Fun Summer Events at Midway Village

Fun Summer Events at Midway Village

By Peggy Werner

The 1970s, particularly the bicentennial of the United States of America, is the theme of this year’s fourth annual ‘The Rockford Plate’ event, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, at Midway Village Museum, 6799 Guilford Road.

The event will focus on remembering the 1976 observance of the 200 th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, Sunday, July 4, 1976, says Lonna Converso, director of marketing and social media.

“When we remember the bicentennial, we’re remembering the origin of the United States and what it means to be a citizen,” she says. “We want people to learn about the 1970s at the event and to come away excited about supporting history education. We want them to see the importance of history by visiting the village and seeing what we do.”

The event is the museum’s largest fundraiser for history education. Highlights will include exploring the Victorian Village grounds, sampling foods from different parts of the world, having your picture taken in a restored 1970s Volkswagen bus and listening to music performed by “That Gurl,” a local 1970s cover band. Guests can also make a tie-dyed T-shirt, adopt a pet rock to take home, bid on culinary and cultural items during a silent auction and participate in a 50/50 raffle.

A welcome program will be hosted by WTVO channel 17 TV news anchor Mimi Murphy at 6 p.m. in the village’s 1905 Red Barn.

Dr. Karl Jacobs and his wife, Carol, will be the honorary “mayors” of Midway Village that evening. Carol will wear the pantsuit she purchased and wore for her husband’s inauguration at Rock Valley College, when he was sworn in as president in October, 1969. Karl will borrow the ’70s-style polyester jacket and pants he donated to the college’s Starlight Theater, a program that began under his leadership as president.

Jacobs was president of Rock Valley College from 1969-1997 and is currently a museum board member and long-time supporter of the museum’s mission of history preservation and education.

A progressive-style meal will take visitors from one historic building to another to sample cuisines from various cultures. The Coalition of Latino Leaders, Swedish Historical Society, Prairie Street Brewing Company and Midway Village Museum will provide food along with Nothing Bundt Cakes of Rockford.

Tickets for Rockford Plate are $55 per person and can be purchased at midwayvillage.com, at the museum gift store, or by calling (815) 397-9112 by the reservation deadline, Thursday, June 20.

Other Summer Events

Other summer museum events are also designed to inform and inspire.

The fourth annual Magical Gardens event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4.

Alyssa McGhghy, special events coordinator, describes that event as a chance for visitors to learn what’s growing in the many museum gardens. It will also give children an opportunity to experience nature and “magic” through several craft and game stations throughout the village.

“We have volunteers working in these gardens year ’round and we want to celebrate all the beauty the gardens offer,” McGhghy says.

Eight specialty gardens include the picturesque Moonlight Garden behind the village’s historic church, which is often used for weddings, and the flowerfilled Heritage Garden Park by the Breckenridge House that includes a sundial and places for people to sit down and relax.

Cost is free to museum members; $8 for adults; $6 for those 3-17; and free to age 2 and under. All activities are included in the admission price.

Later in the month, visitors can experience life in a “dry” town during the 1920s-era Tipsy History Prohibition event from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17.

During Tipsy History, visit hidden speakeasies scattered throughout the village, where local breweries and distilleries will be serving samples of alcoholic beverages to those 21 and over. Attend a temperance meeting to learn about the movement that led to Prohibition. Interact with 1920s civilians, bootleggers, gangsters, police and the Feds. Witness a raid on bootleggers and moonshiners, visit displays and more.

Participating breweries include Prairie Street Brewing Company, Pig Minds Brewing of Machesney Park, Grant- View Distillery of Rockford, Generations Brewing Company of Freeport, Whiskey Acres Distillery Company in DeKalb and others.

Tickets are $12 for adults ($10 members); $6 for children 3-17($5 members) and free for those age 2 and under. ❚