October is one of our favorite months to live in the greater Rockford area! The Forest City is ablaze with color from the changing leaves and there are fun events every weekend that families can enjoy! Halloween is a big deal around here and there are all sorts of spooky and not-so-scary events to attend this month too. Get ready to enjoy October and Halloween and check out some of these awesome events and exciting news for families in the Stateline.
Exciting News and Business Openings
Dirty Dough is now open inside of Flow Extreme Air (5505 E. State Street in Rockford). We had a chance to try some cookies and really liked the Cookies N Creme. You can check out our review on TikTok here.
Jack Osbourne’s Night of Terror filmed an episode at Tinker Swiss Cottage that will air on October 15th at 9 pm on the Travel Channel. Jack brought actress, and Illinois native, Jenny McCarthy to the museum to investigate whether it is haunted or not. The show may be scary for young children.
Witches Ball at Lindberg Pumpkin Patch
Dress up in Halloween costumes and dance the night away at Lindberg Pumpkin Patch. The Witches Ball happens on Saturday, October 7th from 7 pm – 10 pm. Admission is $5 per person, ages 2 and under are free. The event includes dancing, hayrides, a petting zoo, crafts, and more.
Autumn at the Arboretum
Welcome Fall at Autumn at the Arboretum in Klehm Arboretum from October 6 – 8. This entire weekend, admission is free for all. Visitors can explore the 155 acres and participate in activities and entertainment. There will be a free educational lecture and apple tasting program on Saturday, and a Sunday Family Fun Day with kids’ activities, live music, and community activity booths.
Olde English Faire
Stronghold Camp and Retreat Center is celebrating 50 years of their Olde English Faire this month! From October 7 – 9, families can experience a renaissance fair with live performances, food trucks, artisan vendors, Vikings, royalty, horses, jesters, dancing, castle tours, and more. Admission is $10 per person, $5 for kids ages 5-12, and free for kids under 5.
Enchanted Forest and Hollywood Hayride
Janesville is holding its annual Halloween festivities in Palmer Park this month from October 11 – 14. This event has two parts – the Enchanted Forest and the Hollywood Hayride. The Enchanted Forest is a narrated candle-lit walk through various scenes and actors from children’s books, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes. The Hollywood Hayride is a ride-through scene from family-friendly movies and TV shows. Families can watch a short performance at each scene. Afterward, families can play Goblin Games for $1 for 5 tickets or take a free barrel train ride.
Trunk or Treats
There are more than 35 Trunk or Treats happening in the Stateline area throughout the month of October. All of these events are free. You can see a list of the upcoming events here.
Pumpkin Walk at Eagles Ridge Park
One of our favorite events to check out each Halloween season is the Pumpkin Walk in Eagles Ridge Park in Beloit on October 17th from 6 pm – 7 pm. Families can walk around a path and view LED-lit Jack O’Lanterns and listen to a story from the Beloit Public Library staff. The first 50 kids get a Halloween craft. This event is FREE to attend and completely outdoors.
Spook the Dells
Severson Dells, a fun and non-scary, Halloween celebration is back on October 21st at 6 pm. During this theatrical event, families can walk through the woods and learn more about nocturnal animals. After the hike, families can enjoy a s’more by the fire. This event costs $5 per member and $8 for general admission. Register here for the event.
Community Health Systems Trunk or Treat
One of the largest Trunk or Treats in the area is happening on Thursday, October 26th from 4 pm – 7 pm. This event is held by the Community Health Systems of Beloit and happens in the parking lot of 74 Eclipse Boulevard. There will be dozens of trunks, a scavenger hunt, hay bale bowling, and more. This event gets VERY busy so prepare for a wait.
Go Leaf Peeping
The leaves will be changing colors near the end of October and there are beautiful places to see them in the Stateline! We highly recommend taking a hike at Big Hill Park, Baltic Mill, Beckman Mill and more! See a list of places to hike and drive to see the leaves here!
All Hallows’ Eve at Midway Village Museum
On Saturday, October 21st, Midway Village Museum’s Victorian Village will have its highly popular Trick or Treat event. Families can trick or treat through the Victorian Village in costume and do family-friendly activities. There will be food trucks and drinks for purchase. Admission is $7 per kid ages 3-17, $5 per person and free for kids 2 and under. You can buy tickets in advance or at the gate.
Truck or Treat at Porter Park
On Saturday, October 21st from 3 pm – 6 pm, families can head to Porter Park in Roscoe for trick or treating mixed with a touch a truck event! There will be trucks on site from public works as well as food trucks and drinks for purchase. Admission is free.
Spooky Science at Discovery Center Museum
Families can head to Discovery Center Museum on Friday, October 27th from 6 pm – 9 pm for an evening of spooky science fun. There will be slime-making, make-and-take projects, science activities and more. Admission is $12 per person and $3 per member. You can get tickets here.
Terror on 2nd Street at Kids Spot and Element Athletics
Every year, Kids Spot throws a MASSIVE Halloween party that includes several different events. The party is on Saturday, October 28th from 5 pm – 8 pm. Families can choose how many of these events they participate in. Costs vary depending on how many of the activities you do. There will be an open gym, sensory room, costume contest, crafts, and activities. Take a hayride to Element Athletics for a haunted house. The Ultimate Package includes all of the activities for $40 in advance / $45 at the door. The Haunted Package includes the hayride, haunted house, and candy for $25 in advance and $30 at the door. The Halloween Bash includes the open gym, sensory room, and crafts for $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Get tickets here.
Main St. Trick or Treat in Downtown Rockton
Head to downtown Rockton on Sunday, October 29th from 1 pm – 3 pm in costume to Trick or Treat from local businesses. This event is completely FREE to attend! Downtown Rockton is full of adorable shops that sell all sorts of goods, be sure to support those local businesses while you’re trick or treating!
Halloween Boo Baskets
If you’re planning on making a Boo Basket for your kids this year, Target has some great options! We’ve put together a list of cute items that are mostly $5 or less to surprise your kids with! Check out the suggestions here.
Family-Friendly Live Shows & Concerts
There are some fantastic family-friendly shows happening in the Stateline in October! Here’s a list of what you can go see!
- October 6 – 15: Theatre 121’s Puffs at Woodstock Opera House
- October 19: Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert at Coronado Performing Arts Center
- October 20 – 22: Peter and the Starcatcher at Janesville Performing Arts Center
Rockford IceHogs Are Back!
The Rockford IceHogs are celebrating their 25th season! Their season kicks off with a game against the Chicago Wolves on October 21st. There is a block party in front of the BMO Center that starts at 4 pm. You can get tickets for any IceHogs game 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.
- Autumn on Parade in Oregon from October 7 – 8. Autumn on Parade in Oregon, IL includes 175 farmer’s market and craft fair booths, tractor and car show, tours, live music, and a carnival. View a list of events here.
Free Garden Days
There are free and donation days happening at some of our local gardens this month.
October 19: 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 an outlandishly fun October!
