This weekend in Rochelle, IL

Celebrating forty years of the Winnebago & Boone Counties Genealogical Society, this milestone gathering welcomes both longtime and newer members to share favorite memories, special moments, and reflections about WBCGS. Rooted in friendship, volunteer dedication, and a shared love of family history, it honors those stories while helping preserve the society's own history. The event features member story collection, refreshments, door prizes, and a commemorative memento.

Enjoy a relaxed car meet where participation and spectating are both free. On-site registration is complimentary, and the gathering welcomes all makes, models, and vehicle types. Please follow the etiquette by skipping burnouts and excessive revving and by keeping the area clean. Vendors are not included, and there are no registration charges. Additional details will be shared as they become available.

This open show offers a laid back setting with family friendly competition. Gates open with barrel exhibitions leading into the main program. Food, beverages, and treats from the Circle KD kitchen will be available throughout the event. Casual clothing is appropriate. Awards include five highpoint belt buckles and payback for the speed classes, plus a tumbler for the highest reserve highpoint. For questions, contact show chairperson Kylee Schambach at 309-620-0837.

Experience a festive faire at Stronghold Camp and Retreat Center filled with merriment and revelry. Enjoy live performances, food trucks, and artisan vendors offering handmade wares. Encounter Vikings and royalty, see horses and jesters, take in lively dancing, and explore the castle on tours, with more to discover. Admission is $10 per person, children under 12 are $5, and children under 5 are admitted free.

Set within Genoa’s Harvest Fest, the Fall Makers' Market turns Main Street into a lively showcase of local makers and small businesses. Browse handmade creations, seasonal décor, distinctive gifts, and tasty treats while enjoying the upbeat festival atmosphere. Family friendly activities include a petting zoo, rides, and a touch a truck area, and OpenDoor Coffee will be serving festive drinks to keep the autumn mood going. It is a simple way to support local vendors and spend a relaxed fall day together.

Pop-Up @ PAWS Summer Market brings a no-cost, family-friendly outdoor marketplace to Paws Humane Society of Rockford, featuring makers with fabric and wood pieces, yarn crafts, 3D creations, baked treats, and more. Inside the shelter, pet supplies are available for resale and adoptable cats are showcased, with foster dogs sometimes visiting on site. This edition adds a spooky market theme with food trucks and music. For the comfort and safety of the animals, outside pets are not permitted under Paws policy, and ADA service animals are welcome.

This concert spotlights two genre-bending acts. From Toledo, Ohio, Nikki D & The Sisters of Thunder shape a family-rooted sound that unites gospel tradition with bluesy riffs, tight grooves, and soul. Nikki D’s steel guitar, drawing comparisons to Jimi Hendrix within the sacred steel world, sings with expressive, voice-like lines, while her raspy, sultry vocals blend with family harmonies to create music that is both spiritual and full of momentum. Classical Blast brings a different fusion, recasting works by Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, and more through the power of rock and metal. Their arrangements sometimes fold in original lyrics and orchestral textures, flowing from classical masterpieces to classic rock favorites. With inventive mashups and standout musicianship, they give well-known pieces a fresh spark and an energetic new context.

The seventh event in a RallyCross series is planned, with a separate practice session scheduled on Saturday.

Experience Jim Henson's Labyrinth in a new way as the fantasy favorite is projected in HD while a live band performs the entire soundtrack in precise sync with David Bowie's vocals. This concert event celebrates 40 years since the film's 1986 release, blending cinematic adventure and live music for an evening of nostalgia. Hear Magic Dance along with the score by Bowie and Trevor Jones brought to life on stage. Costumes, sing-alongs, and cheers are welcome as Jareth, Sarah, and the creatures from Jim Henson's Creature Shop light up the screen at Coronado Theatre.