Welcome to Rockford Buzz! Your Guide for Things to Do in Rockford IL

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March is Caffeine Awareness Month! I'm not sure who needs to be made aware of the wonderous drug that is caffeine, but I'll take any excuse to celebrate my favorite beverage.So tell me, where do you go for your favorite brew?

Sometimes you just need a classic burger and mac & cheese. So we headed to Baker Street Burgers to try the classics.The Baker Street namesake is their Baker Street Cheeseburger. Two 1/4 pound patties on a toasted brioche bun with gouda cheese, signature BSB sauce, caramelized onions, and pickles create this masterpiece. One bite into this juicy burger and you know you’ve made the right choice. The flavors blend beautifully, no ketchup needed here! The patties are cooked to perfection, just how you like them. Served with your choice of side, this will certainly fill you up and power you through the day. We decided to try the parmesan tots, because who doesn’t love a good tot? Fried to crisp, golden perfection and then dusted with deliciousness. These add that fancy flair you didn’t even know tots needed.Next up, a slight deviation from classics, Buffalo Chicken Mac. Cavatappi noodles, spicy buffalo cheese sauce, fried chicken breast, ranch drizzle, and a blue cheese crumble bring two classics together for this dish. This a generous portion of pasta! It comes in a deep bowl and did not disappoint. You can ask for extra buffalo sauce to take the spice level up a notch or enjoy the medium temp of this as is. You simply can’t go wrong with buffalo chicken and mac & cheese.Pair these dishes with one of their specialty cocktails or beers on tap, and you have yourself a delicious meal. We hope to see you there next time, Rockford!

In late 2022, Mi Placita opened up on Riverside. As a branch of Mexico Clasico, you know you are in for a delicious experience!We ventured into Mi Placita for a weeknight dinner and were greeted by the incredibly friendly staff. This is a great north-end option if classic Mexican dishes are your jam. We started with bottomless chips and salsa. The salsa was loaded with flavor and the chips were obviously fresh. Just like their south-end sister, if you order the guacamole, it is made fresh to your liking. I am always blown away by the freshness and flavor profile.Eventually, we moved on to our entrees. We asked what dishes were most popular and ordered those. We figured the masses of the Rockford area wouldn’t steer us wrong, and we were right! We started with Los Tres Amigos: sliced steak, chicken breast, and shrimp. Choice of garlic or diabla for the shrimp and served with black beans and avocado salad. Talk about delicious. The meats were all cooked amazingly. We opted for the diablo sauce and were delighted that it was actually spicy! This dish wakes up your senses. The grilled veggies (onions and jalapeños ) were fantastic and beautifully presented. With all the additional sides, this was easily two meals (maybe because we just indulged in bottomless chips and salsa 😜).Next up, the most popular fajita dish the Texas fajitas: sizzling grilled steak, grilled chicken & shrimp. Cooked with bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Served with rice, beans, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and tortillas. The shrimp was perfectly prepared. No chewy texture here. The generous portion of this dish makes it easily shareable. The flavors of the grilled veggies really shine in this dish. This is perfect for those who like to make their own handheld and don’t want to risk a spicy meal. Want to kick it up a notch? Just ask for hot sauce and go nuts!  Order your favorite margarita and you’re all set!  We definitely can’t wait to go back and try a few more of their specialty dishes. See you there, Rockford!

Sometimes we ditch the jeans and t-shirt for something fancier. We headed to Abreo to celebrate the season of love. Lucky for us, we were starving by the time we got to Abreo… meaning we tried a lot of food 😂.  We started with shrimp asiago with lemon, garlic, butter, and a grilled baguette. This delicious buttery appetizer is perfect for two to share (but it’s so good you may not want to!). It comes served piping hot in a tiny skillet. Dip, dunk, and soak your baguette in garlic butter and asiago cheese topped with perfectly cooked shrimp.  Dinner came out and we started with the duck and figs, a seared duck breast, dried fig, honey-red wine jus, braised Tokyo turnips, and a crisp lentil croquette. The duck was prepared beautifully—the tender meat with delicious and prepared skin on, giving it a delightful crisp. The wine jus is a perfect pairing and is poured on your plate upon presentation. The crisp lentil croquette was a fun experience as a crunchy, flavor-packed side.Next up, the beef tenderloin with foie gras cream, garlic roasted maitake mushrooms, and roasted pumpkin. We requested a rare cook, and the beef absolutely melted in our mouths. The filet was seasoned beautifully, cooked perfectly, and absolutely perfectly paired with the rest of the plate. The mushrooms were delicious, the pumpkin was creamy, and everything was amazing.We couldn’t leave without dessert, and the warm chocolate cake with salted caramel was the perfect finisher. We added a scoop of house-made ice cream, which made an amazing dessert even better. This is perfect for two to share, but we recommend drawing a line in the cake… so you get your fair share 😉. Love knows no bounds, except your half of dessert.We can’t end this review without a shout-out to Jake’s favorite drink, the Hickory Stick. Whether you like a glass of wine or a signature cocktail, Abreo has you covered. The fantastic food is only one reason to visit, another is the amazing staff. From reservation to the end of our evening, the whole experience was smooth and friendly. Treat someone special in your life to a stunning evening downtown.

