About

Three days of music, BBQ, and friendly competition along the Mississippi — funding a healthier riverfront for everyone who calls it home.

Burlington River Days started the way most good things do — a small group of friends thinking the riverfront deserved a real summer party. Live music under the bridge lights. Boats parading downtown. A BBQ competition that takes itself just seriously enough. Cornhole, archery, vendors, and one signature giveaway: a fully loaded fishing boat, won by someone standing in the crowd. What began as a one-off has become a signature weekend in southeast Iowa — twelve thousand people, three nights, two stages, and a riverfront that comes alive every June. We're proud of how far it's come, and even prouder of where the proceeds go.

Where The Money Goes

Every dollar of proceeds from River Days goes to the Partners for Conservation Foundation, a Burlington-based 501(c)(3) supporting local parks, conservation programs, and riverfront development. That funding goes directly into the parks, trails, natural areas, and waterfront access points that make this corner of Iowa worth showing up for. The festival exists because the river does — and we want it healthy long after the speakers come down each summer.

The Team

© 2026 Partners For Conservation.