Quad Cities

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon!

It was another successful year thanks to the staff, volunteers, participants, and of course all of the visitors and residents who lined the streets. We are already counting down the days until next year!


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2026 TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon Live Feed of the Finish Line for the TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon ...

Our Brand and Content Strategist, Katrina Keuning, joined the Quad Cities Live team to share more about Destination QC!.

Click the link below to learn about this year’s panelists, award winners, and program. We can’t wait to see you there!

https://www.kwqc.com/2026/09/25/future-regional-tourism-storytelling-takes-center-stage-destination-qc-2026/


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Future of regional tourism and storytelling takes center stage at Destination QC! 2026 National travel experts and local visionaries will gather on Oct. 29 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at Rhythm City to reveal a fresh strategy for regional economic development and community storytelling, as hosted by Visit Quad Cities

Visit Quad Cities congratulates its partners at MetroLINK and the City of East Moline for the installation of two public Level 3 EV fast chargers in downtown, East Moline!

These chargers are available at the East Moline Public Library and will provide an opportunity for those seeking this energy option. This is a great addition for our residents but also serves as a chance for visitors to charge their vehicles while connecting and exploring one of QC communities.

A big thank you to Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen, Illinois State Senator Mike Halpin, and East Moline Mayor Reggie Freeman for all they do to support our destination and moving it forward.


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Ride the Rails behind the World’s Largest Operating Diesel Locomotive!

Step aboard the Liberty Rocket this weekend, September 26 and 27! Learn more by visiting our events calendar https://visitquadcities.com/events/events-calendar/event?eventid=13012


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Raise your glass and join the celebration at the 2nd Annual LeClaire W**e Stampede!

On Saturday, September 26, 2-5pm, shops along Cody Road will transform into tasting stops where guests can enjoy complimentary samples from Wide River W**ery Tasting Room, Olathea Creek Vineyard & W**ery, Ardon Creek W**ery, Tassel Ridge W**ery, 3 Sons Vineyards, Tycoga W**ery & Distillery, Lubben Vineyards, and Fireside W**ery.


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We’re excited to round out this year’s Destination QC! panel with Kristen Reynolds! Kristen will bring her perspective and expertise to the conversation alongside a great lineup of industry and economic development leaders.

Kristen Reynolds is President and CEO of Choose Chicago, the city’s official destination-marketing organization. Since stepping into the role in May 2025, she has emphasized partnerships across the city’s 77 neighborhoods, elevated the “Never Done. Never Outdone.” brand platform, and leveraged major events and convention growth to amplify Chicago’s global profile.

Kristen brings deep experience in the tourism industry to her role. She spent nearly a decade as President and CEO of Discover Long Island, where she directed the organization through a transformative rebrand and drove successive record-setting tourism years. Prior to that, she held leadership roles at the Arizona Office of Tourism and the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association.

Kristen is a Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) and serves on the boards of Destinations International, the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association, World Business Chicago, and the Illinois Destinations Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and is passionate about leveraging tourism to fuel equitable economic impact. Kristen lives in downtown Chicago with her husband and two dogs.

RSVP here: https://visitquadcities.com/about/destination-qc

Head back in time and watch Rock of Ages on the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse stage on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights!

Visit our events calendar to learn more : https://visitquadcities.com/events/events-calendar/event?eventid=10676


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We’re thrilled to welcome Bethanie DeRose to our annual Destination QC! event, where she’ll join an engaging panel alongside other industry and economic development leaders.

As the Executive Vice President of Consulting at Hunden, Bethanie DeRose’s primary focus is overseeing the complete project pipeline from proposal creation and new business development through the delivery of final market demand, financial feasibility, and economic impact analyses. Additionally, Bethanie leads the ex*****on of Hunden’s Placemaking Plans. She has conducted destination tourism plans and strategies for dozens of destinations across the U.S. and internationally.

Prior to joining Hunden, Ms. DeRose was involved in convention center planning in Central America and global tourism readiness planning in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Bethanie has also worked closely with industry associations including the World Travel and Tourism Council on a Global Tourism Readiness project as well as Destinations International on the conventions and meetings product audit.

Bethanie’s background in hospitality operations management, sales ex*****on, and capital project management has informed her work in the consulting sector and allowed her to maintain a hands-on approach in the study efforts she leads. She serves as a point of client contact at each stage of the study process. Developing relationships with clients is a passion-point for DeRose, and she consistently serves as a resource to destinations, cities, and countries for years after the initial study phase is complete.

DeRose is a recognized industry leader and was recently named to the 2023/2024 Association Board of Director Slate for Destinations International.

RSVP Here: https://visitquadcities.com/about/destination-qc

We are excited to have Debi Durham join our insightful panel discussion focused on destination marketing, tourism, and economic development positioning at our annual Destination QC!.

Debi Durham is a longtime economic and community development professional who serves as director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA). Durham was named to the position by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds in January 2019.

Durham was first appointed to lead IEDA in 2011 and has turned the agency into a successful public-private partnership, landed billion-dollar economic development projects for Iowa and worked tirelessly to expand trade and investment opportunities for the state. She was appointed to lead IFA in 2019, when Governor Reynolds recognized an opportunity to further bolster Iowa’s communities and economy by bringing together IFA and IEDA. Durham prides herself on building coalitions, supporting new ventures, and strengthening the state’s industries and communities.

Prior to joining IEDA | IFA, Durham served as president of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce.

Her several accolades include nine-time recognition as one of the Most Influential Business Leaders in the Des Moines Business Record Book of Lists. She has been named the Iowa Association of Business and Industry’s Manufacturing Champion, the Technology Association of Iowa’s UHY Impact Award winner and Legislative Advocacy Leader, the Iowa Restaurant Association’s Industry Champion, and the American Clean Power Association’s Renewable Energy Champion. Durham also has received the Christian Petersen Design Award from Iowa State University’s College of Design, the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s Honorary Master Pork Producers Award and the Sioux City Downtown Rotary Club Key Way Award. She has been recognized by the Business Record as a Woman of Influence and by the Siouxland Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.

Durham was inducted in Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society in the field of economics. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Marketing and Management from Missouri Southern State University. She married her high school sweetheart, Joel, and moved to Sioux City in 1994. They have two children and five grandsons, who are their pride and joy. In her free time, Durham enjoys gardening and doting on her grandsons.

You can RSVP here: https://visitquadcities.com/about/destination-qc