MOLINE, Ill. — Who's ready to go treasure hunting? How about art gazing?
Thanks to Visit Quad Cities, anyone in the metro can begin their search for "gold" by diving into two new art experiences, the QC Public Art Trail and the QC Great Glass Hunt.
A partnership between Visit Quad Cities and Quad City Arts, the QC Public Art Trail is a mobile-based platform that features temporary and permanent sculptures, murals and galleries for where folks can purchase art in the Quad Cities.
The trail hopes to introduce Quad Citizens and visitors "to the fantastic array of public art projects that are essential to the QC experience."
It is an ongoing project, which means locations will be updated and added throughout the year. It also links to the River Music Experience Sound Project website where folks can follow the trail to the sounds of a piano.
Anyone can sign up for the QC Public Art Trail by clicking/tapping here. Once registered, the trail will be delivered to the user's smartphone via text and email. It'll be ready to use right after that.
“Public art and activating it within the region to amplify our distinct characteristics and values is a strategic driver for Visit Quad Cities,” said Dave Herrell president and CEO of Visit Quad Cities. “The Public Art Trail is another opportunity to create tourism product in our regional destination and showcase our creativity.”
But wait — there's more! As visitors stop at each location, they will gain access to specific check-in codes associated with the work of art. After entering the code on their phone, they'll be added to a database that keeps track of how many check-ins they've done.
Those with the most check-ins will be entered to win a $500 Visa Gift Card. That'll be given away next year. And there is no time limit to complete the trail!
Visit Quad Cities promised treasure hunting as well, so here are the details!
The QC Great Glass Hunt is a partnership between Visit Quad Cities and Hot Glass, Inc., which is located in Davenport. Participants in this activity are on the hunt to find handblown glass floats that are hidden at specific Quad Cities parks.
The studio has handblown 250 floats, but it's up to treasure hunters to find them. Once someone has found a glass stopper, they should scan the QR code with their phone to head to the hunt's website to report their find.
Folks can collect as many floats as they can find, according to Visit Quad Cities. The treasure hunt won't end until all the trinkets have been discovered.
"Fishermen once used glass floats to keep their fishing nets and longline or droplines afloat. People would find these glass floats when they washed up on the shore. The QC Great Glass Hunt captures the spirit of finding a treasure," said Joel Ryser, owner of Hot Glass, Inc. "You will discover clear floats and colorful floats on your treasure hunting journey. The search is part of the fun. We are excited to partner with Visit Quad Cities on this first-of-a-kind project in the Quad Cities."
Happy hunting!
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