Ingersoll

The Ingersoll Neighborhood’s annual family-friendly “block party” will fill the streets with food, music, games and more for a summer evening of community and celebration. Festivities kick off at 3 p.m. but music starts up on the event’s West Stage at 5 p.m with the Ducharme-Jones Band, a husband and wife blues duo. Then, at 7:30 p.m. the 10-piece Health Alan Band takes the stage before the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels close out the night at 8:30 p.m. with a rocking set on the event’s East Stage. Across the rest of the evening expect to see activities like face painting, mini golf and balloon twisting to occupy your time. Food vendors like Karam’s Grill, Gusto Pizza and Lachele’s Battle Bus are also set to be in attendance.

Editors’ Picks:

Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 11 a.m. August Half Price Hump Days, Grout Museum, Waterloo, $4-7.50

Thursdays, Aug. 3 and 17 at 5:30 p.m. Pint Night Ride, SingleSpeed Brewing Co., Waterloo, Free

Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 3-6. Fame the Musical JR., Cedar Falls Community Theatre, $12-22

Thursday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. Outdoor Concert w/Brad & Kate, Hearst Center for the Arts, Cedar Falls, Free

Friday, Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. Movies Under the Moon: Spider-Man: No Way Home, Overman Park, Cedar Falls, Free

Saturday, Aug. 12 at 4 p.m. Cedar Valley Stem & Stein: Wine, Beer & Spirits Fest, RiverLoop Amphitheatre & Expo Plaza, Waterloo, $35-40

Thursday, Aug. 17 at 9 p.m. Octopus 11th Birthday Comedy Showcase w/Reena Calm, Octopus College Hill, Cedar Falls, $10

Friday, Aug. 18 at 5:30 p.m. RiverLoop Rhythms: Dred I Dread, RiverLoop Amphitheatre & Expo Plaza, Free

Friday, Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. Movies Under the Moon: The Sandlot, Overman Park, Free

Saturday, Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. Discussion w/ Ruth Suckow, Hearst Center for the Arts, Free

Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. DEEJ: Inclusion Shouldn’t Be a Lottery, Hearst Center for the Arts, Free

The Octopus is turning 11 and staff are kicking off the big birthday celebration weekend with a show featuring frequent collaborators Bo Ramsey, an Eastern Iowa folk-rock legend, and Pieta Brown, an Americana songwriter and musician from Iowa City. The two will also be joined by special guest Joel Sires, a Cedar Fallsbased songwriter. Be prepared for this listening room show; there will be little to no talking during artist sets. Tickets are $25 each.

Who gets to compete on teams? How does the structure of sporting entertainment provide opportunities and obstacles to activism?

Wolf Eyes

Thu, Jul 27 at 9 p.m. at Trumpet Blossom Cafe

Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band from Burkina Faso

Sat, Sep 23 at 9 p.m. at Trumpet Blossom Cafe

Meitei

Thu, Sep 28 at 9 p.m. at Trumpet Blossom Cafe

TENGGER

Mon, Oct 9 at 7 p.m. at Trumpet Blossom Cafe

DAY ONE

Claire Rousay // Zoh Amba & Chris Corsano

Wed, Nov 1 at 7 p.m. at The James Theater

DAY TWO

Drew McDowall (of Coil) // Jairus Sharif

Thu, Nov 2 at 7 p.m. at The James Theater

DAY THREE

Laurel Halo // Kalia Vandever

Fri, Nov 3 at 7 p.m. at The James Theater

DAY FOUR

Bill Orcutt // El Khat

Sat, Nov 4 at 2 p.m. at The James Theater

Saturday, Aug. 26 at 11 a.m., Free Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to the American Gothic House and enjoy good food and music all afternoon. Porchfest, a.k.a. Music on the Porch, is an annual music event held on the last Saturday in August across the United States, Canada and beyond. The lineup includes Tom Shadonix, Adam Kulmatycki, Days Live Music with Lauren Ashworth and Wild Bill Willie. Gothic Town Grillers will be offering BBQ at the event.

Editors’ Picks:

For more events and specific details on each of the above below, visit: fairfieldjournal.org

Friday, Aug. 4 at 9 a.m. Geode Paddle, Jefferson County Conservation, Bentonsport Boat Ramp, $5

Friday, Aug. 4 at 4:30 p.m. Zelda TOTK: Party & Exhibition Play, Fairfield Public Library, Free

Friday, Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. Art Walk, Central Park, Fairfield, Free

Sunday, Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27 at 12:30 p.m. Community Potluck Brunch, Phoenix Rising Hall, Fairfield, Free

Monday, Aug. 7 at 2:30 p.m. Kids Movie, Fairfield Public Library, Free

Wednesday, Aug. 9, 16, 23, 30 at 3 p.m Fairfield Farmers Market, Central Park, Free

Thursday, Aug. 10 at 4 p.m. Business After Hours, Carnegie Historical Museum, Free

Thursday, Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Summer Outdoor Concert Series: Feel Right Band, Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, Free

Saturday, Aug. 12 at 9 p.m. Starry Nights, Meteor Shower, Fairfield Public Library, Free

Friday, Aug. 18 at 7:30 p.m. Mostly True: Adult Storytelling, Phoenix Rising Hall, $10 suggested donation

