Positive News, Stories, & Rockford Buzz Polls

The Coronado Theatre is one of Rockford’s famous landmarks. This beautiful theater is a piece of art on the inside and out. It has been providing entertainment to our area since it first opened in 1927. That is a long-standing commitment to the arts and to our city. If that isn’t something that promotes a sense of pride in your heart, I don’t know what will. To celebrate their 90th year with the people of Rockford, the Friends of the Coronado and Mayor Tom McNamara have announced the largest FREE public event that the Coronado has held since its restoration in 2001! Taking place September 29 and 30, (Yes! A two-day celebration!), the Coronado will take you back to the Roaring Twenties with live entertainment and refreshments for guests of all ages. They want to celebrate with Rockford residents as well as bring in tourism to experience Rockford’s beautiful and historical landmark. On Friday, September 29, The Roaring Twenties celebration will kick off at 7:00 pm, and the party will be filling every area of the theatre. As you tour the historic building, you will find different bands and other acts in all different areas. There will be tours of the theater provided, and if you ask kindly, you may even get a ghost story or two! Rockford’s favorite food trucks will be present outside to provide you with some noms and refreshments while you enjoy the festivities. There will be a DJ outside spinning vinyls of artists who have performed at the Coronado. There will also be a raffle for tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The short film “History of the Coronado” will be presented by the Friends of the Coronado Foundation and Land of Lincoln Theater Oregon Society. If you attend Friday, you are going to want to come back on Saturday. The party kicks off at noon and goes until 4:00 pm. There will be face painting, a magician, and the Discovery Center will be on hand. Tours of the theater will continue, so don’t worry if you don’t have a chance to take one on Friday. The Coronado has meant so much to so many people, and providing a weekend of free entertainment is just like them to show that they care about the community. We have all experienced The Coronado in our own way, and now its time to celebrate it like the treasure that it is!

