General 2027 Information

QUAD CITIES SUMMER GAMES (AGES 40+)
May 22 - June 5, 2027
Separate Youth Track & Field Meet: June 11, 2027
Updated 10/29/26

Details may be updated before registration opens on January 2, 2027. Please check the latest information when registering.

The Quad Cities Summer Games encourage adults age 40 and over to stay active, connect with others, and enjoy competition at whatever level suits them—friendly or fierce. Participants of all ability levels are welcome, from first-timers to experienced competitors.

After welcoming 232 participants in 2026, our goal is to reach 300 in 2027.

For just $40, participants receive:

• Entry into unlimited eligible events
• An official 2027 Summer Games T-shirt
• Up to three earned medals
• Refreshments
• Pizza at the Opening Ceremonies
• A picnic meal at the Closing Ceremonies

Additional earned medals are available for $5 each.

We believe this is the best value in the country for a multi-activity event like ours.

The Summer Games are absorbing the online registration fee in 2027. $40 means $40 at checkout. This is a 9.8% savings from last year.

Event Overview

The Summer Games include both athletic and non-athletic activities. Offerings include cycling, swimming, track & field, pickleball, bowling, basketball, golf, arts and crafts, literary arts, performing arts, chess, backgammon, card games, and more.

Participants choose their own level of competition, from recreational participation to serious competition. Some events combine age groups where appropriate.

Eligibility

• Ages 40+ for most Summer Games events
• Swim meet: ages 18+
• Separate Youth Track & Field Meet: children in 8th grade and under, with no minimum age

Registration

Registration opens January 2, 2027, through Race Roster, accessible from the Registration tab at qcsogo.org. Participants select all their desired events as part of a single registration process.

Unlike our previous registration provider, Race Roster requires an account to register yourself. One person may register multiple people in a single transaction. Those additional participants do not need to establish their own accounts simply to participate. However, they will need their own Race Roster accounts to receive confirmation emails listing the events for which they were registered.

Online registration remains open throughout the Games, including on the day of an event. Please do not wait until the last minute! Early registration is extremely important because it allows us to prepare event entries, T-shirts, medals, staffing, supplies, and other logistics.

Our goal is to eliminate paper registrations because we simply do not have the volunteer staffing to process them. We recognize that some participants may need assistance with online registration, and we will provide registration assistance at CASI as the Games approach.

For event dates, times, and locations, see the Schedule tab at qcsogo.org. Event-specific information and competition rules are available under the Rules tab.

Important Dates

• January 2: Summer Games registration opens
• May 1: Deadline to guarantee requested T-shirt size (please register much earlier if possible)
• May 12: Arts & Crafts and Literary Arts submission deadline
• May 22 - June 5: Quad Cities Summer Games
• June 1: Opening Ceremonies
• June 5: Closing Ceremonies and Picnic
• June 11: Youth Track & Field Meet

Race Roster registration remains open throughout the Games.

T-Shirts

Every full Summer Games registration includes an official 2027 Summer Games T-shirt.

Size Guarantee
Register by May 1, 2027, to guarantee your requested T-shirt size. Shirts for participants registered by May 1 will be reserved by name. After May 1, specific sizes cannot be guaranteed.

Early Pickup at CASI
Most T-shirts will already be in hand when registration opens on January 2. Early pickup at CASI is available by request. After registering, email qcsogo@gmail.com to request early pickup. Your shirt will be placed at CASI with your name on it for pickup.

Other Pickup Opportunities
T-shirts will also be available:

• At Summer Games events held before Opening Ceremonies
• At Opening Ceremonies on June 1
• At Summer Games Headquarters on June 5
• After the Games at CASI for shirts not previously picked up

T-shirts will not be moved from event to event. Remaining shirts will be brought to Opening Ceremonies and then to Summer Games Headquarters on June 5 for pickup.

Someone else may pick up a participant's T-shirt on that participant's behalf. No additional documentation is required.

Size Exchanges
Size exchanges will only be made at Opening Ceremonies on June 1 and at Summer Games Headquarters on June 5, subject to availability of the replacement size.

New in 2027

Chess
Tuesday, May 25 - 5:30 PM
Western Illinois University - Quad Cities

Backgammon
Wednesday, May 26 - 1:00 PM
Senior Star, Davenport, IA

Euchre at Friendship Manor
Thursday, May 27
Friendship Manor, Rock Island, IL

Special $5 Registrations for 2027 Only

For 2027, we are offering special $5 registrations for Chess, Backgammon, Euchre at Friendship Manor, and Spelling.

Chess, Backgammon, and Friendship Manor Euchre are receiving introductory registration opportunities in their first year. Spelling is included at this special rate to address a registration error from 2026.

• The $5 registration is limited to one activity. Participants wishing to enter more than one activity must purchase the regular $40 Summer Games registration. Multiple $5 registrations cannot be combined.
• The $5 registration includes participation in the selected activity and earned medals only. It does not include a T-shirt, refreshments, meals at Opening or Closing Ceremonies, or participation in other events.
• Participants with a regular $40 Summer Games registration may enter any or all of these four activities at no additional charge.

