<\/p>\n
The weekend brings a Foreigner concert, the last Rockford Rivets home game, a Camp Grant bike tour, the Female Energy Festival along with fundraisers, live music and more to the Rockford area.<\/p>\n What: Rockford City Market features local vendors who sell handmade products, including cheeses, flowers, baked goods, and prepared food, as well as artisans and vendors with unique offerings. There are weekly children\u2019s activities. Rockford Mass Transit District provides\u00a0free trolley service between the Museum Campus, Davis Park, UW Health Sports Factory, Nicholas Conservatory and Rockford City Market (with additional stops at the Coronado Theatre and Nordlof Center) from 3:30-9:30 p.m. The main stage performer Aug. 8 is Soul Review. Carson Hall performs on the Acoustic Stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n When: 4-8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8<\/p>\n Where: East State and Water Streets, downtown Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Free admission<\/p>\n What: This event features building block activities of all kinds, music, snacks and character appearances.<\/p>\n When: 9:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8<\/p>\n Where: Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Included with general admission; free for members<\/p>\n What: Music on the Mall is located in Center Court near Cora Physical Therapy. The performer Aug. 8 is Stevee Nix, playing\u00a0party music.<\/p>\n When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8<\/p>\n Where: Edgebrook Center, 1643 N. Alpine Road, Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Free admission<\/p>\n What: The Rockford Rivets are\u00a0a baseball team in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. They will play the Kenosha Kingfish in the final home game.<\/p>\n When: 6:35 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8<\/p>\n Where: Rivets Stadium, 4503 Interstate Blvd., Loves Park<\/p>\n Cost: $14 tickets<\/p>\n What: Celebrate 150 years of Rockford Water. There will be a cooling hydrant party for kids, plus music and refreshments. There will be water-themed activities for all ages. Plus, the big equipment, including a dump truck, backhoe and vactor truck will be available for kids to see up close and explore.<\/p>\n When: 2-4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8<\/p>\n Where: 1141 Cedar St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Free<\/p>\n What: Free services available include physicals, dental care and eye exams. Get free backpacks with school supplies. Meet Rockford\u2019s professional basketball player, Isaiah Roby. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. A farmer\u2019s market and Wehpah food truck will also be on site.<\/p>\n When: 3-6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8<\/p>\n Where: 1325 Seventh St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Free for all school age children and their families<\/p>\n What: Celebrate the 10th year of the Greg Lindmark Foundation. This dinner celebrates the work the foundation has done over the past year and aims to raise money to continue its work. 100% of proceeds from the raffle and auction go to funding free mental health counseling sessions for first responders. The social hour, raffle\/auction is free. Golf spots are full. The social hour starts at 3 p.m., with dinner at 5:30 p.m., raffle and live auction at 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n When: 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8<\/p>\n Where: Rockford Country Club, 2500 Oxford St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: $50 for dinner only<\/p>\n What: The Boone County Fair includes 100 acres of entertainment, vendors, livestock, thrill rides, exhibits and fair food for you and your family to enjoy. This is the most attended fair in the state. Highlights include Pro Bull Riding Friday, country star Justin Moore Saturday evening and two Demolition Derbies Sunday.<\/p>\n When: 8 a.m. \u2013 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, 7 a.m. \u2013 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, 8:30 a.m. \u2013 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10<\/p>\n Where: Boone County Fairgrounds, Belvidere<\/p>\n Cost: $10<\/p>\n What: Billboard-charting Flamy Grant is a shame-slaying, hip-swaying, singing-songwriting drag queen from Asheville, N.C. Her 2022 debut record, Bible Belt Baby, reached the #1 spot on the iTunes Christian Chart (the first drag performer to achieve this feat), was nominated for Best Pop Album at the San Diego Music Awards and was named one of the Top Ten Queer Country Albums of 2023 by Rainbow Rodeo Magazine. Flamy is a finalist for the 2025 International Folk Music Awards Artist of the Year and has been featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, People, and more. Flamy blends folk, gospel, and roots, dragging audiences into a mix of storytelling and song.