These Rockford Events Should Make a Comeback

This time of year is packed with tons of local events. Between the Rockyard Music Fest, Boone County Fair, Winnebago County Fair, markets, and run clubs, celebrations are always happening around the Stateline.

But all these summer events got us thinking about the ones that aren't around anymore.

Not because we're saying every one of them needs to come back, but because there's something special about reminiscing over the festivals, block parties, and community traditions that helped share summers in Rockford for decades. They were places where families made memories, friends met up every year, and so many of us have stories that start with, "Remember when...?"

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What Rockford event do you miss the most?

People immediately mentioned On the Waterfront, remembering the concerts and entertainment that made Rockford the place to be every Labor Day weekend!

Others brought up Anything Floats, when creativity took over the Rock River. This was one of my favorite competitions, I do wish this came back.

Oh, remember Young at Heart? That was kind of short-lived, but super fun, too! I was in middle school when that festival was around and made so many friends every year I went.

Tons of other responses flooded in, too:

Wing Ding
Baconfest
Cook's Tour of Downtown Rockford
St. Anthony's Fair & Block Party
Rockford Air Show
Swedish Fest
Chili Shootout
Taste of Rockford

Whether you attended these events every year or only made it a couple of times, these events clearly left an impression on locals so much that we still talk about it to this day. Though they probably will never return to Rockford, at least we still have the memories!