Rockford Daybook: Garden portraits, Aerospace conference, Tropical opening, Second chances

Rockford Register Star
·2 min read

Portraits in the Gardens

Rockford's world-renowned Anderson Japanese Gardens, 318 Spring Creek Road, will host "Portraits in the Gardens" the next four Wednesday afternoons, waiving photography sitting and rental fees for guests and photographers to capture individual and small group portraits.

Sessions will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sept. 20, Sept. 27, Oct. 4 and Oct. 11.

For the cost of admission, guests and photographers will have access to the gardens' unique landscape and backdrops with limited restrictions.

For more information, visit the gardens' website at andersongardens.org/portraits-in-the-gardens.

Midwest Aerospace Conference

The Rockford Area Economic Development Council and Rockford Area Aerospace Network will host the Midwest Aerospace Conference Wednesday at the downtown Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront, 416 S. Main St.

Attendees will hear from leaders in the aerospace industry who will share their insights and vision for the future and engage in exclusive supply chain matchmaking sessions and interactive breakout sessions.

The Rockford region is a leading hub for aerospace innovation due to the presence of diverse companies at all levels of the supply chain, including assembly, inspection, testing, repair and software.

A tropical ribbon cutting

Members of the media, elected officials and community leaders are invited to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony with The Parks Chamber of Commerce 2:30 p.m. Wednesday for Tropical Smoothie Cafe, 110083 N. Second St., in Machesney Park.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe sells smoothies, wraps, flatbreads and quesadillas.

Second Chances deadline approaching

The deadline to sign up for Rockford-area state Sen. Steve Stadelman's 2023 Second Chances Summit is Friday.

The one-day outreach event provides an opportunity for people to improve their lives by removing old criminal offenses from their record. There are a limited number of appointment available.

At the summit, those who qualify under Illinois law to have offenses expunged or sealed meet one-on-one for free with an attorney who prepares a petition for judicial relief.

This year's summit will take place Oct. 13, at the Rockford Public Library Nordlof Center.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford Daybook: Garden portraits, Aerospace conference, Second chances