Friday, Aug. 18 at 8:00 p.m. Little Giants, Central Park, Free

Saturday, Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. Sci-Fi Book Club, Fairfield Public Library, Free —Fairfield Journal

Editors’ Picks:

Thursday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. Alex Axup Acoustic Set, Front Street Brewery Restaurant, Davenport, Free

Saturday, August 5 at 2 p.m. Much Ado About Nothing, The Village Theater, Davenport, Pay-What-You-Can

Saturday, Aug. 5 at 9 a.m. Nature Hike, Nahant Marsh, Davenport, Free

Saturday, Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. Create Your Own Green Health & Home Products, Wapsi River Environment Education Center, Dixon, $8

Sunday, Aug. 6 at 4 p.m. Auditions for Skeleton Crew, Playcrafters Barn Theater, Moline, Free

Monday, Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. Yoga on the Dock, Port Byron Docks, Port Byron, $15

Thursday, Aug. 10 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Kayak Experiences, West Lake Park, Davenport, Free

Friday, Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. TugFest Iowa Parade, Downtown LeClaire, Free

Saturday, Aug. 12 at 12 p.m. QC MultiCultural Festival, Rock Island Campbell Sports Complex, Free

Saturday, Aug. 12 at 3 p.m. Quad Cities Beer Release Party, Wake Brewing, Rock Island, Free

River Action’s annual float and paddle on the Mississippi will return Aug. 19. This event serves as a fundraiser for River Action’s environmental and social programming along the Mississippi River Valley and often beats world records for most paddlers out for a single event. There are speed and fishing tournaments, live music, camping and other events throughout the day. Kayak and canoe rentals are available through third party vendors via River Action.

Thursday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. The Atlas Release Party, Rozz-Tox, Rock Island, Free

Thursday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. Living With Loss Support Group (in-person), Gilda’s Club, Davenport, Free

Saturday, Aug. 19 at 8:30 a.m. Homebuyer Education Class, McKesson Lofts, Rock Island, Free

Saturday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. Sidewalk Sale & In-Store Concert, Ragged Records & Trash Can Annie, Davenport, Free

Saturday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. Family Fun Day & Polyrhythms Bill Bell Jazz & Heritage Festival, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, Rock Island, Free

Sunday, Aug. 20 at 2 p.m. History of Doll Making in Germany, German American Heritage Center, Davenport, Free

Saturday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. Women’s Equality Event, Quad City Botanical Center, Rock Island, Free

—Sarah Elgatian

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Dear Kiki, Is it better to be fully yourself, or a restrained version of yourself, if you are “a lot” to make people around you more comfortable?

Dear Information, You could never be “too much!” You are exactly who you are and that is definitively just right.

Of course, platitudes you’ve heard a hundred times aren’t very helpful in addressing your quite serious question, are they? It’s a situation your ol’ pal Kiki has been in time and time again, so this hits hard.

The easy answer—the true answer—is that everyone should always strive to be unequivocally, unabashedly themselves. Frankly, the ability to do so is something not many people possess, and the reasons have little to do with an explicit or intentional desire to appease or placate others. Humans are social creatures. And also, humans are nothing more than a stack of swirling clouds of anxiety in a trench coat. It can be hard, sometimes, for humans to even determine where “who they are” ends and society begins. To define yourself with clarity is a gift.

burn them away.

However, it’s important to note how beautiful it is that part of who you are is “a person who cares about the comfort of others.” Not just “cares,” but cares enough to consider dulling your shine. Listen to that impulse, but don’t let it control you. Check in occasionally with the people who matter most to you: Be aware of, but not beholden to, them. Ask what their capacity is in that moment, and dial things back a bit if they’re struggling (usually for reasons that are mostly about them: having a bad day, off their meds, etc). Just don’t make reticence your default mode.

tHERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE WHO tHINK YOU ARE “A LOt.” IN MANY CASES It COMES FROM A PLACE OF CONFUSION OR EVEN ANgER OVER YOUR ABILItY tO LIVE

AUtHENtICALLY, WHEN tHAt SKILL ELUDES tHEM. “WHY CAN’t INFORMATION JUSt BLEND IN LIKE I’VE ALWAYS FELt REQUIRED tO?”

Another factor, of course, is being aware of neurodivergence around you. If you’re considered “a lot” because, say, you’re an effusive hugger, then holding back around people who are touch averse isn’t minimizing yourself so much as it is making space for others. Same with reining in a tendency to interrupt when engaging those who struggle with focus. We all should have the privilege of navigating the world safely in our own boat of social coping mechanisms.

There will always be people who think you are “a lot.” In many cases it comes from a place of confusion or even anger over your ability to live authentically, when that skill eludes them. “Why can’t Information just blend in like I’ve always felt required to?” You’re like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day: temporarily blinding, and a threat to the clouds who know you might

It can take deep situational awareness to tell whether someone is annoyed, lazy and not respecting you or if they’re struggling as much with your behavior as you’re struggling to stifle it. It’s not easy and you’ll probably get it wrong a few times, and that’s okay. But don’t make it a habit to restrain yourself just because some people can’t hang. Eventually, you’ll find the ones who can. And your relationship with them will be stronger for your forthrightness. ––xoxo,

Kiki

at littlevillagemag.com.