Downtown Rock Island

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Downtown Rock Island

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Discover downtown Rock Island, where there's something for everyone. Where over 175 years of history meets new traditions. Please make yourself at home. We do.

Immerse yourself in the natural beauty along the Mississippi River at Schweibert Park, take a bike ride on the Great River Trail and explore the Quad City Botanical Center. Enjoy an eclectic mix of restaurants, sip craft cocktails and pick up some farm fresh produce. Experience a rich local art scene, take in a yoga class or laugh the night away.

10/28/2026

🎃 MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 👻

You showed up. You explored. You conquered the Monster Mission!
During Saturday's Back from the Dead event, our Monster Mission adventurers set out to experience Downtown Rock Island, and we loved seeing where the journey took them.

🚋 From trolley rides and spooky encounters to local shops, restaurants, larger-than-life games and plenty of Halloween surprises, you captured some pretty memorable moments along the way.

📸 Here's a look at Back from the Dead through YOUR eyes!

🏆 Our Monster Mission winners were officially notified Tuesday. A huge congratulations to our lucky winners, and a big thank you to everyone who participated and shared their adventures with us. You're all winners in our eyes 💜

A special shoutout to Skellington Manor Event Center for providing some fang-tastic prizes and helping make this year's Monster Mission possible!

10/24/2026

🧟 It takes a village to raise the dead.

Back from the Dead is here, and bringing an event like this to life takes businesses and community partners willing to invest in it.

We’re grateful to our sponsors for their financial support, which helped us pull together all the fun for this special event, from free trolley rides and all-ages entertainment to signage and decor by local artists and farmers.

Several of our partners also found additional ways to show up for downtown.

🏗️ 1st General Construction opened its space to us, giving local artist Kimberly Kruse a place to spend days painting our massive Back from the Dead photo-op.

🛒 Quad Cities Illinois Hy-Vee Stores will be on site during Ghouls on the Green 4-6 p.m., lending a hand at Back from the Dead HQ.

👻 Terror at Skellington Manor provided prizes for our Monster Mission, giving participants another reason to explore downtown throughout the day.

That combination of investment, resources and people willing to pitch in is what makes an event like this possible.

🎃 Powered by: Rock Island Downtown Alliance
🏗️ Presented by: 1st General Construction
🖤 Sponsored by: Dan's Advanced Awnings, Windows and Garage Doors, Quad Cities Illinois Hy-Vee Stores and Terror at Skellington Manor

Thank you for investing in Downtown Rock Island and helping us bring it back from the Dead. 🧟‍♂️

📅 Saturday, Oct. 24
📍 Downtown Rock Island
🔗 Full event details: bit.ly/RIP26

10/23/2026

A big thank you to WQAD and Dani's Weekend Rundown for having Jack Cullen of the Downtown Alliance on to talk all things Back from the Dead! 👻

Join us THIS SATURDAY, Oct. 24, for a full day of Halloween fun, spooky attractions, local shopping, live entertainment and FREE trolley rides throughout Downtown Rock Island! 🧟‍♂️🚎

Plan your spooky adventure: bit.ly/RIP26

10/21/2026

Your ticket to spooky season has arrived! 🚋🎃

Eight stops. One very haunted Saturday.

Hop aboard the FREE Back from the Dead trolley this Saturday, Oct. 24, and explore everything Downtown Rock Island has to offer! From pumpkin photo-ops and haunted attractions to local shopping, live entertainment and food & drinks, there's something spooky waiting around every corner.

🚋 FREE trolley rides 1–10 p.m.
📍 Eight stops connecting all the Halloween fun

Save this map, plan your stops and let the trolley do the driving! 👻

🔗 bit.ly/RIP26

10/21/2026

🎃 A big thank you to KWQC Morgan Ottier and Meteorologist Kyle Kiel for having Jack Cullen of the Downtown Alliance and Penni Smith Steen of Skellington Manor Event Center on Quad Cities Live to talk all things Back from the Dead! 👻

📺 Catch the full segment here: https://bit.ly/3W0Zojo

Join us THIS SATURDAY, Oct. 24, for a full day of Halloween fun, spooky attractions, local shopping, live entertainment and FREE trolley rides throughout Downtown Rock Island! 🧟‍♂️🚎

🗺️ Plan your spooky adventure: bit.ly/RIP26

10/20/2026

Back from the Dead has a fresh new look this year, thanks to local talent.

As the event continues to grow, the Downtown Alliance teamed up with Rock Island artists to create a mascot to help make our event stand out this spooky season.

First, illustrator Stephanie L. Tunnell of Planet Holly sketched our zombie from scratch, turning our vision into the new face of Back from the Dead.

From there, artist Kimberly Kruse of Celestial by Design took Stephanie’s character off the page and made him much, much bigger, hand-painting the design onto a massive photo-op installation.

