Soul of the City 2026: A Day of Community, Music and Fun

Sep 8

Thank you, Rock Island!

Soul of the City returned to Franklin Field on Saturday, September 5, for another full day of music, food, family activities, local vendors and community connections.

The day kicked off with the Soul of the City Parade before the celebration continued at Franklin Field from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with live entertainment, food and merchant vendors, community resource booths, activities for kids and families, and plenty of reasons to spend the day together.

Thank You to Our Staff and Volunteers

An event this size takes a lot of people behind the scenes. Our staff and volunteers were hard at work starting at 7 a.m. and continued well after the event ended, helping with setup, activities, cleanup and everything in between.

We are especially grateful for their hard work through a very hot September day. Soul of the City would not be possible without the people willing to show up, pitch in and help make the day happen.

Thank You to Our Vendors and Community Partners

We also want to thank all of the food and merchant vendors who joined us this year. You brought great food, local businesses and plenty of variety to Franklin Field.

Thank you as well to the nonprofits, organizations and community resource booths that spent the day connecting with families and sharing information, services and opportunities. Soul of the City is about bringing the community together, and each of you helped make that possible.

And, of course, thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us. Whether you joined the parade, stopped by for a few hours or stayed all day, we appreciate you being part of Soul of the City 2026.

Soul of the City in the News

Want to see more from the day? Check out the local coverage:

WQAD News 8: Soul of the City Festival Emphasizes Community
Read the WQAD story

Video Coverage from Rock Island Line:
Watch the Soul of the City coverage

The Dispatch / Rock Island Argus:
Read the story on QCOnline

See More Photos

Wezz De La Rosa Photography captured moments throughout the day, from the parade and performances to the families, vendors, volunteers and community members who made Soul of the City special.

View the full Soul of the City 2026 photo gallery

Photos by Wezz De La Rosa Photography.

Thank you again to everyone who helped make Soul of the City 2026 possible. We hope you and your family will join us again next year!