August 15, aka 8.15, aka 815 Day, aka ROCKFORD DAY! has arrived. There is not a shortage of things do do or places to visit. We wanted to get you started on your adventure here. There is a link to follow at the bottom that will take you to the full list! Wired Café Start your morning right at Wired Café, 414 E State. From during the 8am hour, you can get 15% off coffee and espresso drinks. They are going to be running a sale on their shirts all day, and during that same 8am hour, you can catch some live music! 815 on the Mile Bygone Brand, Lallygag Boutique, and Coley’s Cooler have a neat little area for you to feel some Rockford Pride. Bygone Brand, 3600 E. State, has limited edition Rockford Day tees printed for you LIVE by Yackle Tees from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. You can also snag 15% off all Rockford apparel and grab your own Made in Rockford mug for $8.15. Lallygag Boutique, 4616 E. State, will have some signature shirts from Bygone Brand available from noon until 5:00 pm for $18.50. Their lace top extenders are $15, and all summer clearance items are going for $8-15! Coley’s Cooler will be chillin’ at Lallygag from noon until 2:00 pm for an ice cream party! 815 on the Bridge From 11:30 am until 1:30 pm, make sure you head over to the State Street bridge. Trust me. There is going to be music, dancing, and some awesome food trucks! 815 on the Bridge is a great way to break up your day and celebrate our town! Rockford Day at Edgebrook There are some awesome deals going on at Edgebrook all day long. You should check out their webpage and take an 815 day tour of the shopping center! http://edgebrookshops.com/events/rockford-day-at-edgebrook/ Secondhand Curves Lookin' for some new fashion items? Stop in to Secondhand Curves, 5643 E State ste #2, for 20-25% off select items as well as a gift certificate and Michael Kors bag giveaway! J.R. Kortman Center for Design / Kortman Gallery For art lovers out there, international artist Malika Moine of Marseille, has put her own professional touches on our lovely town. Her watercolor prints are being turned into calendar for 2018 entitled Paint the Town. These calendars will be available beginning tomorrow, Rockford Day. If you want to see the paintings on display, The Kortman Gallery, 107 N Main St, will have them for you to see from 5:30 – 9:00. 815 Dock Party Prairie Street food and drinks, live music from The Stevee Nix, and a visit from the Mayor? Just head down to the Prairie Street Brewing Company Dock, 200 Prairie Street! Rockford Art Deli If you are looking for a new RAD shirt, the Art Deli, 402 E State Street, has limited edition 815 prints for you only available on 8/15. If you bring your own tee, get the print for $8.15! Noon-8:00 pm Rockford IceHogs Rockford Day is the perfect day to get a sweet, sweet deal on some Hogs tickets! Upper Endzone tickets are available to you for $8.15! You can buy them through Ticketmaster (no code required), by phone, or stop in and say hello to the lovely people in the box office, 300 Elm St! 10:00 am – Midnight. Bella Luna Bakery SWEET THINGS! Grab some 815 Sugar cookies at Bella Luna, 308 W State, for $1 or 10 for $8.15! Their ridiculously delicious Mrs. Fisher’s potato chip cookies are also $1. This sugary sweet deal is available to you all week! Lucha Cantina (1641 N Alpine) Tacos? Tacos! Tacos for $8.15. This is a no-brainer. Rocktown Adventures Rocktown Adventures, 313 N Madison St, is your local resource for everything outdoors! If you buy one piece of lifestyle apparel, you will get a second for $8.15! They also have on-site rentals of kayaks, canoes, and stand up paddleboards for $8.15! Rockford Roasting Company (206 N Main St) So, RRC shirts are incredibly soft. They are also $15 all day long. Olympic Tavern (2327 N Main St) $8.15 will get you two tacos and a pint of Pilsner Urquell $18.50 will get you a 10 oz New York Strip Steak, a pint of Pilsner Urquell and a shot! You can also win some swag during their drawing at 8:15 pm! The Underground (418 E State) Have you seen Roni’s paintings? Have you seen him do a live painting? If not, I can promise you that it is a really fun time. Grab an original painting or book Roni for an event for only $815! Yolo's Sweets (110 N 1st St) Rockford? Sock Monkeys! Yolo’s is cookin’ up some Sock Monkey cakes! You can also grab cake pops and cupcakes featuring the Rockford Day Logo. Yummmmmmm, baked goods! Halo Cupcake (7969 Forest Hills Rd) 815 Cookies and cupcakes! If you come in some 815 gear, you will be entered into a drawing for an $8.15 gift card! Kate's Pie Shop (6685 E State) All of their delicious lunch boxes will be on sale for $8.15 including tax! Now that is hard to pass up! Bath & Body Fusion (324 E State) Everyone loves to relax and smell good, right? Yeah, well everything is 50% off at Bath and Body Fusion all day long! Crimson Ridge A lot of things are going on downtown. But I would suggest making a little trip over to 735 N Perryville Road for some special Rockford shirts for only $8.15!   As promised, here is your EVERYTHING LINK!

One thing that Rockford is not short on is history. We have a lot of prized landmarks that hold a lot of different stories. For art lovers out there, international artist Malika Moine of Marseille, has put her own professional touches on our lovely town. Her watercolor prints are being turned into calendar for 2018 entitled Paint the Town. These calendars will be available beginning tomorrow, Rockford Day. I believe that is pretty fitting. If you want to see the paintings on display, The Kortman Gallery, 107 N Main St, will have them for you to see from 5:30 – 9:00 pm tomorrow, August 15. Malika will be on hand at this premier event as well. You can meet the artist and chat with her about her work and the inspirations behind her paintings. This is a wonderful night for art lovers and people who love Rockford. It is a great cap to Rockford Day, and I would suggest picking up one of these awesome calendars. They will be a great touch to your home or make a great gift!

Water ski shows are one of the unique attractions you find mainly in the Midwest and for 50 years Rockford has been home to one of the very best, the Ski Broncs. You can see the Ski Broncs at their best against the best this weekend at Shorewood Park in Loves Park. The Ski Broncs are the host of the National Show Ski Association Division 1 Show Ski National Championships. Fourteen teams will be competing for the championships and there will be dozens of individual performers trying for titles in events such as swivel skiing, team jumping and freestyle jumping. The competition begins Friday morning at 10 a.m. with the individual events. Saturday features 12 hours of team competitions from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The team event continues Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. followed by an award ceremony. A national tournament has been held since 1975 and the Ski Broncs won the team title in 1991. The public is welcome and there is a concession stand to keep you hydrated. With the stormy weather, it’s been a tough year for Midwestern water ski show teams because high river levels have caused the cancellation of many shows. If the competition takes place, swing by to show your support. This year’s Ski Broncs team has members from 3-years-old to 54 and the group does more than just show up and perform. The Ski Broncs partners with groups such as Adaptive Adventures, Rock House Kids and the YMCA of the Rock River Valley to teach the joys of water skiing.

