026

Stop by King's Cafe at the The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center for free breakfast, coffee and conversation! ☕️🥯
- MLK Center Banquet Room
- 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Tuesdays through Thursdays
Come in. Sit down. Stay awhile.