The Quad City Symphony Riverfront Pops concert will return to LeClaire Park on September 12th, under a slew of new health and safety rules.
The Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) has rescheduled its Quad City Bank Trust Riverfront Pops event to Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m., back at its longtime home at Davenport’s LeClaire Park. It previously was scheduled for Arsenal Island, for the second time, on August 15th.
The postponed show will still celebrate the music of Fleetwood Mac, and will close with the traditional rousing renditions of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” and Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever,” set to a fireworks display. The orchestra's Executive Director, Brian Baxter says it took lots of complex planning to devise a way to safely hold the event, using guidelines from Scott County Health Department .
“I am so proud of the work that our team is doing in collaboration with so many to make this event happen and make it as safe as we possibly can. In this extremely challenging environment, we hope that this year’s Quad City Bank & Trust Riverfront Pops will serve as an opportunity for our community to demonstrate how we can safely enjoy live music in the era of Covid-19.”
Starting in early August, ticket buyers will purchase a specific plot of land in LeClaire Park, which will be marked, as they would reserve a seat at a concert. A limited number of distanced seat pairs will be available in the permanent seats near the bandshell. The park plots will be clearly designated, spaced at least 6-feet apart, sized for groups of up to 10, 6, or 2 people, and are available in three price zones – from $42 to $282.
Baxter says face masks or coverings will be required for entry, exit, and to move about the common areas, but will not be required when attendees are in their seating plots. Guests are encouraged to bring their own food and beverages. There will be no on-site vendors.
Due to the global pandemic, the QCSO’s annual Signature Soirée fundraising event is moving online, on September 19th at 6:30 p.m. Music director and conductor Mark Russell Smith will host the live-streamed event, and attendees can enjoy a chamber music performance featuring concertmaster Naha Greenholtz and principal cellist Hannah Holman and participate in a live auction in support of the QCSO’s music education programs.
For $125, ticket-holders will get a three–course dinner, chocolates, and a flower arrangement – all delivered to their home. Others can watch the concert online for free. For more information, visit qcso.org.