Rockford is made up of so many different people from all different backgrounds. What if I told you that there was a festival here in town that brings the community together to celebrate all of the diverse cultures that make up the Forest City? Today, the planning committee hosted a press conference to announce the plans for this year's festivities. 2017 marks the 4th year that the Midtown District is hosting its Ethnic Festival and Parade. Rockford’s historical Midtown District is coming to life with a bunch of local businesses and new residents moving in. It is a great place to host such a great and uplifting gathering. The 4th Annual Midtown Ethnic Festival and Parade is being held on Sunday, August 27, from Noon until 6:oo pm. The main attractions of the festival are held on the grounds of the RPS 205 Administration building, 501 7th Street. The parade, which begins at 1:00 pm runs from downtown to 7th Street. It begins on Wyman and runs down East State to 7th street at 6th avenue. It is recommended that you show up early and reserve your spot along the route. You will get to see dancing dragons, bagpipes, and ethnic dance troops! The festival is free and open to the public with cultural cuisines available for purchase at many food booths. There will also be music and dancing and well as games & crafts, Turkish painting, woodcarving, children’s activities, and a beer garden for attendees 21 and over. This year, they are adding something super exciting. Ancestry.com will be on-site running DNA test signups with a special discount for festival attendees. You will save 20% off which is a discount only available here! Many people like to understand where they come from and what their heritage is. Ancestry.com likes what the Midtown District is doing with this festival, and they wanted to partner with them. The Ethnic Festival and Parade is a great event and will help introduce you to new cultures and appreciate them on a deeper level. I highly suggest that you bring your family and take the time to check it out.

I cannot stress enough that one of my favorite things about Rockford is the amount of caring and supportive people that we have here. There are always people looking to give back to the community that they love, and I think that is wonderful. If you open your heart to our community, you will find that you always feel supported and encouraged to succeed. Since 1992, Crusader Community Health has set out to recognize and reward caring individuals and organizations within our community. The 2017 awards will recognize four individuals and one organization that have a lasting impact on Rockford and the surrounding areas. Within this is the Spirit-of-the-Future award. This award is given to a person aged 40 or under who exhibits unique kindness and caring for others in our community; a future leader who demonstrates the Spirit of Caring today. You have a voice in who gets the award. You can submit your nominations for the great people in your life. Nominations for these awards are due by September 7, 2017. Mail, E-mail or Fax to: SPIRIT OF CARING AWARDS Crusader Community Health 1200 West State Street Rockford, Illinois 61102 FAX: (815)490-1823 E-mail: ksmith@crusaderhealth.org So, where will these awards be given out? There is a Spirit of Caring Award dinner being held at Giovanni’s on Friday, October 27, 2017. You can attend and enjoy an evening of great food, great company, and inspiring stories. For questions about nominations, dinner tickets or other information about this special community event, call (815) 490-1620 or visit: www.crusaderhealth.org

Music is a universal language. Whether you can understand the lyrics or not (or if there are no lyrics!) the music can bring out different emotions in you and help you communicate your feelings. There is no age limit on a love for music. From the super young, to the old, music love flows through most of our veins. So what? Well, we have some folks here in Rockford who aim to keep the love of music alive for all generations and generations to come. The Rock N’ Roll Institute is a great place for aspiring musicians to come together in Rockford, form bands, and rock out. Youth bands and adult bands both come out of the institute and they are providing a great service for our community. If that sounds awesome to you (it is), you can check out more about them HERE. Then we have Culture Shock. Culture Shock has been a staple of our community for a decade now! Most people who live in Rockford have dropped in at least once. You will usually find yourself leaving with some awesome vinyl or some unique item from their gift section. They really have some cool stuff there, and if you somehow haven’t checked it out yet, take my recommendation and stop in there. Another cool thing about Culture Shock is that they like to provide affordable entertainment for music lovers. Usually these shows are for all ages, so you can make a family event out of it! They have a great location with a pretty big parking lot, so they have the space to bring you a great time. This Saturday, August 5, from 4:00 - 9:00 pm, the Rock N’ Roll Institute and Culture Shock are coming together to provide you a really cool night of music. This all ages show will feature youth and adult bands from The Rock N’ Roll Institute. 6’10 band from Chicago will also be stopping in to perform for you. Admission is FREE, but a $5 donation will get you a $5 credit to use at Culture Shock at any time. There won’t only be music, though. You can also enjoy: Craft Root Beer for all ages from Prairie Street Brewing Co.! 21+ can enjoy Craft Beer from Prairie Street Brewing Company A Candy "Bar" provided by Culture Shock The legendary Sandwich Factory with hot dogs and burgers! Giveaways from area local businesses for music-loving-kids 18 and under! MORE SURPRISES IN-STORE! They always have something up their sleeve!   This parking lot party is a family music day. Round up your friends or children and come out to enjoy some great music, company, and treats.

