In collaboration with Augustana College, a world-renowned chef and leader in the field of entomophagy – the eating of insects – will introduce participants to familiar foods augmented by some unfamiliar ingredients on May 11 and 13, when Chef Joseph Yoon presents a tasting event at Rock Islanmd's Nest Cafe on May 11 and a lecture at Augustana College's Gerber Center on May 13.

With her most recent publication lauded by the Historical Novel Society as "well-researched" and "beautiful to behold." local author and native of China X.H. Collins will read from and discuss her 2020 novel Flowing Water, Falling Flowers on May 22, the in-person event held as part of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Month celebration at the Davenport Public Library's Eastern Avenue Branch.

On May 14, young children and their young-at-heart chaperones can enjoy the stage version of one of the most popular entertainments in television history, with Sesame Street Live: Say Hello invites audiences to a reunion with Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and their friends at Davenport's Adler Theatre.

With special attention paid to Roddewig Schmidt Candy Company, Velma Chocolates, and other former Quad Cities institutions, Davenport's German American Heritage Center will, through May 19, explore different candy manufacturers in our area in the exhibition Sweet Treats: German Influence on the QC Candy Industry, demonstrating how the Quad Cities were once home to numerous candy manufacturers of German heritage popular both locally and regionally.

Curated by Christine Chandler, curator of Natural Sciences at the Putnam Museum & Science Center, the enthralling exhibition Tales from Tails: Storybook Beasts will be on display at the Davenport venue through May 28, inviting guests to embark on a wild adventure through the world of literature.

An eagerly awaited springtime touring event rides, jumps, and spins into the Vibrant Arena at the MARK on May 4 as the Moline venue hosts Monster Jam 2024, the amphitheater event that brings a new level of high-flying, four-wheel excitement to the entire family with racing, two-wheel skills, donuts, and freestyle competitions.

An actor, writer, producer, and former Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement will take part in a special Illinois Libraries Present event hosted by the Rock Island and Silvis Public Libraries, the May 7 virtual program The Many Lives of Kal Penn offering an audience with the author of You Can’t Be Serious and the co-star of entertainments including The Namesake, The Santa Clauses, and the Harold & Kumar franchise.

Delivered in conjunction with the final day of the venue's Breaking Barriers: Walls Throughout History exhibition, Berlin: Before & After the Wall Fell will find Davenport's German American Heritage Center continuing its popular "Kaffee & Kuchen" series on May 5, with guests invited to view the departing first-floor exhibit either before or after presenter Russell Baldner's fascinating program.

Deemed "a side-splitting spectacular" by the Washington Blade, the touring celebration of a beloved and iconic TV sitcom comes to Davenport's Adler Theatre in Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue, an adult-themed comedy that, with its all-male cast, Play Off the Page described as "a wonderful blend of nostalgia and witty dialogue mixed with the sex appeal of drag."

Enchanting audiences of every age with dramatic storytelling using myths and fables from ancient and modern Japan, Kuniko Yamamoto enjoys a residency as the latest guests in the Quad City Arts Visiting Artist series, her area performances from April 29 through May 4 spiced with social revelations to educate and amuse.

Pages