Bettendorf’s Be Downtown is ‘all about community’ 

A celebration shining a spotlight on Bettendorf featured music, kids making bubbles, professional wrestling, lots of food and helping build a sense of community. “It’s all about community. … We want people to experience downtown Bettendorf and all that’s here,” said Ryan Jantzi, the executive director of the Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO), which helped present […]

A celebration shining a spotlight on Bettendorf featured music, kids making bubbles, professional wrestling, lots of food and helping build a sense of community. “It's all about community. … We want people to experience downtown Bettendorf and all that’s here,” said Ryan Jantzi, the executive director of the Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO), which helped present the annual Be Downtown celebration on Saturday, June 7,  at the 15th Street Landing, 15th and State streets. (The DBO is a division of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce.) Mr. Jantzi added the celebration was also a good time to showcase the many businesses, features and progress being made in downtown Bettendorf. “Be Downtown continues to grow in numbers each year. It’s a great opportunity to spend the day in Downtown Bettendorf. Live music, pro wrestling, kids activities, food trucks and a bags tournament make for a great Saturday, and it’s all free,” he said in a statement before Saturday’s celebration. Be Downtown was presented by Ascentra Credit Union and Bettendorf Business Network with additional sponsorships from the City of Bettendorf, Isle Casino Hotel, K&K Hardware, Quad-City Times, Stations of Our Quad Cities and Townsquare Media. On Saturday, hundreds of people got to look over downtown Bettendorf as they enjoyed the activities. One of them was Rob Sullivan of Bettendorf, who was at Be Downtown with his family. They enjoyed a bouncy house for children before heading over to another popular activity, the Absolute Science Bubble Station. It featured visitors dipping devices called bubble wands into containers filled with a soap solution in order to create some massive bubbles. It was one of the most popular activities during the celebration. (It was a great for kids, but many adults were also having fun filling the celebration with bubbles.)

1 of 6

 

‘A good ole time’

“We just got here. … We’re doing some bubbles. We’re also in the bouncy house. … It’s been a good ole time,” he said. In addition to bubbles and the bouncy house, Be Downtown featured lots of food and treats from G’s Gourmet Popcorn, a food table set up by the nearby Verde restaurant, and from the food trucks Wolfe It Down Pizza and Smokin Goodness. Other popular features were chalk art, HAW Pro Wrestling, a bags tournament, a Kids for Vets Lemonade Stand collection donations to help area veterans, and the free items being given out during the celebration. Some of those freebies were being given out at the City of Bettendorf table at the celebration. At a little past noon on Saturday, Mark Hunt, community development director for the city, was being kept busy giving out an assortment of items, such as sunglasses, cups and koozies. He said he hopes people will attend the celebration and get a good look what’s happening in the city. “I hope people see the growing that’s happening in Bettendorf. We have a great downtown,” Mr. Hunt added. Not far from the city’s table, K&K Hardware was giving out free snow cones, and samples of some exotic soft drinks. Some of them included Salted Caramel Root Beer, Bombsicle, Huckleberry and Moxie Original Elixir. Like others at the celebration, K&K co-owner Casey Keller said he hopes people get a good look at what the downtown area has to offer. But another main point on Saturday was to have fun. “I hope people have fun today. … It doesn’t feel more small town than this today,” Mr. Keller added.