Fall Into Fun

The air is crisp and so are the apples: It's fall in Rockford! From apple orchards to community festivals, there is an endless supply of activities in our region.

Download a PDF of Fall Into Fun here!

Jump to category:   Orchards  |  Fall Colors  |  Festivals & Events

An Apple a Day

Three great orchards call Winnebago County home and delight families with a variety of activities throughout the season. There is something magical about handpicking your own bushel of apples or simply biting into a fresh apple cider donut.

Curran's Orchard - More than a dozen varieties of apples are available, either pre-picked or you can pick them yourself! You'll also find delectable apple pies, apple donuts, award-winning apple cider, pumpkins and more. Kids will have fun in the petting coral, corn tunnel, and looking at the glass-sided beehive.

Edwards Apple Orchard West - This orchard is located in the rolling hills of scenic Northwest Winnebago County and features apples, cider, pumpkins, raspberries, the dairy barn store and children's play areas.

Valley Orchard - This 35 acre family-owned orchard has approximately 5,000 apple trees. You can purchase or pick your own apples, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. The store offers 100% pure apple juice cider, donuts, apple pies, fall decorations, jams, salsa and much more.

Fantastic Fall Colors

One of the best parts about living in the Midwest is the ability to experience all four seasons. This includes witnessing the splendor of the outdoors as the leaves change colors during the transition into fall. Winnebago County is home to plenty of forest preserves and parks, so there is no shortage of great places to view these colors!

Anderson Japanese Gardens - This 12 acre award-winning landscape is comprised of koi-filled ponds, winding paths, gentle streams, cascading waterfalls and 16th century traditional architecture throughout the garden.

Atwood Park - The park contains 334 acres of land and encompasses woodland, prairie, river and marsh habitats.

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden - Klehm is a 155-acre living museum filled with spectacular gardens and rare trees. A 1.8 mile, handicapped-accessible paved path winds through the arboretum plus many secondary, chipped trails.

Nygren Wetland Preserve - The preserve is a 721-acre tract near the confluence of the Rock River and Pecatonica River, making it an important stopover and nesting spot for many species of birds. An open-grass trail is open for walking and hikers.

Pecatonica Prairie Path & Bike Trail - An 18-mile long biking, hiking and nature trail on this land is open to the public year round.

Rock Cut State Park - The beautiful park includes two lakes (Pierce Lake and Olsen Lake) and spans over 3,000 acres. Visit the park to fish, kayak, canoe, paddleboat, or explore the miles of hiking and biking trails.

Rock River Recreation Path - This 10 mile paved path begins in downtown Rockford and continues north along the Rock River through some of Rockford's gardens and parks.

Severson Dells Nature Center - The forest preserve features 2.5 miles of self-guided nature trails including a hard-surfaced trail that is accessible year round.

Festivals & Events

There's no better way to celebrate fall than taking a hayride, building your own scarecrow, or drinking hot cider while doing some afternoon shopping. Pack your fall full of fun by attending these local events and festivals!

Roscoe Lions Club Annual Fall Festival
September 9 - 11 @ Leland Park (Roscoe)
The Roscoe Lions Club hosts the village's annual Fall Festival, featuring amusement rides, live music, parades and a raffle. All proceeds from the raffle go toward supporting the Lions Club.

Fall Pec Thing
September 17 - 18 @ Winnebago County Fairgrounds
Vendors occupy over 100,000 square feet inside and over 40 acres outside. Over 500 dealers will be selling antiques, furniture, jewelry, electronics, quilts, art and more.

Greenwich Village Art Fair
September 17 - 18 @ Rockford Art Museum grounds
This annual two-day outdoor event features original artwork by up to 155 juried artists from throughout

Oktoberfest
September 23-24 @ Loves Park City Hall
This annual event features live music, German food and beer, wiener dog races, and the "Bier Barrel Race."the Midwest and across the nation. There will also be live music, food vendors and children's activities.

World War II Days
September 24 - 25 @ Midway Village Museum
This annual event includes elaborate and realistic battles complete with tanks, artillery, armored vehicles, and exciting pyrotechnic displays. More than 1,200 re-enactors represent soldiers of the United States and other countries involved with World War II.

Fall for the Forest Preserves
October 1 @ Atwood Homestead Forest Preserve
This free fall festival features horse-drawn wagon rides, children’s crafts, games, and a scavenger hunt. Join a campfire sign-along and roast marshmallows over the campfire.

Cider n' Cinnamon Arts & Crafts Fair
October 1 - 2 @ Edgebrook
Join us for this free art and craft event held annually. Vendors will be displaying a variety of art, jewelry, crafts, clothing, vintage decor and more. Enjoy delicious food and live music both days.

Autumn at the Arboretum
October 2 @ Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden
The crisp fall air and beautiful autumn foliage is the perfect backdrop for horse drawn wagon rides, scarecrow building and other fun activities for kids of all ages.

Fall ArtScene
October 7 - 8 @ Various locations
ArtScene brings out thousands of art lovers to galleries and studios all over town to enjoy new exhibits of original works. The event attracts so many fans because it's free, and it's fun for both the browser and buyer.

Nellie's Barn Sale
October 7 - 8 @ Meyer's Canine Colony grounds (Roscoe)
The barn is better than ever, featuring 55+ vendors selling a variety of vintage goods in a two acre field. There will be painted furniture, re-purposed items and handmade jewelry and clothing.

Scarecrow Harvest Festival
October 8 @ Midway Village Museum
Families of all ages can visit for fall harvest fun! Take a ride in a horse-drawn wagon, create your own scarecrow, square dance in the historic barn, and make a harvest craft to take home.

Head of the Rock Regatta
October 9 @ Along the Rock River
This decades-old race draws more than 2,000 rowers from across the country and more than 5,000 spectators to the banks of the Rock River. The race begins at Martin Park and goes 5,000 meters on the Rock River ending at the YMCA downtown.

Hot Diggity Dog Festival
October 16 @ Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden
Bring your pooch, costume optional, and spend the day exploring the trails at Klehm. Vendors of pet oriented products, as well as advocacy and adoption organizations will be on hand, and there will be a best costume contest for the dogs!

All Hallow's Eve
October 22 @ Midway Village Museum
Bring your family to trick or treat in the safety of Midway Village Museum's charming Victorian Village! More than 20 village buildings will be decorated for Halloween and families can trick or treat in each building to receive candy.

Trick or Trot
October 23 @ Midway Village Museum
Participate in this 5K run in your favorite family-friendly Halloween costume! Awards will be given to the top three male and female finishers in 13 different age categories.

Spooky Science
October 28 @ Discovery Center Museum
Bring your Trick-or-Treat bag and get ready to grab gobs of goodies in our exhibit spaces as you concoct glowing slime and make creepy crafts!