Hosting a 3K/5K Fun Run event to support Before and After School Program in Paw Paw. We will have some fun stations along the way, such as; hula hoops, bubble machines, mini challenges (example: hop on 1 foot).

Also, the Paw Paw Fest is happening right after our event. It focuses on the PP fruit.
SO come to support our cause and stay for the Festival!

Join the Boone County Conservation District for some fall family fun as we come together for a planting party to plant native shrubs and trees at LIB Conservation Area! Please register for a time to attend so we can plan parking and tools for the planting activity.

You are welcome to attend the event as a walk-in participant or group, but we may need to adjust your planting schedule if all available tools are taken when you arrive.

You will be invited to select a tree placed in a pre-dug hole. You will learn the proper way to plant the tree from BCCD Natural Resource Management staff and ensure that it is at the proper depth.

Stop by a booth to learn more about the benefits of trees in our community. You can participate in an art activity and get your photo taken with the tree you helped plant!

You are welcome to enjoy a treat from Edwards Apple Orchard after planting a tree.

This is a free event, but registration is required. To register, please visit https://www.bccdil.org/bccd-fall-celebration-event-for-national-public-lands-day/. For any questions comments, or concerns, contact the office at 815-547-7935 or email dgrelecki@bccdil.org.

*Funding support for this project was provided by the IRA through the USDA Forest Service Eastern Region. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. These funds are administered by the Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI).

The Coliseum Museum is honored to host a special collection of China by members of the Pickard Collectors Club. The club was founded in 1992 by Joy Luke of Bloomington, Illinois, who along with a small group of Pickard enthusiasts thought it was time to bring together collectors of Pickard porcelain and glass.

Wilder A. Pickard (1857-1939) started the company in 1894 by offering his customers hand-painted giftware, artware, and eventually dinnerware of the highest quality.

Today, Pickard, Inc., remains a family-owned business proudly producing high quality, hand-crafted china. Each Pickard generation carries on the tradition of producing Ivory and White porcelain for individuals as well as for government and corporate organizations, both domestic and international. For more information visit their website at https://pickardcollectorsclub.org

Les Allen
Taft Gallery, August 1 – September 30

Les Allen, an award-winning photographer based in Dixon, IL, specializes in Fine Art Traditional Black and White Photography. Using a large format camera, Les captures the surreal and abstract elements of the world around him.

In the world of analog photography, Les is a master printer, creating luminous and mesmerizing images that challenge perception and invite viewers into a dreamlike realm. His photographs, a manifestation of his deep connection with nature, convey his instinctual understanding of light, shadow, and composition. Evoking emotions, provoking thought, and inspiring viewers to explore their own intuitive connections with the world.

World War II Days celebrates its 30th anniversary when it returns next month to Midway Village Museum. Tanks. Pyrotechnic displays. Battles to rival all battles. We have one of the largest WWII reenactor events in the Midwest.

Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 - 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026 - 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Our grounds transform into a European village with Allied and Axis troop encampments. Elaborate and realistic battles are carried out before your very eyes, narrated with heart and grit.

NEW this year: a period wedding is scheduled for Saturday. Two WWII reenactors will tie the knot, sharing their love for each other and WWII history.

Hear briefings from Gen. George S. Patton's mobile command unit. See rare military vehicles like an Amphibious Ford GPA 1942; Opel Blitz Truck, 1942; Hetzer Tank Destroyer; Flak88 Antiaircraft Gun; Panzer Aus 1 C and many more.

Woods skirmishes and battles are crowd favorites — tickets sell fast. Interpreters dressed in period attire will discuss WWII rations for civilians and soldiers, Victory Gardens, and WWII headlines.

Reenactors dressed as the Rockford Peaches and 1940s Girl Scouts (shout-out to Girl Scout Troop No. 241) help bring the past to life and highlight the role of women and their contributions to the war efforts.

Camp Grant USO-style shows, complete with 1940s music, will be a hit in the gazebo.

Venture inside the Museum Center to explore:

• The temporary exhibit What Now? Holocaust Survivors – Between Rebirth and Remembrance
• The Society of Antique Modelers
• Action figure displays of both the European and Pacific Theaters
• Our permanent exhibit You’re in the Army Now: Camp Grant, Rockford’s Legacy

Your dining and snacking needs are covered thanks to delicious offerings from MISSION BBQ, the Polish Shack, Chavez Mexican Restaurante, Pig Minds Brewing, Vintage Goose Café, Sassy Mac Boys, & Bing’s Food Truck.

Discover amazing items for sale from at least 50 militaria sales vendors and the Museum's own Gift Shop. Coming to the Gift Shop: a NEW, LIMITED-EDITION Rosie the Riveter Sock Monkey will grace the shelves along with our sock monkeys dressed in handmade Rockford Peaches uniforms.

Many thanks to our generous sponsors: Schmeling Construction Co.; Hammertime Sports in Belvidere; Midland States Bank; Hard Rock Casino Rockford; Winnebago County; and Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc.

Learn more at midwayvillage.com/ww2-days-midway.html.

Rock River Valley Painters Guild Plein Air Art Show
September 2 – October 31
Lowden Gallery, Coliseum Museum

Sponsored by the RRVPG

​Artists participating in the 2026 annual show include Carol Bingham, Pam Bradford, Dick Cholke, Janice Conkrite, Charles Gregory, Anne Hilliard, Tom Linden, Nancie King Mertz, Sharon Saponari, Donna Smith, Terry Werntz, Lucinda Winterfield and Leah Zahn.

Awards will be presented by judge Jean Apgar, on October 9, in conjunction with the Moments in Monochrome Awards & Reception.

The RRVPG is a not-for-profit organization promoting local art and art education (North Central Illinois).