Exhibition Bike Ride - Returning for Its Second Year

Friday, June 4 - 6:20 PM
Prairie Lodge, 3501 207th St. North, Port Byron, IL

The Exhibition Ride returns in 2027, and we are looking for a much larger turnout in its second year. It provides an inclusive cycling opportunity for people who want to participate in the Summer Games without competing in a traditional bicycle race.

• Open to Class 1 and Class 3 e-bikes, tandems, recumbents, adaptive cycles, and virtually any other type of cycle or human-powered conveyance
• Throttle-operated e-bikes are not permitted
• A controlled ride, not a race
• Included with the regular $40 Summer Games registration
• Participants receive the full Summer Games registration benefits and may enter other Games events
• Competitive medals are not awarded for the Exhibition Ride

The first year established the event. This year we want to fill it. There is plenty of room for riders of different experience levels, abilities, and types of equipment who simply want an enjoyable organized ride and the chance to be part of the Summer Games.

Swim Meet

Saturday, June 5
Augustana Swimming Pool
Warm-ups: 9:00 AM
Competition: 10:00 AM

The meet will again be a U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) recognized meet.

• Swim events are open to ages 18+
• USMS membership is not required. Members should bring proof of membership.
• The meet welcomes everyone from first-time swimmers to experienced Masters competitors
• The 25-yard exhibition events are also eligible for medals

5K Road Race

Monday, May 31 - 7:00 AM
Rust Belt, East Moline, IL

Held in conjunction with the Quad Cities Running Festival. See their website for race details. Register through the Summer Games to participate as a Summer Games entrant.

Youth Track & Field Meet (Summer Games Outreach Event)

Friday, June 11 - 6:00 PM
Augustana College - Paul V. Olsen Track
Rock Island, IL

Registration fee: $18 per participant, including a T-shirt.

The Youth Track & Field Meet is open to children in 8th grade and under, with no minimum age. More than 100 young athletes participated in 2026, and we have room for many more in 2027.

Participants register for the entire meet, not individual events, through the Summer Games or Two Rivers YMCA.

Events include:

• 50m
• 100m
• 200m
• 400m
• 800m
• Long jump
• High jump
• Ball throw

Additional events may be added.
Ribbons are awarded for places 1-9.

Fees and Additional Costs

The $40 Summer Games registration covers unlimited eligible events. A few venues have additional charges:

• Golf participants pay their own greens fees
• Bowling participants pay lane fees and shoe rental
• Doubles partners must both be registered where applicable

Medals

Our new 2027 Summer Games medals feature the iconic I-74 bridge and are proudly made in the USA. Both the design and American manufacturing were important to us.

Up to three earned medals are included with the $40 Summer Games registration. Additional earned medals are available for $5 each.

Medals are awarded at the conclusion of events or may be picked up at Summer Games Headquarters on June 5.

• Singles events generally use five-year age groups
• Doubles medal structures vary by event
• Some competitions award only overall gold, silver, and bronze medals

To make responsible use of our resources, we will first distribute a limited inventory of unused silver and bronze medals from previous years. Once those are exhausted, the new American-made I-74 bridge medals will be awarded. This decision will save approximately $1,500, helping us keep registration fees affordable. We hope recipients will appreciate the earlier medals as collector's items from past Summer Games.

Ceremonies and Key Locations

Opening Ceremonies
Tuesday, June 1 - 5:00 PM
CASI, 1035 W. Kimberly Rd., Davenport, IA

• Arts & Crafts and Literary Arts awards presented
• T-shirt pickup
• Event manager packet pickup
• Live music
• Pizza and refreshments

Closing Ceremonies and Picnic
Saturday, June 5 - 4:30 PM
Ken Anderson Center Patio, Augustana College
The picnic is included with Summer Games registration and is free to participants and volunteers.

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are essential to the success of the Summer Games.

Volunteer registration will open in March 2027 through the Summer Games website. Participants are encouraged to volunteer for events in which they are not competing.

Donations

Donations help keep the Summer Games affordable and allow us to continue providing a large program of events and participant benefits for one low registration fee.

Ways to donate:

• During online registration through Race Roster
• Through the Donate buttons on our website supporting CASI, YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley, and Two Rivers YMCA

Vendors and Sponsors

To support the Summer Games as a vendor or sponsor, contact:
Rhonda Elsbury
rhondakelsbury@gmail.com
309-798-7369

Sportsmanship Award - Delmar Dean Smith

Those who witness outstanding sportsmanship are encouraged to submit nominations.

• Submit by June 4 via email to qcsogo@gmail.com
• On June 5, nominations may also be submitted in writing at Summer Games Headquarters

Include:

• Your name
• Nominee's name
• Event
• Brief description of the action

Full Schedule

See the 2027 Schedule and Rules tabs at qcsogo.org for the complete listing of events, locations, times, and event-specific information.