September in the Stateline is the beginning of the fall season! It’s time to shift into school mode and enjoy the months before the holiday season gets underway. The weather is cooling off and seasonal favorites are opening for business. Get your Fall bucket list together and check out some of these awesome events and exciting news for families in the Stateline.
Labor Day Parade
Rockford’s Labor Day parade is back on Monday, September 4th in downtown Rockford. The parade kicks off at 10 am from 7th Street and 6th Avenue where it will head north to East State, west to State and Wyman, and end at Wyman Street and Chestnut Street by the Davis Park entrance. There will be more than 48 groups marching in the parade.
Up in the Air Kite Festival
Watch dozens of kites soar through the air at a fun day at the park at Prairie Field Sports Park in Belvidere on September 9th from 11 am – 3:30 pm. This event includes kite flying demos, inflatables, face painting, games, crafts, and food trucks. Admission to the event is free, but activities cost money. Unlimited wristbands can be purchased for $20 each.
Urban Farmgirl’s Main Street Market
The best place to spend a day of shopping is the Urban Farmgirls’ Main Street Market. The Fall market is happening on September 9th from 9 am – 4 pm at the Boone County Fairgrounds. If you’ve never been, this is a huge vendor fair with handmade items of all kinds, trendy decor, cute clothing, candles, food and so much more all in one walkable area. Admission is $7 per adult in advance, $10 at the gate, and free for 17 and under accompanied by an adult. Get tickets here.
Family-Friendly Live Shows & Concerts
There are some fantastic family-friendly shows happening in the Stateline in September! Here’s a list of what you can go see!
- September 21-24: Little Shop of Horrors at Janesville Performing Arts Center
- September 27: Disney’s Encanto: The Sing-Along Film Concert at Coronado Performing Arts Center
Corn Mazes Open Up
There are five corn mazes within an hour’s drive of the Rockford area. Each of these corn mazes has unique features and is fun to explore with your family. Check out a full list of corn mazes here.
Apple Orchards Are Open
Nothing says Fall like a visit to one of the area’s apple orchards! There are five within the greater Rockford area that offer delicious apples, yummy donuts, and fun for kids. Check out a full list of the apple orchards in the area here.
Power Wheels Road Race
We’ve never seen an event like this before! Belvidere Township Park District is having a Power Wheels Road Race on September 15th from 5 pm – 8 pm. Kids ages 2-7 are invited to bring their Power Wheels and compete in a friendly race. There will be two age groups (2-4 and 5-7) competing. They will have a modification and on-modification race. Register for the non-modified Power Wheel race here and the modified Power Wheels race here.
Glow in the Gardens at Nicholas Conservatory
One of our favorite events is back this year at Nicholas Conservatory and Gardens on September 15th from 6 pm – 9 pm. Glow in the Gardens is a fun way to stay up late and say goodbye to summer. This festival has a 5K, kids fun run, and a bunch of glowing activities. Families can purchase lanterns to release in the lagoons during the event. Purchase your lanterns here.
47th Beloit Autorama
Check out one of the largest car shows in the area at the 47th Beloit Autorama at Riverside Park in Beloit on September 17th from 9 am – 5 pm. There will be more than 1,200 cars in attendance. Admission is $10 per adult, $5 per kid ages 8-15 and free for kids under 8.
Bubble Festival
The bubble celebrity, Ben Jimenez, is back at Discovery Center Museum on September 23rd with his 30-minute bubble show full of science, magic, and art! After the show, kids can head out to Bubble-Palooza Playground (weather permitting) to get soapy and make bubbles of their own. There are shows at 10 am, 11 am, and 1 pm. Tickets are $3 for members and $5 for non-members. Museum entry is not included. Get tickets here.
Fall Fairs and Festivals
September has a few fun Fall Festivals that families can head out to enjoy in the cooler weather! Here’s what’s happening in September for festivals and fairs.
- Roscoe Lions Fall Festival at Leland Park (5727 Broad Street, Roscoe) runs from September 8 – 10. The festival includes a Bingo tent, raffle, midway with rides and games, food, live music, and more. See the full list of events here.
- Stillman Valley Fall Festival happens throughout Stillman Valley from September 23 – 24. The event includes a car show, craft show, kids zone, live music, food booths, pickleball tournament, and more. See the full list of events here.
World War II Days
Midway Village is having its iconic World War 2 reenactment again this year on September 30th and October 1st! There will be 1940s displays, historical re-enactors, five skirmishes, and more. Their events are huge and draw thousands of visitors each year. Tickets are $19 per adult, $12 per kid ages 5-12, and free for kids 4 and under. Get tickets here.
Free Garden Days
There are free and donation days happening at some of our local gardens this month.
September 21: Anderson Japanese Gardens
There are more donation days coming up this fall. You can check out a list here.
Get Outside and Play
Spend a Fall day at one of the Stateline’s local playgrounds. You can see a list of Playground Profiles organized by city here.
Have a super September!
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