Calendar Of Events In Illinois

July 10 - 12  Byronfest. 5 pm to midnight Friday. 11 am to midnight Saturday and 11 am to 6 pm Sunday. Musical entertainment includes Dot Dot Dot, Hairbangers Ball, The Sensations, Mike and Joe, Trash 80's, Vintage Vinyl, Final Say, Lo-Fi Pioneer, The Edge and 7th Heaven. Includes carnival rides, games and food; beanbag tournament, bed races, 5K run, softball tournament, Hib Reber Memorial Car Show, parade, and art and craft show. $8 admission at gate; $6 advance admission buttons; free admission for ages 7 or younger. byronfest.org.

July 11 Party on the Prairie. 6 pm at Nygren Wetland Preserve, 2810 W. Rockton Road, Rockton. Mid-summer evening event in unique setting with natural prairie in full bloom, birds singing, butterflies, sunset and stars. Features locally grown, organic gourmet food, horse-drawn carriage rides, silend and live auctions. Casual dress, cash bar. $75; $600 per table. All proceeds go to preserving the woodlands, wetlands and prairies. Call the Natural Land Institute, 815-964-6666 or go to naturalland.org.

July 13 Rockford Pro-Am:. The nation's longest running, free-standing pro-am not associated with a professional tournament. Gates open at 7:30 am at Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford, $5 for spectators. The event features PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour professionals.

July 16 - 19  2009 Old Settlers Days:. 6 pm at Settlers Park, Blackhawk Boulevard and East Hawick Street in downtown Rockton, $15 concert fee at gate, $10 in advance; four-day admission $5 in advance, $7 at the gate. Event includes midway carnival rides, parade, softball tournament, food vendors, fireworks and musical entertainment. Performers include Southern Heritage, The Undecided, Keith Anderson, Jamey Johnson, Radio Stars, Mike and Joe, Courtney Davies Band and Zac Brown Band. Fundraiser by the Rockton Lions Club. oldsettlersdays.com or 815-624-7625.

July 16  Wine Tasting. 5:30 to 8:30 pm at Five Forks Market, 6565 Lexus Drive, Rockford, free. Features 10 to 12 different wines, plus an expert on the wines to answer questions. Meets the third Thursday of every month. No reservations required.

July 17 - 18  Wildflower Weekend. Guided tours of prairies in full bloom each day between 9 am and 3 pm at Nygren Wetland Preserve, 2810 W Rockton Road, Rockton. July 18 is children and families day with wagon rides, displays and programs about wildlife and wildflowers. Free.

July 18  Mom and Dad Date Night. Games, snacks, videos, wall climbing and gym time will fill your child's evening from 6 to 10 pm at Belivdere Park District Rivers Edge Recreation Center, 1151 W. Locust Ave. Children must be ages 3 to 12 and potty-trained. For information and registration, call 815-547-5711. $15 for first child, $10 for each additional child.

July 24  Rockford Park Districts City of Gardens golf outing. $100 fee includes use of practice center, golf, tee gift, continental breakfast and lunch. Shotgun start at 8:30 am at Aldeen Golf Club, 1902 Reid Farm Road, Rockford, Contact Ruth Miller 815-987-1689.

July 25  Dinner in the Garden. 4:30 to 9 pm at Wind Ridge Herb Farms, 466 Quail Trap Road, Caledonia, $55. Owner Liz Fiorenza will provide a tour of the gardens and greenhouses at 4:30 pm. At 6, enjoy appetizers, then dinner with complementary wine pairings. Get lessons about cooking and herbs and marinating. Register by July 20; call 815-877-0118.

July 31 - Aug 2  31st Annual Festa Italiana. Boylan High School, 4000 Saint Francis Drive, Rockford, $4; free for children 12 or younger when accompanied by and adult. Entertainment, dancers, rides, bocce, music and food. 5 to 11 pm Friday, noon to 11 pm Saturday and noon to 8:30 pm Sunday. griaa.com.

Aug 11 - 16  Boone County Fair. at Boone County Fairgrounds; 8791 Illinois 76, Belivdere. Event includes harness racing, a queen pageant. livestock competitions, tractor pull, talent competition, rodeo, musical entertainment, demolition derby, carnival rides, games and food. Go to boonecountyfair.com or call 815-547-4503.

Aug 18-23 88th Annual Winnebago County Fair. at the fairgrounds, 500 W. First St, Pecatonica. winnebagocountyfair.com

Aug 28 - 30  Cherry Valley Festival Days. 5 pm to midnight at Baumann Park, 300 S. Walnut. Buttons are good for all three days: $5 if purchased on Friday, $4 Saturday, $3 Sunday. Food, carnival, bands, games, competitions and fireworks.

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