By Mary Sisk
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Need some Halloweekend plans? Look no further.

This Friday we deliver you 13 ideas for things to do on Halloween weekend. You can get more ideas on our events page.

Explore the darker side of Midway Village

Midway Village Museum will host its Evening of Illumination from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday on the museum campus, 6799 Guilford Road, Rockford.

Visitors will be able to explore the lantern-lit Victorian village at their own pace while meeting some “macabre characters of the late 1800s.”

Tickets: $10 adults; $7 children (5-12); $9 seniors (62+); $8 adult museum members

Related: ‘A tradition for many families’: Hundreds get in Halloween spirit at All Hallows Eve

Get festive with the Rockford IceHogs

It’s festive fall weekend at the BMO Center as the Rockford IceHogs take on the Chicago Wolves at 7 p.m. Friday for Dia de los Muertos Night. It will feature face painting, costumed characters and special performances.

Then on Saturday it’s Hammy’s Halloween Celebration with costume contests and postgame trick-or-treating on the ice with the IceHogs players. That game is at 7 p.m. Saturday against the Belleville Senators.

Related: New look of Rockford IceHogs mascot spurs petition, memes and more

A spooky downtown shopping experience

Rockford Art Deli Screenprinter Nathan Koch prepares a shirt for the Festival of Frights Haunted Hills Hustle happening Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, at Sinnissippi Park. Rockford Art Deli is hosting its own Halloween event this weekend, Spook the Blocks, which includes the store’s free print day. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Spook the Blocks returns from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday in downtown Rockford.

You can spend the afternoon trick-or-treating at various downtown businesses and get your free Hocus Pocus T-shirt print from Rockford Art Deli, 402 E. State St., Rockford.

Love scary stories?

Maze Books in downtown Rockford is hosting a night of spooky stories from four horror authors from 7-9 p.m. on Friday.

Admission is free and the night will be hosted at the book store, 117 S. 3rd St.

Listen to some non-spooky, live music

Band Night at the Pub is happening this Friday at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, 200 S. Bell School Road.

The event is presented by Forest City Pub at the Radisson and will feature the band Tribute 2.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the event starts at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free.

Related: Downtown’s biggest sports and entertainment venue has another new name

Attention all horror movie buffs

Flex your knowledge on Friday at the The Pottery Lounge, 6059 E. State St.

The event will feature horror movie trivia as well as painting, snacks and the chance to win prizes.

Horror Movie Trivia Paint Night will take place from 6-8 p.m. and admission is $10. Your ticket must be purchased in advance. Tickets can be purchased here.

Do you have a little mad scientist?

Bring your kids to Spooky Science on Friday at the Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St.

The event will feature fun crafts and treats from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $11 general admission or $3 for members.

Related: Rockford Public Library marks key construction milestone

Double, double toil and trouble

All witches (and non witches) are invited to Witches Night Out from 6-9 p.m. on Friday at Bennie’s Cleaners, 126 N 1st St.

The event is presented by Womanspace and will feature fun brews, desserts, a raffle and more fun.

Tickets are available to purchase here.

Trick-or-treat in Midtown

Live music, pumpkin painting, treats and more at the “Stranger Streets” Invade Inscape Collective event from 5-9 p.m. on Friday at the store, 201 Seventh St.

Rockford pumpkin carver Lincoln Bias, who was featured on Food Network, will be doing a carving demonstration at 5 p.m. and the band Truman’s Ridge will perform at 7 p.m.

Cider donuts, face painting and balloon animals

All this and more will be at Rockford’s Fall Festival from 10-11:30 a.m. on Saturday at First Northern Credit Union, 104 North Show Place Drive.

The event will feature family-friendly fall fun, such as pumpkin decorating, trick-or-treating and more, admission is free.

Learn about and dissect body parts at Burpee

Haunted Burpee will take place from 5-8 p.m. Saturday at the Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main St.

The event will feature a tour of the Victorian Barnes Mansion, slime making, lung inflation, eyeball dissection and more seasonal activites.

Tickets are $14 adults, $12 for kids ages 4-12, 3 and under free for non-members. Members attend for free. More information can be found here.

Not in a scary mood? Maybe buy a guitar

The Rockford Guitar and Drum Show is happening from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. this Saturday at the Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Road.

The event will feature guitars, drums and other musical instruments for sale/trade and admission is $5. Tickets can be purchased here.

Or, you can skip the scares and have a laugh

The sixth annual Rockford Laugh-a-thon comes to the Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford, on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Rockford’s sixth annual Laugh-a-thon comes to the Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.

Comedians include Earthquake, Donnell Rawlings, Jeremiah Williamson, Just Nesh and D-Rock.


This article is by Mary Sisk. Email her at msisk@rockrivercurrent.com or follow her on Instagram at @maryrrcurrent

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