Our Mission

“Quad City Arts is dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts.”

What Is Festival of Trees?

More than just a premier holiday event, Festival of Trees is the annual fundraiser for Quad City Arts, a local nonprofit arts organization.

It takes more than 3,000 volunteers, 650 designers, 3,500 CenterStage entertainers, and 150 sponsors to make Festival of Trees a time-honored and beloved Quad City tradition. Festival is recognized as one of the top events of its kind in North America, raising millions of dollars in support of local arts and arts education since 1986.

More than 100,000 attendees experience Festival each year, making it one of the largest attractions in the Quad Cities. This fundraiser makes it possible for Quad City Arts to provide quality arts programming and support year-round for the residents of six counties in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.

The History of Festival of Trees

In 1986, during a time where the Quad City community was suffering from an economic depression, Festival of Trees was created to bring the community together, provide artistic expression and to develop a community event in the area.

The event was specifically instigated as a fundraiser for the Visiting Artist Series, and has since become the major fundraiser for Quad City Arts. Over the past 30 years, Festival has evolved from a weekend-long event in one room, into an 11-day event utilizing the entire 70,000 square foot RiverCenter complex in Downtown Davenport.