Events in Rochelle today

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.

At First Presbyterian Church of Dixon, Illinois, Certified Instructor for Quiltworx Patterns Shauna Heck leads a class on the Hopscotch pattern. Information about supplies and costs will be announced soon. She will also present a trunk show at the regular meeting.

First Presbyterian Church of Dixon, Illinois hosts the monthly meeting, where attendees are encouraged to bring Show and Tell. The program features a trunk show by Shauna Heck, Certified Quiltworx Instructor, and there will also be a workshop led by Shauna. Look for sewing-themed inspiration for this month’s Post Card Challenge, and continue making fidget quilts for the charity project.

This energetic storytime features read alouds, songs, and chances to get up and dance. It offers an active mix of storytelling, singing, and movement for a lively experience.

A survivor-led gathering for domestic violence survivors to find connection, focus on healing, and have their voices honored. The environment centers on safety and respect without judgment, pressure, or expectations. Participants may simply listen or share when ready, in a supportive space that values every story.

This casual bunco meetup is held the first Tuesday each month. Everyone is welcome, and no partner is needed to play. You can bring a snack to share if you wish. Additional information about rounds, buy-ins, and rules will be shared.

At Coronado Theatre, this large scale stage experience portrays the life of Christ within a sweeping account of divine love and the spiritual struggle surrounding humanity. The production combines live music, dramatic storytelling, aerial artistry, movement, contemporary dance, and striking effects to immerse the audience. Over more than three decades, it has been performed for more than one million attendees. The narrative highlights themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Please note production elements such as flashing and strobe lighting, atmospheric fog or haze, and high volume sound. The story includes graphic moments, including a crucifixion and an implied suicide, and the content is not recommended for children under 12.

At Coronado Theatre, a sweeping stage experience retells the life of Christ within a larger narrative of God’s love and the spiritual struggle surrounding humanity. The production blends live music, dramatic storytelling, aerial performance, movement arts, modern dance, and special effects to immerse audiences in themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Presented for more than three decades and seen live by over one million people, it pairs spectacle with story for a powerful theatrical experience. Production elements include flashing and strobe lights, fog and haze, and loud music. The narrative contains graphic content, including a crucifixion and implied suicide, and is not recommended for children under 12.

Enjoy bingo with plenty of extras. Participants must be 18 or older to play. Food, a full bar, and gaming machines are available. The action also includes horse races and bird raffles. Cards are offered at $6 and $9, and each additional game can be added for $1 per ticket.

Paranormal researcher, TV host, and author Amy Bruni presents a live talk that reveals the real hauntings behind famous horror films. She examines each case through historical context, firsthand accounts, and evidence collected at the sites. The discussion compares the story told in The Conjuring with a family’s experience of a demonic presence, considers whether Ed and Lorraine Warren truly kept a doll like the one in Annabelle, explores how The Shining connects to Stephen King’s time at the Stanley Hotel, and revisits The Amityville Horror reports of levitating beds and a pig-like figure with glowing red eyes. The focus stays on the people, places, and documented encounters rather than jump scares and special effects. Before and after the talk, a small traveling display of haunted artifacts and spiritualist memorabilia will be available to view and interact with.

In the J. R. Sullivan Theater at the RPL Nordlof Center, this film series honors 250 years of American independence with a mix of beloved classics, crowd-pleasers, and seasonal favorites. Admission is free and popcorn is complimentary. The lineup features The Super Mario Bros. Movie (PG), The Princess Bride (PG), 42 (PG-13), Superman (PG-13), Independence Day (PG-13), Fantastic Mr. Fox (PG), The Karate Kid (PG), Sinners (R), Frankenweenie (PG), Pride and Prejudice (PG), and Muppet Christmas Carol (G).