If you didn’t attend the recent Stroll on State Celebration in Rockford, you missed out.
The third annual event on the Saturday after Thanksgiving continues to transform Rockford’s downtown. The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Heartland Church and hundreds of volunteers decorate the downtown in its holiday finest and host dozens of activities for kids and adults.
Restaurants, art galleries and unique shops see a surge of business and the streets are alive with energy, excitement and a true sense of community. Merchants tell of first-time visitors who’ve not been downtown in a while remarking on the pace and volume of downtown Rockford’s redevelopment turnaround.
As my family and I strolled down State Street, it seemed clear that the Stroll was another step in our community’s long fight to overcome its seemingly hard-wired inferiority complex. The signs of progress are all around, and Rockford’s growing downtown is just one of those.
Most importantly, we shouldn’t be surprised by events like Stroll on State. We should expect them, and we should all work to make them happen more regularly. Do we not deserve nice things?
Sure, the naysayers are always out there. However, we need to ignore those who will say, “Yeah, but ... Rockford has this problem. And Rockford has that challenge.”
That’s all fine. Every town, large and small, urban, suburban or rural, has issues. What sets high-performing communities apart is a belief that things will get better and a concerted effort on the part of residents to work toward that goal.
Stroll on State is another sign that Rockford’s turnaround is on the right track. Let’s accelerate the pace and keep the engine humming.
I’m WesterWuori, and that’s my Perspective.
