A group of visitors look over the vendor booths Saturday, June 10, during the first Patriot Riverfest in downtown LeClaire. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
LECLAIRE, Iowa – Randye Jones wasn’t expecting to go to a celebration on Saturday, June 10. The Grinnell, Iowa, woman was in the Quad Cities over the weekend to take a river cruise and accidentally stumbled on the new Patriot Riverfest in downtown LeClaire. But she was happy to make the discovery. “I’m in town […]
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LECLAIRE, Iowa – Randye Jones wasn’t expecting to go to a celebration on Saturday, June 10.The Grinnell, Iowa, woman was in the Quad Cities over the weekend to take a river cruise and accidentally stumbled on the new Patriot Riverfest in downtown LeClaire. But she was happy to make the discovery.“I’m in town to do a cruise and I just stopped by to see what was going on. It looks very interesting. … I got my lunch here, so I’m happy,” Ms. Jones added.
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Anna Hughes of Clinton, Iowa, shows one of the mini-wreaths she has for sale at her vendor booth at the Patriot Riverfest on Saturday, June 10, in LeClaire. PHOTOS BY DAVE THOMPSON
A band plays the hits during the Patriot Riverfest, a first-time event in downtown LeClaire designed to raise funds to assist veteran activities
The new festival was held Saturday in LeClaire.
Here are some of the vendor booths at the celebration.
Many other visitors were happy on a sunny Saturday as they visited the first edition of the Patriot Riverfest, which was held in the parking lot of the riverfront Buffalo Bill Museum.The festival included food and ice cream trucks, live music, poker runs, a fishing derby, prize drawings and tented vendor booths that filled much of the levee.Visitors seemed to be attracted by the many goods being offered by vendors. Anna Hughes of Anna’s Crafting Designs of Clinton, was one of those vendors offering a wide variety of craft items, including homemade wreaths.“My mini wreaths have been selling,” said Ms. Hughes. “They’re perfect for apartments and nursing homes. I sell a lot of them for nursing homes.”A short walk away, Roga Taylor, of North End Vintage, was busy selling handbags. She called the Patriot Riverfest a good event that by early afternoon was already bringing in a tour group from Green Bay, Wisconsin, and many other out-of-state visitors.“I had a woman from South Dakota buy one of my bags. … It’s a beautiful day and a good event. If they keep doing this, it’s going to keep growing,” she said.Some of the other vendors were selling tumblers, wood decor, Pampered Chef items, Bath & Beauty products, candles, Diamond Painting, Color Street, Scentsy, baked goods, farm products, origami, Apothecary, Irish collectables, seasonings, wooden flags, crystals, incense and embroidery.But Saturday’s celebration also had a serious theme. Funds raised during the event will go to help renovate Scott County patriotic monuments and improve area organizations’ ability to provide for the county’s veterans. Organizers of the first-time celebration were pleased by the event. “I think it went very well. … The kids just had a blast at the fishing derby,” said Annette Black, a Patriot Riverfest organizer.She added there are plans to continue the celebration next year with improvements to make it bigger and better. Some of those improvements include adding a beer tent and more music.“We want it to return and keep it growing,” she said.
