Great River Days returns July 28-31, 2010

Plans are underway for the 52nd annual Great River Days festival, to be held at Riverfront Park, Muscatine Iowa, and promises to be the largest community event in almost 20 years.

Building on the success of 2009, GRD organizers Kerry Keller and JJ Koehler will again chair the event, which includes a carnival, parade, craft show, talent and queen contests, and three evenings of music entertainment on the Main Stage. The GRD committee has secured City Council approval, and will utilize the same expanded layout of Riverfront Park for the event. In 2010, GRD will again host the full concert experience on the west end of the park, with the best available music acts in the area.

Opening the concert series on Thursday, July 29 will be the reunion of two of the areas biggest bands, Crusin’ and the XL’s. Originally from Wilton Junction, the XL’s were inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. Even though the original band members are now scattered around the country, all of them plan on returning to GRD for this reunion concert on the riverfront. Sharing the stage that evening will be the band Crusin’. Formerly known as the Daybreakers, they were also honored in 2008 as Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

“We are fortunate to have two of the biggest local bands from back in the day perform at this years’ event”, commented event Co-Chairman JJ Koehler. “The reunion of the XL’s alone would be a great concert, but when you put that in with another hall of fame band like Crusin/Daybreakers on the same stage, you get a rare opportunity to witness something special”, he concluded.

Also returning for 2010 is the very popular “Battle of the Bands”, which will move to Friday evening, July 30. The Battle of the Bands finalists are chosen by the public in a unique web-poll format on the GreatRiverDays.com website. Nominations for bands open April 16, with the voting period running from April 23 through July 5. Again this year, each finalist band will have a 45 minute set on the Main Stage that evening, to perform their very best music with a professional sound stage and production.
In 2009, over 33 bands contested for the Final Five slots to play on the GRD Main stage for $2250 in cash. Thousands of people voted on-line for their favorite bands, with the concert itself featuring the best homegrown music in the region. “The concert itself was amazing”, said Koehler. “Each band brought their best stuff on stage that night, and held nothing back. The fans got a Command Performance; they chose the bands that performed, and this year they will also choose the winners that night at the show.”

While the Great River Days event is still a few months away, the organizers are working hard to secure local sponsorship funds and finalize the event schedule. Many of the entry forms are already available on the GreatRiverDays.com website, along with a tentative schedule of events and concert information. “Basically right now we are working with our vendors, and getting the promotions calendar in order” said Kerry Keller, event chairman. “It does take financial resources to put on the event, and we could not accomplish it without that support from the community. Many of them have committed to 2010, and we are very appreciative of them for doing so. As a not-for profit organization, GRD needs that support, financial or otherwise, to make the event happen.”

Planning and work towards GRD 2010 continues, and more information is available on the GreatRiverdays.com website, or by calling 563-263-3084.

Related information: see Iowa Rock and Roll Hall-of-Fame website biographies:

XL’s:  http://www.iowarocknroll.com/inductee-details.php?id=211

Daybreakers/Crusin: http://www.iowarocknroll.com/inductee-details.php?id=192

Event info can be found at www.GreatRiverDays.com

This years parade theme will be “Let’s Have a Great Time on the Riverfront in 2010!”

Have an idea for GRD? Contact us by e-mail at info@greatriverdays.com
or call 563-263-3084 curing normal business hours

Great River Days is a not-for-profit corporation