Stroll on State
Visitors can experience a festive holiday parade with giant balloons, a city tree lighting ceremony, a drone show, and fireworks over the river. Guests can visit Santa, take horse and wagon rides across the bridge, write letters at City Hall, and go ice skating at the BMO Center. The celebration also features live musical performances, fire and ice displays, s'mores stations, and local holiday vendor markets.
See more Christmas lights near Rockford
Plan Your Visit
Website / Tickets
When
Tickets
Free.
Ages
All ages
Neighborhood
Downtown Rockford
Food & Drink
Visitors can savor seasonal flavors at the event.
Parking
Remote parking lots and free shuttle buses are available; downtown lots may fill quickly.
Accessibility
Handicap accessible paratransit shuttle buses are available exclusively from the YMCA remote parking location.
Going?
Location
Tips & Advice
- Park at a remote lot and ride the free shuttle in, because downtown lots fill quickly and parking near the festival can be limited.
- Use the YMCA lot if anyone in your group needs handicap-accessible paratransit, since it is the only remote site that offers it.
- Park at Bethesda Covenant Church if you’d like hot cocoa and a restroom stop while you wait for the shuttle downtown.
- Bring a credit card for drinks at Festival Fuel, because those locations take credit cards only.
- Stake out a spot with a view of the Jefferson Street Bridge before the fireworks, since they launch from there and can be seen across the festival.
Special Events & Promotions
- The drone show returns this year, right after the city tree lighting at the Main Stage.
Links & Contact
Run by GoRockford
Christmas Events Near Me is an independent guide, not the organizer of this event. For tickets, entries, vendor spots or questions, contact the organizer directly through their contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should we park?
Use one of the three remote lots at the YMCA, Crusader Community Health or Bethesda Covenant Church. Free Rockford Mass Transit District shuttles run every 20 minutes and drop off near Third and State Streets. Downtown lots fill quickly.
Where is the best place to watch the fireworks?
The fireworks launch from the Jefferson Street Bridge. You can see them from anywhere in the festival that has a view of the bridge.
Where can we catch a horse and wagon ride?
Line up outside Iconic Tower (formerly RRStar) at State and Water for a ride across the State Street Bridge.
Can kids send letters to Santa?
Yes. Santa’s elves are back at Rockford City Hall during Stroll, collecting letters to deliver to Santa.
How can we take part?
You can apply to be a vendor, enter the parade, join as an influencer, or volunteer at Stroll.
Browse Christmas in Rockford
Always check the official website for the most current information.
We've done our best to keep details up-to-date, but event schedules, prices, and policies can change. For the latest updates, please visit the official website or contact the organizers directly. Christmas Events Near Me is an independent guide and isn't affiliated with the events we list.