Celebrate the Q-C’s German-American heritage
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Don’t get spooked about it happening in a cemetery.
There will be nothing somber or mournful about the third annual German-American Founders’ Day event, set for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24, in the Kistenmacher Cemetery in rural Davenport.
Instead, the event will be a joyful celebration of the lives of German-American immigrants who helped found the Quad-City area, said Kory Darnall of Davenport, one of the event’s organizers.
“It’s to celebrate their lives and the things they did to establish our communities here locally,” he said.
Amid the old tombstones, many of which bear German writing for the immigrants they represent, visitors to the hourlong event will experience a German band, poetry and military honors, and then get a chance to walk through the cemetery.
About 200 to 300 people attended the event last year, which was held at a different area cemetery, Darnall said.
The cemetery is located 2½ miles west of Interstate 280 on West Locust Street, at 160th Street and 90th Avenue in Davenport.
The event is sponsored by the Quad-Cities’ six German-American organizations: the American Schleswig-Holstein Heritage Society, German American Family Club, German American Heritage Center, German American National Congress, German American Pioneer Society and the Schuetzen Park Gilde.
Bring your own lawn chairs. In case of inclement weather, the event will be cancelled.
Jack Schinckel of rural Walcott, Iowa, president of the local German American Schlesig-Holstein Heritage Society, said the event really honors all immigrants — not just those from Germany — who helped make the Quad-Cities what it is today.
Kay Luna can be contacted at (563) 383-2323 or kluna@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.
Get more info
If you’re interested in learning more about the German-American Founders’ Day event or how to join any of the German-American heritage groups in the Quad-Cities, call the German American Heritage Center, 712 W. 2nd St., Davenport, at (563) 322-8844.
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