The main event on the Rockford running calendar takes place Saturday with the SwedishAmerican State Street Mile. This will be the 33rd annual running of the event that is calls itself the “fastest mile in the Midwest” because the course is almost entirely downhill and ends with a sprint over the State Street Bridge. Many of the biggest names in Rockford running have won the Mile at various points. Belvidere’s Ron Wartgow, who won a high school state championship in the mile in 1976, won the first three on the men’s side and Roscoe’s Jeff Jacobs, who qualified for the 1996 Olympic trials as a marathoner, holds the record with five wins. On the women’s side, Andrea Rediger, a runner from Auburn High School who went on to excel at the University of Minnesota and finished 22nd in the 2015 Boston Marathon, has dominated the event this decade. Rediger has won the last six women’s races. There are races in four categories, men’s and women’s masters, boys and girls k-12 and the men’s and women’s open races. The races begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 5, with the Masters, followed by the boys and girls races and then the open race starting at 6 p.m. The cost to run is $15 for the boys and girls and $30 for the open and masters divisions. The race benefits the Rockford Sports Coalition and Rockford Wildcats youth running team. The State Street Mile has grown to the point where more than 500 run annually, but a challenge from a couple of local businesses should push entries even higher. A&B Machine Shop and Rockford Carbide Die & Tool are backing a school challenge. The schools at each level – elementary, middle school and high school – that have the most registered and participating students, staff and faculty will receive cash awards for their athletic departments. Runners must cross the finish line to count. To register, go to https://runsignup.com/Race/Register/?raceId=21376#register. A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this Scoreboard piece. Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters.

Saturday gives you the rare chance to hit a home run into the Rock River. Not a baseball or a softball. No. A kickball. Brovember Inc. is holding its annual Kicking “Balls for Mens Cancer” tournament Saturday, July 29, at Davis Park to raise funds for prostate cancer research. The tournament is the largest annual fundraiser for Brovember, which was founded in Rockford with a beard-a-thon to raise awareness for Prostate cancer and other men’s cancer issues while also supporting local organizations. Prostate cancer affects nearly 12 percent The cost is $15 per person and teams have to be between eight and 11 players with at least three being female and all players must be over the age of 18. While the kickball tournament is the draw, there will be plenty of activity for the spectators with music, food, drinks, bags contests and raffles. There is no cost to attend and enjoy the action. The overall tournament winner wins tickets to the Screw City Beer Festival. The action starts at 10 a.m. and “The Wrap Up Party” takes place after at the Blue Line Sports Pub, 211 Elm St., Rockford. A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this Scoreboard piece. Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters.

Rockford Art Museum’s annual art party of the summer is coming up! Art With A View will be held on August 12, 2017 at the Riverfront Amphitheater at Riverfront Museum Park, 711 N Main St. Art With A View is a chic outdoor party that features cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, a nice dinner from Chef Paul Sletten of Abreo, music and entertainment by DJ Maclin and Luxe Productions, and more. It is a great night to come out and appreciate art at a great location right on the river. Art enthusiasts all over town look forward to this event every year. Cocktails will be served at 6:00 pm with dinner starting at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $175; reservation deadline is Tuesday, Aug. 1. Summer party attire. Proceeds support RAM exhibitions and education programs throughout the year. To purchase tickets or for more information go to rockfordartmuseum.org or call (815) 968-2787.

