With portable grills fired up, the smell of burgers and brats wafted across Davenport's Centennial Park. Blankets were spread on the ground and the cold cuts, chips and condiments for the grilled food were laid out.

In the District of Rock Island, people sat in lawn chairs nibbling on snacks or the burgers, corn dogs and funnel cake being sold by vendors.

On the Mississippi River, boaters dropped anchor along Davenport's LeClaire Park.

With the food prepared, families and friends settled in to watch the fireworks display that would culminate the Quad-Cities' Red, White and Boom! 4th of July celebration Friday night.

Todd Wiley, formerly of Rock Island but now of Japan, brought his son, Koki, 10, and family friend Tarah Fisher, 11, of Geneseo, Ill., to Centennial Park.

Koki and Tarah took a ride in the hot air balloon the company Crazy Dreams had at the park.

"It was really fun," Koki said, while Tarah described it as "awesome."

But both also said they wish it'd gone higher.

"We come back for the patriotic things," said Wiley, who has been living in Japan for 18 years. "We get to see minor league baseball and enjoy apple pie and the Cubs."

Alexa Brandl and Demetruis Glenn wandered into Centennial Park after seeing all the people. Brandl took a balloon ride, too.

"We didn't know it was going on," Glenn said. "There's a lot of things happening."

Looking around, Glenn asked the magic question. "I wonder if there's any good food down here."

On the Davenport side, there was face painting and kids games. The Davenport Fire Department brought out the Engine Co. 6 fire truck "Bulldog" and kids and grownups could play with a ring toss, a beanbag toss and tennis ball throw.

Of great fun to kids and adults alike were all the dogs.

In Rock Island, Jean VanDerGinst sat with her mom Jane Pauwels and her mother-in-law Barb VanDerGinst.

With them was Jean's golden retriever, Molly.

"She pretty much goes with me everywhere, except to work," Jean said of Molly.

Molly got a real treat, the hamburger that Jean had bought. "She just loves kids," Jean said.

With all the kids waiting for the fireworks to start, Molly got a lot of love.

The women were hoping they would be able to see the fireworks from the parking lot behind the VanDerGinst building where several hundred people also had parked themselves.

"Last year, we watched it from the top of the Davenport casino because it was all flooded," Jean said.

Back at Centennial Park, Christine Gamble's family gathered in the park with a whole lot of coolers packed with good food.

"We've got 12 people down here to watch the fireworks," she said, adding that the kids love the Belle of the Bends play area by the river.

"That's my kids' favorite part," Gamble said. "We got down here early to get as close to it as possible."

As all that was going on, the crowd watching the River Bandits yelled their enthusiasm for a play, while the musicians at the IH Mississippi Valley Blues Festival belted out their sounds.

Bicyclists and walkers made their way slowly along the bike path, which was crowded with people fishing from the bank.

Whatever people were doing, though, came to a halt once the fireworks began, and in their unique American style, Quad-Citians celebrated the birth of freedom.