Kick off Hawkeyes season with fun & fundraising at PHry PHest

The PHry PHest is back this Sunday, and there’s no better way to kick off football season for Hawkeyes fans in the Quad Cities.

Not only will they celebrate a new year of Iowa football, but Public House in Davenport will also launch their latest fundraising effort for the Mollie Tibbetts Foundation for Child Psychology at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Normally, the Public House family visits the Local 4 studio to preview the event each year, but with our extensive renovation underway, that wasn’t going to work. So this year we went to them, and Austin Chesney, Johnna Chesney, Mckenzy Miller and Ryan Dunn-Riecks rolled out the red carpet for Hawkeye Headquarters — or rather, the VIP table.

For a $100 donation, Public House will reserve one of these for you, too, on any Hawkeyes game day.

“The place is packed every game day, so it’s nice to know you have that secure table and you get noisemakers and a little fun swag and great service obviously from our staff,” Johnna Chesney said.

And there’s no better place to watch — aside from maybe Kinnick Stadium.

“It’s absolute chaos,” Dunn-Reicks said. “You know, this is truly a spot away from Kinnick Stadium where you’re coming in here and you’re just feeling the energy.”

“If you’re not up at the game, Public House is the place to be. We run flags. We play the fight song on the trumpet. We have cowbells. It’s just a great atmosphere to be at,” Miller added.

“It’s all about being together,” Austin Chesney said. “You know, I will always ride or die with the Hawkeyes, doesn’t matter. I’m so pumped about it. It’s all about coming in, having a great time, enjoying all the great vibes and just watching Iowa win every single week as much as I can. I’m really nervous to see what the record is gonna be and ultimately if it can hold together, but it’s all about being together to raise money for the hospital.”

When they originally launched the fundraising effort with special t-shirts and bracelets in 2018, the goal was $5,000, but they soared past that to $10,000. The Wave Across Iowa raised more than $18,000 in 2021. With another $15,000 last year, Public House’s efforts have gathered around $95,000 in donations to the children’s hospital over the years.

“We’ve been doing this event for eight years, and it’s just a big kickoff for Iowa Hawkeye football and all the things that the season has to offer,” Johnna Chesney said. “We’re just so excited to have guest speakers, to sell certain items that we donate the proceeds to the Mollie Tibbetts Foundation for Mental Health Psychology at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital … so it’s just gonna be a great event to kick off Hawkeye football 2023.”

It all gets started this Sunday, August 27 at 5 p.m. at Public House in Davenport. You can learn more details in the videos above and below or by clicking here.

“We’re really excited to have the support of the Quad-City community coming into Public House and just starting off the season with us,” Dunn-Reicks said. “It’s just a group surrounded by family and a small business getting money started for a great cause.”

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