There’s a lot of creative talent in our city, and getting to build Back from the Dead alongside artists from our own community has been one of the best parts of the process.

🎨 Designed locally. Painted locally.

Come see the finished piece and snap a photo 1–6 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 24, at Back from the Dead HQ, 1801 2nd Ave. Additional Ghouls on the Green festivities run 4–6 p.m.

🔗 Full event details: bit.ly/RIP26

10/19/2026

🧟 Ghouls are taking over the green this Saturday, Oct. 24., during Back from the Dead.

Find the fun 4-6 p.m. on the Green Lawn by the Rock Island Letters, 1801 2nd Ave.

🧙 QC Crones witch dancers kick things off at 4 p.m.
👹 Meet and take photos with haunt actors QC Jason and Michael Myers from Terror at Skellington Manor
✨ Catch some spooky magic
🎶 Live vinyl DJ set from Just Let Go
☕ Enjoy complimentary hot cocoa from Blue Collar Bagels while supplies last

The lawn will open as Back from the Dead HQ beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday with outdoor games, photo ops, event information and more.

🎃 BACK FROM THE DEAD HQ | 1–6 P.M.
📸 Photo ops
🎯 Outdoor games
ℹ️ Event information + public restroom
🛒 Plus, Quad Cities Illinois Hy-Vee Stores will be joining us on the Green!
🚋 Hop on the FREE trolley and make this one of your stops! Trolley service runs 1–10 p.m.

📍 Green Lawn / Rock Island Letters | 1801 2nd Ave.

Back from the Dead is presented by 1st General Construction and sponsored by Dan's Advanced Awnings, Windows and Garage Doors, Quad Cities Illinois Hy-Vee Stores and Terror at Skellington Manor. Their support helps us bring this all-day Halloween celebration to Downtown Rock Island.

🎃 Saturday, Oct. 24 | Downtown Rock Island
🔗 Find all the details — https://bit.ly/RIP26

10/17/2026

🎃 ONE WEEK TO GO until Back from the Dead takes over Downtown Rock Island!

🧟‍♂️ Stretch, sip and get a little spooky in Arts Alley during Back from the Dead.

Spirits & Stretches takes over Arts Alley 6–9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, with a mix of movement, drinks, costumes and Halloween pop-ups under the sparkly lights.

✨ 6 p.m. | Festivities begin

🍸 Drinks from ICONS MARTINI
🖤 Temporary tattoos + spooky pop-up fun with Alchemist Art Studio
🔮 Complimentary tarot readings with Bruja On A Budget

🧘 7 p.m. | Pilates under the lights with Refined Fit Lab
Reserve your spot: https://bit.ly/deadpilates

👻 8 p.m. | Costume contest

📍 Arts Alley | 1719 2nd Ave.
🎃 Downtown Rock Island

Come for Pilates, stay for the spirits and spells. Pro tip: Head to Rock Island Brewing Company RIBCO afterward for the Pitch Black Manor Dance Party. 💀🪩

🔗 Full event details: bit.ly/RIP26

10/16/2026

The energy was electric during at Modern Woodmen of America’s headquarters in Downtown Rock Island ⚡️

Rock Island Downtown Alliance staff experienced it firsthand alongside City of Rock Island Government Ald. Jenni Swanson and Joscelyn Rowe, District Deputy Director for U.S. Congressman Eric Sorensen.

MWA shows up in big ways for its workforce, members and communities across the country. But their impact starts right here at home in the Quad Cities, and we are grateful for their partnership and support.

Thank you, MWA, for the hospitality and for making downtown a better place!

10/15/2026

Climb aboard. Things are about to get spooky.👻

The FREE Back from the Dead trolley runs 1–10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, connecting eight stops throughout Rock Island, including a dedicated stop at Augustana College for students heading downtown.

📍 Trolley Stops
1️⃣ Back from the Dead HQ / Blue Collar Bagels
2️⃣ Afterimage Boutique
3️⃣ The Stern Center
4️⃣ YWCA Quad Cities
5️⃣ Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
6️⃣ Rozz-Tox
7️⃣ Augustana College - Illinois (7th Ave. and 30th St.)
8️⃣ Quad City Botanical Center

👻 Stay on board 6-7 p.m. for a special haunted trolley tour by QC Haunts & History Tours.

Whether you’re heading downtown from Augie or hopping between event stops, the trolley makes it easy to experience Back from the Dead and complete the Monster Mission.

🚋 FREE RIDES | 1–10 P.M.
🎃 Saturday, Oct. 24 | Downtown Rock Island
🔗 Full details – https://bit.ly/RIP26

Address

Rock Island, IL
61201

Website

https://downtownrockisland.org/

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