Who doesn’t like a good party? Franchesco’s Ristorante is bringing you a one-day celebration of everything Italian this weekend. Solo Italiano (Only Italian) is a festival celebrating food, music, and culture. It is being held outdoors at Franchesco’s, 7128 Spring Creek Rd. You can find this deliciously entertaining event on Sunday, July 23, from 11:00 am – 9:00 pm. Admission to the event is free, with food and drink tickets available for purchase at the door. Visitors will be transported to an Italian setting where they will be able to enjoy delicious Italiano cuisine while listening to Italian music with a glass of vino in their hands. Other local businesses will be featuring their products that keep tradition and culture alive. Solo Italiano will feature authentic food by Franchesco’s Ristorante, a beer and wine garden, pastries and gelato by Cucina di Rosa, Italian car showcase, coffee and espresso station by Rockford Roasting Co., a spaghetti eating contest, and live music by authentic Italiano acts from around the country. Franchesco’s has been a staple of the Rockford community for many years, and now they are bringing you a fun new way to celebrate the Italiano culture. Make sure you come out and show your support! You can find more information on their Facebook page HERE.

Last year was the 6th year for Rockford’s original bike festival, the Tour de North End. Thanks to all the riders who participated, CatEye Lights and Kegel’s Bicycle Store, 100 bicycle lights were donated to Carpenters Place, a homeless assistance program in Rockford. This Saturday July 22nd is the SEVENTH annual TDNE fest, and it is going to be bigger and better than ever! Riders can pre-register ahead of time ($12 in advance, $15 at the door — there is also a $22 option online which includes a tshirt) at their website HERE. Two dollars from every rider’s entry fee will go directly to a Rockford cycling charity. TDNE riders will register/check-in at the Olympic Tavern at 11am-1pm, then head to 12 other North End locations to collect passport stamps — the more stamps collected, the more chances there are to win prizes. Riders return to The Olympic Tavern at 5:00 pm to watch local punk/pop band, The Nice Lords, while passports are tallied up. At 6:30 pm, one lucky rider will take home a New Belgium Fat Tire Bicycle, while others will win Olympic Tavern gift cards and more prizes from New Belgium Brewery. TDNE is a rain or shine event. Riders should dress for the weather and bring a bike lock, water bottle and helmet (and lots of friends)! There will be other cycling events throughout the day (bike safety & "how to/fix-it” demos from Kegel’s Bicycle Store, slow ride competition, trackstand competition, etc). Families with kids are encouraged to join the festival but per state law children under 21 may not win prizes. Schedule and more info are available at TOURDENORTHEND.COM and the Tour De North End Facebook page.

You have all heard of City Market downtown, but how about Bite Nite at the City Market Pavilion? Bite Nite is a food festival that is coming to downtown Rockford this weekend. On Saturday, July 22 from 4:00 – 10:00 pm, there will be a bunch of delicious food for you to try and vote on! There will be appetizers, entrees, desserts, handhelds, and more. Each taste sized portion will be on sale for $1-4 dollars. Admission to the event is $5 with children 12 and under getting in FREE! Bite Nite is a great way to spend some time downtown sampling some great food from local restaurants. You will see your favorites there, and you may even find a new favorite that you haven’t heard of. We all love food, so head down and spend a great evening on the town with some delicious bites to eat. You don’t want to miss out!

The Rockford Speedway will celebrate its 70th anniversary Saturday night with a full slate of racing action, “70” theme special giveaways, and a spectacular fireworks show at the end of the night. The track was built in 1947 - during the Harry Truman administration - by a farmer and group of investors. Hugh Deery eventually became an investor and was sole owner by 1966. His widow, Jody Deery has run it since 1984. To stay relevant and profitable over the years, the Speedway has been an innovator. It was the first track to develop an economical late model racing program and was an early adopter of the short track Saturday night racing programs. It remains the only racetrack in Illinois running under NASCAR sanction. With so many races run and laps turned, a number of great racers got their start at the ¼-mile track. These include Clinton, Wisconsin’s Joe Shear, who began racing at Rockford in 9164 and ended up winning 58 races on the ARTGO Series. Dick Trickle from Wisconsin Rapids won more than 1,200 races in a career that included more than 200 starts in NASCAR’s highest series. Janesville’s Travis Kvapil, who sent four years in NASCAR’s top series and now drives in the Craftsman Truck series, began racing at Rockford in 1992 at the age of 16. Saturday night, the gates will open at 5 p.m. with racing starting at 7:05 p.m. The schedule includes races in the Speedway’s four core divisions - Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models, Bargain Hunter Sportsman, Miller Lite American Short Trackers and Kickstart Roadrunners. The cost is $12 for adults. Children age six through 11 are $6, and children age five and under are free. A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this Scoreboard piece. Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters.

