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.

On Sunday, 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.

A deviously delicious Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi smash musical, Little Shop of Horrors has devoured the hearts of theatergoers for over 30 years.

The meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a strange new plant he names Audrey II after his coworker crush. This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises fame and fortune to the down-and-out Seymour—as long as he keeps feeding it blood.

As Audrey II grows, so do Seymour’s dreams, but he soon discovers the plant’s shocking origins and its terrifying plans for world domination. Packed with unforgettable songs, outrageous comedy, and larger-than-life characters, Little Shop of Horrors is a wildly entertaining musical with a bite.

You are invited to experience the collective wisdom and personal experience of artists' interpretation of the theme Echoes of a Changing Planet. Participating artists:
Norm Knott, Marsha Goodheart, Holly Blair-Cascio, Susan Berry, Julie Kennelly, Maya Simmons, Caitlyn Jahn, Paula Flanagan-Marsh, Barbara Berney, Lori Gustafson, Sadie Hoessrich, Becca Houlihan, Jose Sente, Greg LaMont, Clara Krick, Jessie Crow-Mermel, Wren Medina, Cassie Blair, Ventie Houi, Drew Helge, Annette McLean and Cherie Heck.

Take Root is BACK!

Take Root is a virtual farm business class that will be running from September 14th, 2026 to November 19th, 2026.

Take Root is a business class new farmers with 0-10 years experience.

In Take Root, we will build a farm business plan, an enterprise plan, learn how to budget and manage a farm enterprise, and market your business.

Take Root is held on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6-8PM CT. This class is virtual and ran over zoom. The class will have both facilitated classes, and speakers. In addition to the online class, you will also receive one on one consulting from Jillae, our Take Root Program Facilitator.

Sign up today for Take Root!

Questions? Email Jillae at jillae@farmersrising.org

See you there!
Jillae
Farmers Rising

Hosted by the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66, this annual celebration honors the legendary artists, broadcasters, and industry leaders who shaped Illinois’ rich musical heritage. The one‑night‑only event features unforgettable live performances, special guest appearances, and historic moments as new inductees are welcomed into the Hall of Fame. A signature Route 66 cultural experience, the ceremony brings music lovers together to celebrate the sounds and stories that define Illinois’ place in rock and roll history.

Eight Fifteen Capital and the West Side Show Room present Nat Turner in Jerusalem by award-winning playwright Nathan Alan Davis.

In August 1831, Nat Turner led a slave uprising that shook the conscience of the nation.

Nathan Alan Davis’s timely new play imagines Turner’s final night in a jail cell in Jerusalem, Virginia, as he is visited by attorney Thomas R. Gray and they reckon with what has passed, and what the dawn will bring.

Woven with vivid imagery and indelible lyricism, Nat Turner in Jerusalem examines the power of an individual’s resolute convictions and their seismic reverberations through time.

Nat Turner in Jerusalem is the third play of Rockford native Nathan Alan Davis to be presented in partnership between Eight Fifteen Capital and West Side Show Room.