Great River Days 2012

 It was a busy and hectic year for GRD 53, and by most all accounts and comment, the event achieved success and goals that were set out to accomplish. It took MANY sponsors, friends, helpers and volunteers to put this on, and while the heat of the moment may have been the event demands at hand, nevertheless we want to say THANK YOU to all who made this success possible.

 For us, GRD 53 was a new benchmark of what could be done as a community event in Muscatine. Quiet Riot and the music line-up was second to none, and all while still maintaining the lowest cost ticket price for any event of it’s kind. The various activities hosted during the 4-day event were diverse, well attended, and evidence that the concept of a “Community Event” is still a viable entertainment entity in today’s very busy lifestyle. We have no intentions of giving in to any opinion that GRD is obsolete, redundant, or irrelevant. In fact, all indications point to the event becoming MORE popular and attended, not less.

 Our challenge in 2012, is to continue to build on the successes of the past three years, and traditions of the fifty years prior to that.

 Our mission will be to make GRD 2012 a more community-oriented event, something that is unique to Muscatine and it’s residents. While the general riverfront admission is still going to be free, we believe that there needs to be more local interest attractions, more charitable and civic groups involved, and more family-friendly activities to be enjoyed. We do not want to copy some other community’s’ event and pretend it fits Muscatine, but rather to combine GRD’s long standing success with other new and fresh ideas that give our community something to look forward to…something that they can call their own.

 Even though it is the dead of winter, our work on GRD 2012 is progressing forward. We have this confidence because of the support of the community, sponsors, and City Officials that GRD 54 will be held, ON the riverfront, and that the results will be even better than the last.

 Even though our names may be signed on the bottom of this letter, trust me, it is YOU that really make this event happen. We look forward to your ideas and input, and wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Kerry Keller
JJ Koehler
GRD event co-chairmen

54th Annual Great River Days – July 25-28, 2012
Riverfront Park - Muscatine Iowa