Northern Illinois 100 Women Who Care is a chapter of the national 100 Who Care Alliance. It is a group for women who want to give back, but they may not have a lot of time to volunteer or do other service activities. They have a group of seven women that meet to plan the events and debrief after, but other members only meet three times per year. Membership to the group includes the expectation that you will donate $100 at each meeting. You have the option to form a team of two people for $50 each. Another way you could join is to register a team of four and the contribution would be $25 per person. The 100 Women Who Care Alliance aims to be affordable for everyone. If you cannot be present at a meeting then you can send your check as a proxy vote with another member. They are all about having a nice night together and giving back to the community that they love. So far, 100 Women Who Care has had two meetings. In their first meeting on February 23, they had 22 attendees and raised $2,300 for Rockford Promise. Their Second meeting was held on May 7. Attendance grew to 39 women and they raised $3,500 for the Superhero Center for Autism. Their next meeting is being held on October 15 at Lino’s. Social hour and registration will be from 2:00-3:00 pm with the meeting taking place from 3:00 to 4:00 pm. They have had an excellent response to their chapter so far. If you are a busy woman that wants to give back to the community, I would suggest putting that next meeting in your calendar! You can keep up with their meetings on their Facebook page HERE.

Northern Illinois is beautiful. Between all of the beautiful forests and fields, there lie some great hidden treasures. One such hidden treasure is the Heritage Garden located within Midway Village Museum’s Victorian Village, 6799 Guilford Road. On Thursday, July 20, one-hour guided tours will be available for you to learn more about this sweet little slice of Rockford. Tours are available at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 6:00 pm. Because there is a lot of interest, you must pre-register for the tour. The deadline for registration is Monday, July 17, at 5:00 pm. RSVP by calling the front desk at 815-397-9112. When you arrive for your tour, meet in front of the Old Dolls House on the far south-side of the parking lot. You will walk and tour vegetable gardens, “carpet” bedding gardens, a “Grandmother’s Garden, a Moonlight Garden (white flower) a Blue Garden, and a front-yard garden. The guided tour is approximately 1 hour. During the tour, learn about each garden and how these relate to the type of architecture nearby. Also, learn how gardening grew so rapidly in popularity during the Victorian Era (1830-1900) and how difficult it is today to find heirloom Victorian plants. The tour ends highlighting the museum’s ideas for future growth of the Heritage Garden program. The admission cost is $7 adults; $5 children (ages 3-17). Not recommended for children under age 3 (ages 0-2). Museum Members are Free. If you haven’t been to Midway Village in awhile (or ever!) this is a great time to re-introduce yourself. You don’t realize how truly lucky we are to have this gem here in Rockford until you experience it for yourself.

This Sunday at Riverside Community Church in Machesney Park an independent group of actors and actresses will do two performances of “The 4th Graders Present an Unnamed Love-Suicide: A Short Play.” The play was written in 2007 by Sean Graney, the founder and artistic director of Chicago’s The Hypocrites theater company. Graney’s clever plot is a group of fourth graders are putting on a play written by one of their classmates right before he commits suicide. It’s a dark and powerful look at the dynamics of school, including roles for the bully, the evil popular girl and the goody-goody hall monitor. The play itself is about 60 minutes and the themes are too serious for young audiences. There is no admission price, but donations will be accepted at the door. Proceeds go towards Shatter Our Silence, an organization founded by Rockford clinical psychologist Kevin Polky with the goal of combatting the disquieting rise of teenage suicides in the social media era. In 2016, in Winnebago County there were a record five teen suicides. The first performance takes place at 2 p.m. and the second one starts at 7 p.m. Riverside Community Church is located at 6816 N. Second St., Machesney Park.

