There’s a painting called “Parisian Street Scene” by an unnamed artist that evokes the streets of Davenport, late at night, as guests spill out of the RiverCenter after the Premiere Party of the Festival of Trees.
Their shadows stretch across wet pavement, reflections shimmering under streetlights as shouts of holiday cheer echo between buildings.
That’s one image spotted recently in a Quad Cities gallery.
Another is a child peering into a shop window, eyes wide at the sight of a shiny blue bicycle — price tag: $129. Way out of reach.
And then there’s a third: a classic Americana-style scene inside a Moline living room. A family sits close on the couch, bowls of buttery popcorn in hand, making paper chains for their tree while the television hums softly in the background.
Each image tells its own story, but all share one origin: the Festival of Trees.
The partygoers in the Paris-inspired painting are the most fortunate. They pay for their evening out through ticket purchases and tree bids, giving back to the very event they came to enjoy.
The Moline family spent their afternoon walking through the festival’s glittering displays — their price of admission a family ticket and a few cups of hot cocoa. And the hopeful child? She came as part of a no-cost school field trip, experiencing the same wonder without paying a dime.
Three moments. Three very different audiences. One shared reward — joy.
Photo provided by The Cultural Trust
That joy is what keeps Festival of Trees thriving and the community connected. It’s powered by generous donors, tireless volunteers and the organizers who see art as something meant for everyone.
The Cultural Trust supports the six Legacy Partners that bring that vision to life — from the music and performance to the design and imagination that fill the RiverCenter each November. Together, those partners carry forward the festival’s promise: that art and culture shouldn’t just be for some people, but shared by all.
That’s what makes the Quad City Arts Festival of Trees — and the people who build it — true Culture Champions.
Because culture matters here — and it always will.
Coming tomorrow: Lunch with legends: The art of celebration
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