SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
WWW.SAUKVALLEY.COM PAGE 7
Rock Falls plans to keep
things cookin' this summer
BY KIMBERLY ALLEN
SPECIAL TO THE BUSINESS JOURNAL
ROCK FALLS � Businesses large and small can ben-
efit when a community comes
together to organize special
events. That's why the Rock Falls
Chamber of Commerce decided
in recent years to organize more
events to attract people to town.
This year's new event is Harvest
Fest, set for Aug. 28-29.
"While it won't officially be fall
yet, that's when our garden prod-
ucts are in full swing, and what
we're going to do is showcase our
farmers market," said Doug Wiersema, president
and CEO of the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce.
Local farmers and gardeners will sell their produce
in front of Community State Bank, at 1801 First Ave.
Crafters, artisans and antique dealers also have
been invited to set up booths to sell their wares.
And since no event would be complete without
good eats, the chamber plans a cookout, and Cul-
ver's will offer food as well.
"This is our first attempt at doing something like
this," Wiersema said.
He hopes it will be a great way to highlight all the
good things available through the farmers market.
It certainly won't be the chamber's first attempt at
a large event. Its annual Summer Cookout and An-
tique Tractor Show has been a big hit with the com-
munity and visitors alike for a number of years.
"We served about 1,700 people last year," Wierse-
ma said.
One of the things that makes the cookout so popu-
lar is the array of offerings, which extend far beyond
traditional pork chop sandwiches and hot dogs. Al-
so on the menu are elk and buffalo burgers and alli-
gator brats. New Orleans-style sausage will be added
to the menu this year.
"It's the biggest buffalo and elk cookout in the Mid-
west, or at least we think it is, because nobody's dis-
puted our claim yet," Wiersema said.
This year's cookout will be July 11-12 at Jeff Bright
RV Center, just off U.S. Route 30 East at 2109 Indus-
trial Drive, where there should be plenty of room for
the 300 plus tractors to be displayed.
New at this year's cookout will be an additional dis-
play of vintage trailers.
"These are the old ones that looked like tin cans
back in the day, so it will be quite a show," Wiersema
said.
Lots of live music and an open microphone will
round out the festivities.
New Harvest fest will show off farmers market offerings;
popular Chamber cookout returns
DOUG WIERSEMA
ROCK FALLS CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT
To learn more or to get involved in the festivities, visit
www.rockfallschamber.com or call the Rock Falls
Chamber of Commerce, 815-625-4500.

Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5Page 6Page 7Page 8Page 9Page 10Page 11Page 12Page 13Page 14Page 15Page 16Page 17Page 18Page 19Page 20Page 21Page 22Page 23Page 24Page 25Page 26Page 27Page 28 Produced by PageSuite