It is hard not to get excited for ice cream. It is even harder to not get excited for Winnebago Buy Local's 'Totally Local Ice Cream Social'. Not only do you get ice cream from Dairyhaus or a Root Beer Float from Prairie Street Brewing Company, but you can also mingle with some of the awesome local business owners that call Rockford and the surrounding areas home. If you opt to go with an ice cream sundae, you can truly make it your own with dozens of toppings available. This makes for the perfect family outing. You and your family can have a yummy treat and be surrounded by a bunch of people who enjoy our hometown and want to see it succeed. There are nothing but happy vibes floating around this place. In addition to the yummy treats, there will be plenty of entertainment to keep your family engaged. Magician Johnny Silver, PicklesTheClown, a photo booth, face painting, and a DJ are just a few of the attractions that will be there to make this event special. Where and when can you find this magical event? Sunday, July 16 starting at 1:00 pm at The Lombardi Club, 209 Olive Street. Admission is only $5 per person. If you bring school supplies to donate you RPS 205, you could win some nifty gift certificates! There is no reason to skip out on this event. We hope you will come out and join us for some local family fun!

The 41st annual Rockford Pro-Am tees off Monday with its usual mix of up-and-comers and current men and women golf stars. It even includes a player who sparked the latest Twitter spat. The most accomplished player in this year’s field is LPGA star Brittany Lincicome. She has seven career wins on the LPGA Tour. That includes two major tournament wins, the 2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship and the 2015 ANA Inspiration, which is the new name for the Kraft Nabisco. Lincicome is making the stop in Rockford Monday after competing in this week’s U.S. Women’s Open in Bedminster, New Jersey. Lincicome has been in the news this week for something other than her play. The Open is being played at Trump National Golf Club and told Chicago Tribune reporters that she hoped President Donald Trump would stay away from the event so the tournament would be “about us and not him.” That sparked both support - various women’s groups are protesting the USGA’s decision to hold the event at a Trump resort - and condemnation. The critics included two-time men’s major winner John Daly on Twitter. Lincicome responded by dropping off social media for Open week. Lincicome, of course, isn’t the only interesting name in this year’s Pro-Am field. All told, the men scheduled to play have won 15 PGA tournaments and two NCAA national championships. The three other women players have won two NCAA titles and made a U.S. Olympic team. Rockford Country Club is hosting this year’s Pro-Am. The primary beneficiaries this year are Carpenter’s Place, a daytime center for homeless people rebuilding their lives, and the Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois. The Pro-Am starts at 8:45 a.m. with the Aqua’s Best Shot competition and then a shotgun start at 10:15 a.m. Spectators should arrive at least 20 minutes before the shotgun start to be able to find the group they’d like to follow.Tickets are $10 each and may be bought at the gate. "Fore" more about the event, go to www.therockfordproam.com. A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this Scoreboard piece. Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters.

You can catch some live baseball Sunday night before baseball, both the majors and minors, break for All Star games. The Rockford Rivets are 17-17 as of this writing in the Northwoods League, a wood bat league for top-flight college players. They have a short homestand Sunday and Monday against the Kalamazoo (Michigan) Growlers. The beauty of the Northwoods League is that if you attend enough games, you are likely to see a future major leaguer. Since launching in 1994, 175 players have gone on to play in the bigs. These include future All-Stars such as Curtis Granderson and Max Scherzer and current Cub Ben Zobrist. Thirteen former Nothwoods Leaguers have debuted in the Show this year alone. In 2017, the Rivets star unquestionably has been Illinois State freshman John Rave. The Bloomington native is hitting .343 with 13 walks and six stolen bases in 24 games played. On the mound, Hononegah graduate Jack Granath leads the team with a 4-2 record and 3.86 ERA in six games played. As a summer developmental league, the rosters are fluid and Granath, who pitches for Davenport University, is not on the active roster. Sunday’s game at Rivets Stadium, 4503 Interstate Blvd., Loves Park, begins at 4:05 p.m. and Sunday is Latino night at the ballpark. Unlike major league baseball, which is increasingly becoming too expensive for the average family, a Rivets game is an affordable night out with tickets ranging from $8 to $15 each. A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this Scoreboard piece. Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters.

