Great River Days will go on as scheduled

The entire event moves to alternate location due to flooding

 The 52nd annual Great River Days in Muscatine, Iowa gathers it’s namesake from the Mighty Mississippi River that flows along its southern border. But with the recent heavy rains, the river is expected to reach major flood stage just in time for the annual festival in Riverfront Park July 28-31 2010.

With less than 48 hours notice, GRD Organizers JJ Koehler and Kerry Keller had to search for an alternate location that could host the event, which includes a carnival, arts and craft fair, three nights of concerts and other attractions and contests.
Early this morning, they reached an agreement with the Muscatine Community College to host the Great River Days event, in it’s entirety, at the MCC campus in Muscatine. Within two hours, the first carnival rides were arriving to set up, and other logistical arrangements being made to move GRD from the Riverfront Park to the college.

While GRD organizers did have contingency plans in case of flooding, none of those plans were meant to be implemented in such a short time frame, so close to the event date. “Canceling the event was never an option”, commented JJ Koehler. “We have been working since Saturday morning to secure a new location off the Riverfront for the festival where we have room for all the events, concerts and carnival.”

Muscatine Community College President Jeff Armstrong volunteered the use of the MCC Campus parking lots, which are large enough to hold the GRD event this week as scheduled. “MCC deserves the thanks for making this relocation possible, so that we can move forward,” said Keller. “The owners of the Muscatine Mall have also agreed to let people park there, and we can easily run a shuttle bus the 2 blocks between the mall and MCC to get people around” he concluded.

While many details have yet to be announced, GRD organizers say that most all the planned activities will take place as scheduled. Details will be announced through the event website, GreatRiverDays.com over the next 36 hours as they become available.
Great River Days extends a special thanks to MCC and the Mall, as well as dozens of people who worked behind the scenes to make this relocation possible in such a short period of time.