The Rock River Raft Race NFP board proudly announces the return of an area favorite: The annual Rock River Anything That Floats race and a date for the 2023 raft race: August 20, 2023. Each year, more than 50 homemade rafts float down the heart of Rockford from the Auburn Street bridge to Prairie Street Brewing Company for an afternoon of fun, resulting in significant donations raised to benefit local organizations. Event details for the fifth annual Rock River Anything That Floats Race (RRATFR) returning to the Rockford region Sunday, August 20, 2023 (rain date is Sunday, August 27) from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. can be found at the website: rraftr.com. The organizing board leads the race with the help of many individuals in the community, volunteers and sponsors.The RRATFR has helped to raise donations to support local efforts for the Fourth of July celebration, Rockford Ski Broncs, Rock River Trail Initiative and other area non-profits and charities. In the four previous years, the event was widely attended and collectively generated $20,000+ in proceeds to benefit these charities. New to this year’s race is the “Release the Quackin’” where participants can launch a rubber duck toward a target in the middle of the Rock River for a chance to win prizes.Also announced were plans to keep the hulled and DIY raft categories with first, second, and third prizes for speed as well as one People’s Choice and ‘Frank Schier Design and Creativity’ Judges’ Choice awards to determine the most creative designs. Local area businesses, clubs, students and other groups of individuals are encouraged to sign up and take advantage of this fun team-building experience.Participants can begin registering for the 2023 race on the website at www.rratfr.com. The registration deadline is August 14, 2023. The entry fee for rafts (with hulls or without hulls) is $100 per team (up to 10 crew members). Race day schedule of events includes: 10:00 a.m.: Check-in starts (all categories) 12:00 p.m.: Race begins at the Auburn Street bridge 12:00 p.m.--3:00 p.m.: Release the Quackin’ on the dock at Prairie Street Brewing Company 4:00 p.m.: Awards ceremony at Prairie Street Brewhouse 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: After-party at Prairie Street Brewing Company featuring local band Dirty Fishnet Stockings“We’re excited to bring back the annual tradition of the Raft Race to the city. The community has embraced the event which now, in its fifth year, has become another annual event to bring people to downtown Rockford and enjoy the riverfront,” said Amy McIntyre. “One of Rockford’s greatest assets is the river, and we are grateful to be a part of highlighting it.”The racecourse is 1.65 miles in length and ends in a grand finish at Prairie Street Brewhouse. The scenic course offers a variety of viewing options for the thousands of spectators who will attend: Auburn Street Bridge, the Whitman Street Bridge, and along the Rock River Recreation Path.It takes many, many volunteers to put on an event like the Rock River Anything That Floats Race. The board is looking for people interested in numerous roles to make this event a success, from planning in advance, to assisting with rafts entering the water and helping clean up the riverfront. Come be part of the crew! Visit the “VOLUNTEER” tab at www.rratfr.com to sign up and help.The board is also looking for corporate partners to help support this event. If you are interested in being part of this great community event as it grows, contact info@rratfr.com for more information. About The RaceInitially launched in 1976 (U.S. Bicentennial) as a US. vs. Brits race, after two years with only two teams, it was opened to the public. More than just an homage to the incredibly popular raft races of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s - the all-new Rock River Anything That Floats Race will be a brand new tradition for generations of Rockfordians to love and experience. Additional event details can be found at www.rratfr.com. 

Happy #InternationalWomensDay! Celebrate today, and every day, with Womanspace of Rockford, Illinois.

PHATEEZ is Rockford's newest apparel company. Want to win your own? Head to our facebook page for details!

Join Jake as he hops around the Vintage Shop Hop! We have a ton of local businesses participating. So go ahead, hop around!