Rockford is one of the top cities in the Midwest when it comes to celebrating the Fourth of July because of the Skyconcert Fireworks Spectacular along the river downtown. For those of you who like more than one of explosive fun, you should go to the Rockford Speedway Monday, July 3, for the NASCAR Racing Fireworks Extravaganza. Racing starts at 7:07 p.m. and there is a full race schedule to enjoy, including the Bargain Hunter Sportsman, Miller Lite American Short Trackers, one-on-one spectacular drags and the Roadrunner Challenge Flagpole Race. The race taking the top billing Monday though is the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere for the Kickstart Roadrunners. Once racing wraps up, those who come out to the racetrack that opened when Harry Truman was president will get to enjoy a full fireworks display that rattles windows miles away from the track. The pit gates open at 4 p.m. The costs are $15 for adults, $8 for children ages 6-11. Children age 5 and under are free. To learn more or to see the schedule for the rest of the summer, go to rockfordspeedway.com. A special thank you to Alex Gary for writing this Scoreboard piece. Alex Gary spent 22 years as a sports, business and education reporter and editor at newspapers in Beloit, Wis., and Rockford. He now is the communications manager at Thinker Ventures when he’s not umpiring youth baseball, running the scoreboard at Jefferson athletics, working on his NIC-10 Sports History Book website or hanging out with his two daughters.

If you like Pink Floyd and brilliant visual experiences, the Immersion World Tour 2017 is unlike anything else you will see. Brit Floyd brings the music of Pink Floyd to life with an exceptional million-dollar light show and state of the art video design. The visuals along with high-definition sound will take you on a wild journey that you won’t forget any time soon. Lucky for you, it is coming to the Coronado on July 9 at 8:00 pm. As well as performing the favorite moments from The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, The Wall and The Division Bell, Brit Floyd will also pay special tribute to the Animals album, in its 40th anniversary year, with a show stopping rendition of ‘Dogs’, as well as a host of other Pink Floyd musical gems. The Brit Floyd show has truly become a phenomenon, widely regarded as the world's greatest live tribute to Pink Floyd. Faithfully recreating the scale and pomp of the final 1994 Division Bell tour, complete with circle screen and multiple moving light design, lasers, inflatables and theatrics, a Brit Floyd show really is as close as fans will ever get to experiencing the magnificence of a Pink Floyd show live. Make sure you get your tickets now before they sell out. You can purchase them HERE.

As part of the new Japanese exhibit at the Discovery Center, the Konnichiwa Means Hello event is coming on Friday, June 23, from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm. This event gives you and your kids the chance to get some hands on experience with the Japanese culture. Investigate how kawaii, the Japanese word for “cute”, is a driving force in Japanese culture. Enjoy Pokémon themed stations while making your own trainer cards. Then role play as trainers and complete your journey by collecting “gym badges” at each station. Try your pen at calligraphy, learn to draw like an anime artist and pick up some Japanese words while enjoying our temporary exhibition Hello from Japan! At 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, there will be an exciting live Japanese drumming performance by Tsukasa Taiko Community Ensemble. Tsukasa Taiko is a community arts program in Chicago whose mission is, through teaching and performing, to preserve, develop, and pass on the traditional concepts of Japanese art as a cultural legacy. All of these activities are included with general museum admission, so you can take some time to wander around to the rest of the exhibits as well!

River District 12 is hosting their 2nd Annual Bike Tour this weekend. If you enjoy biking and getting out into nature, there is still some time to register! It will, indeed, fill up, and there is no registration on the day of the event, so make sure you reserve your spot if you haven’t already. If you haven’t heard of it, River District 12 is a 12 hour bike tour that is designed to promote bike safety and awareness. It also gives you a neat perspective of the River District and the surrounding areas. The bike tour is on Saturday, June 24 from 7:00 am – 7:00 pm. There are 5 checkpoints along the 4.5 mile loop. Participants join in with the intention of accumulating the most miles possible. There are 8 bonus check-points which will take you off of the main course if you are super into it. If you desire to get the bonus check points, you will be credited with an additional 2 laps, or 9 miles. These bonus checkpoints may include a physical task, beautification of the neighborhood, or a bike safety course. It is a fun and unique way to get involved in your community while getting some exercise outdoors. The entry fee is $30 per rider if you register at Namaste Studios, 223 E State St, or $33 dollars online. You can find online registration HERE. River District 12 is about building community, understanding who lives and works in our neighborhood, and meeting our neighbors and businesses to find out what type of amazing things are already happening here. This event was inspired by the Riverwest 24 Bike Race based in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI. Its intention is to unite our community through something as simple as bike riding. Whether you enter or decide to volunteer for this amazing event, come spend a day with your friends, exploring our beautiful city.