<\/p>\n When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: The Music Box, 218 E. State St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: $25-$31<\/p>\n What: Meet in the International parking lot adjacent to the main terminal at the airport. Parking is free in this lot. Arrive early. Tour starts promptly at 8 a.m. This bike tour will provide a tour of where Camp Grant existed, what is now the Chicago-Rockford International\u00a0Airport. Camp Grant was a training facility for 50,000 men for both World Wars. The camp no longer exists so the tour will use photos to show what was where and what took place. Hear about the evolution of the camp buildings, what companies expanded there and what precipitated the creation of the airport.\u00a0Bring your smart phones. Length of the tour is 5.2 miles and is level terrain except for one interesting location.\u00a0<\/p>\n When: 8-10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: Chicago Rockford International Airport, 60 Airport Drive, Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Free<\/p>\n What: This is a\u00a0100% women-owned vendor market \u2014 from beauty to wellness, handmade goods and more. There will be six food trucks, live entertainment, a kids zone and a new Healthy Girl Market \u2014 an outdoor canopy festival of fresh produce, baked goods and holistic care items from local crunchy creators. The first 150 guests will receive an exclusive gift bag.<\/p>\n When: Noon \u2013 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: UW-Health Sports Factory, 305 S. Madison St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: $5; free for children age 4 and younger<\/p>\n What: If you are looking for ways to get involved in the process of preserving history, meet new people and have fun, you might consider volunteering for Heritage Museum Park, Tinker Swiss Cottage or Swedish Historical Society, or all three. Learn more about what it means to volunteer by attending this tour. Attending the event does not commit you to any volunteer positions. This is just an opportunity to learn more about each organization and the different ways community members can get involved.<\/p>\n When: 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: Heritage Museum Park, 327 S. Third St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Free<\/p>\n What: Rockford Vintage Fest features 15 vintage vendors, gelato from Gelato Joe\u2019s, coffee from Meg\u2019s Daily Grind and food by Lino\u2019s Rockford.<\/p>\n When: 11 a.m. \u2013 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: Mercato by Lino\u2019s, 8400 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park<\/p>\n Cost: Free admission and parking<\/p>\n What: From vibrant jazz tunes to classic rock anthems and everything in between, the summer concert lineup promises something for every music aficionado. Savor food and drinks from onsite vendors as you mingle with fellow music lovers and dance the night away. Food and wine specials will be made available. The performer Aug. 9 is Three Good Men.<\/p>\n When: 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: Alchemy at Aldeen, 1902 Reid Farm Road, Rockford<\/p>\n What: On Monday, July 7th, the Veterans Drop-In Center suffered a break-in during which a US Navy veteran\/volunteer was assaulted. The intruder also stole cash and deliberately spoiled seven months\u2019 worth of meat by leaving it out of the freezer. To help this valued organization recover from such a difficult setback, Kegel\u2019s is collecting grocery gift cards. Your donations will help restock their food supplies and make a difference for veterans they serve. Drop off cards from 10 a.m. \u2013 5 p.m. through Saturday at Kegel\u2019s. Meet at 10 a.m. Saturday at Kegel\u2019s for a group ride to personally deliver the cards to the Drop-In Center.<\/p>\n When: 10 a.m. \u2013 noon Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: Kegel\u2019s Bicycle Store, 2605 Charles St., Rockford<\/p>\n What: Join the Downtown Rockton businesses for the final Summerpalooza event of the summer. There will be food, beverages, games and activities in the spirit of the date’s theme. All ages are welcome. The theme Aug. 9 will be Luau, featuring the band Random AF.<\/p>\n When: 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: The 100 West Block of Main Street, Rockton<\/p>\n Cost: Free admission<\/p>\n What: This exclusive event features museum founder and owner, Wayne Lensing. Enjoy a catered dinner surrounded by iconic exhibits and an intimate talk from Wayne himself. He will share stories behind some of his favorite pieces in the collection \u2014 ranging from presidential artifacts to the Frontier Land \u2014 and reflect on his journey of building one of the most eclectic and fascinating museums in the country. He\u2019ll also discuss some of the most significant changes and additions that have shaped Historic Attractions into what it is today. Cash bar.