Your turn: Stroll on State smiles are a testament to Rockford's progress
Back in 2013, we introduced the Saturday-after-Thanksgiving celebration we call Stroll on State to give people new, fun reasons to come to and experience downtown Rockford and to gather as a community.
With a seven-hour holiday celebration that transformed the heart of the city into a movie-worthy winter wonderland, our team at the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau wanted visitors to our city, proud Rockfordians and critics alike, to know this is the place to celebrate the start of the holiday season and where big things can happen.
And whether they were dining, shopping or posing with friends for a photo, we wanted everyone to see and feel positivity.
Rockford was in comeback mode then. Our once-dismissed Midwestern city has pulled through, continues to make strides, and is developing at an impressive pace. Our board of directors and staff, just wrapping our 11th Stroll on State — presented by Illinois Bank Trust — are proud this event has become an example of how we can build our confidence when we work together as community — and how we can get naysayers to do an about-face.
To our sponsors and partners, to our dedicated volunteers, to downtown businesses and vendors, and to everyone who attended this year’s Stroll, we extend our profound thanks. You all are part of a labor of love by the community for the community.
More: Our 2023 Stroll On State album: 35 special moments from Rockford's big day.
As always, but especially last Saturday, this festival brought smiles. Tens of thousands of smiles.
Nearly 1,100 people entered the very first event of the day, the Dasher Dash 5K — a few pushing strollers. Awards for best costume were shown off as proudly as the awards for speed. And what our volunteers talked about during every shift — how much fun the kids will have — was easy to spot on the parade route.
Thousands of people cheered as 67 units marched or floated along South Main and on State Street on both sides of the river. Fan-favorite dance groups, floats and balloons, plus Mrs. Claus tossing out candy, brought out the kid in everyone. A sock monkey balloon, new this year, got the crowd roaring.
It took months of planning to design and tailor that sock monkey balloon; all worth it.
Other attractions that made memories and brought on ear-to-ear smiles were a towering snowman sculpture blasting flurries of fake snow, horse-drawn wagon rides, photo ops in a giant snow globe and ice skating on the same rink where the Rockford IceHogs play.
It’s been wonderful scrolling through the photos and videos guests have posted. You can’t help but notice how many children were at the tree lighting. There’s something magical in witnessing that countdown and the joy in the eyes of children who just experienced something special. Oh, and don’t forget the fireworks — oohs and aahs galore.
We’re thankful for the community support to organize something that let people put their cares aside for a day and get lost in holiday spirit. Positive vibes were evident everywhere.
On their way to see the city at its holiday finest, many of this year’s festivalgoers, locals and visitors alike, could also see Rockford moving forward. There was major construction on the Stroll footprint — the new Rockford Public Library building — and on three of the approaches to downtown: Hard Rock Casino Rockford on East State, Colman Yards and Water Power Lofts on South Main and Think Big on North Main. Three of the five projects are bringing new life to old, near-forgotten buildings.
If you missed the festival but still want to be a part of the Stroll effort, you can help with Back in the Box on Saturday, Jan. 6, when teams of volunteers take down the bows, garland, wreaths, lights, larger-than-life presents, trees and ornaments that are decorating downtown. We’ll have two shifts; both will meet at Santa’s Workshops, our home base for Stroll on State, 310 S. Winnebago. For details, check strollonstate.com.
As we approach a new year, I am reminded that when we work together, celebrate together and create meaningful memories together big things can happen. For 11 years now, that certainly has been evident at Stroll on State and in the progress in and around Rockford.
Thinking of our future in Rockford and mindful of all that is possible, our team looks forward to working, celebrating and creating new memories with you in 2024.
John Groh is a proud Rockfordian and the president/CEO of the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Your turn: 11th annual Stroll on State showcases Rockford positivity