<\/p>\n When: 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: Historic Attractions, 13825 Metric Drive, Roscoe<\/p>\n Cost: $65; $120 per couple<\/p>\n What: Port a Johns will be outside. There will be a limited food menu for the day. You can bring a chair for outside. Performers include Shuffle This from 12:30 \u2013 2:30 p.m., McKenna Faith Winters from 3-4:45 p.m., That 70s Band from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and Nauti Nauti from 8:15-10:30 p.m. Guests must purchase a ticket for this event.<\/p>\n When: Noon \u2013 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9<\/p>\n Where: Louie\u2019s Tap House, 5689 Elevator Road, Roscoe<\/p>\n Cost: $10<\/p>\n What: With 10 multi-platinum albums and 16 Top 30 hits, Foreigner, founded in 1976, is one of the most popular rock acts in the world. A few hits include “Juke Box Hero,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Urgent,” “Head Games,” “Dirty White Boy” and “I Want To Know What Love Is.” The Harlem High School Choraleers will perform a song alongside Foreigner. VIP packages are available.<\/p>\n When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10<\/p>\n Where: Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: $78-$1,566<\/p>\n What: The Yacht Rock-ettes\u00a0will perform smooth rock of the 70s and early 80s. Hear the songs of Michael McDonald, Hall & Oates, Sade, Kenny Loggins, Orleans, Christopher Cross, Toto, Ambrosia and more. Klehm\u2019s Woodsong Concerts are lawn-style events held in the Fountain Garden. There are no reserved seats. Bring blankets, chairs or other seating. Attendees are welcome to bring their own food and drink to enjoy in a responsible manner before and during the concert.<\/p>\n When: 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10<\/p>\n Where: Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 2715 S. Main St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: $16; $12 for members<\/p>\n What: Ken-Rock Community Center, along with Beautiful Ambitions Salon, hosts this event offering haircuts to kids before they go back to school. They will also offer braiding and facials for kids, free lunches and school supplies, a bounce house, photo opportunities, firetrucks for little explorers, community resources to support families and more.<\/p>\n When: 11 a.m. \u2013 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11<\/p>\n Where: Ken-Rock Community Center, 625 Adams St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Free<\/p>\n What: Kayla Seeber is a 24-year-old acoustic singer\/songwriter from Poplar Grove. She is a Spotify artist who puts her own acoustic spin on many of your favorite songs spanning many decades and genres.<\/p>\n When: 6-9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11<\/p>\n Where: Prairie Street Brewing Co., 200 Prairie St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Free admission<\/p>\n What: Tuesday Evening in the Gardens features local, regional and nationally touring musicians. The performer Aug. 12 is Shamarr Allen\u00a0of New Orleans, with opening act Too Deep\u00a0of Rockford. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Blankets, lawn chairs and small tables are welcome. Guests can start setting up at 5 p.m. The parking lots fill early. A complimentary shuttle is provided between UIC-Rockford and the Gardens. Carry-in picnic suppers are welcome, but carry-in beverages are not allowed. Bags will be checked upon entry.<\/p>\n When: 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12<\/p>\n Where: Anderson Japanese Gardens, 318 Spring Creek Road, Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: $13; $12 for seniors; $11 for students and military; free for age 5 and younger<\/p>\n What: This is a music event on the banks of the Rock River at Burpee. Relax and enjoy food and drink with friends and family at the beautiful outdoor theater. If it rains, the event will be moved inside. The Aug. 13 performer is Sean McKee.<\/p>\n When: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13<\/p>\n Where: Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main St., Rockford<\/p>\n Cost: Free admission<\/p>\n What: Lousy Nuncio performs Aug. 13.\u00a0 The market opens at 5 p.m. with music starting at 6 pm.<\/p>\n When: 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13<\/p>\n Where: Settler\u2019s Park, 165 E. Hawick St., Rockton<\/p>\n Cost: Free admission<\/p>\nRockford City Market: Soul Review<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood ‘Block’ Party<\/h2>\n
Music on the Mall: Stevee Nix<\/h2>\n
Rockford Rivets<\/h2>\n
Splash Bash 150<\/h2>\n
Rock House Kids Community Event<\/h2>\n
Greg Lindmark Foundation event<\/h2>\n
Boone County Fair<\/h2>\n
Flamy Grant<\/h2>\n
Camp Grant Bike Tour<\/h2>\n
Female Energy Festival<\/h2>\n
Tour of Volunteerism<\/h2>\n
Rockford Vintage Fest<\/h2>\n
Bourbon & Beats: Three Good Men<\/h2>\n
Support the Veterans Drop-In Center<\/h2>\n
Summerpalooza<\/h2>\n
Dinner at the Museum<\/h2>\n
Louiepalooza<\/h2>\n
Foreigner Concert<\/h2>\n
Woodsong: The Yacht Rock-ettes<\/h2>\n
Coming next week<\/h2>\n
Back to School Bash<\/h2>\n
Dockside Live: Kayla Seeber<\/h2>\n
Tuesday Evening in the Garden: Shamarr Allen<\/h2>\n
Music on the Rock: Sean McKee<\/h2>\n
Rockton River Market<\/h2>\n
Heritage Whiskey Wednesday<\/h2>\n