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WNIJ's summary of news items around our state.

Organizers Gear Up For Annual 'Rockford Day' Events

Jenna Dooley

The date is "8-15," which also denotes the area code of the Rockford area.

It's the second annual celebration of "Rockford Day." The campaign intends to bolster community spirit and bring in more visitors to the city.

Events begin this morning at 8:15 sharp, when a French artist will unveil her 2018 calendars based on paintings she made of the city. 

Andrea Mandala, with the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, helped organize the activities. She said calendar proceeds go to the Forest City Beautiful Initiative, which aims to improve the appearance of the downtown area. 

"We're looking very forward to helping the community jump on board with this calendar, help to sell the calendar, so then we can see the beautification efforts that will in turn give back to the community," she said. 

Mandala said the campaign efforts are meant to draw attention to local businesses and restaurants "that you can't get anywhere else," she said. "You have to be in Rockford in order to enjoy these places. So it's our way of saying, 'We love our community, we love our hometown, and we want visitors to come and share it.'"

Other events include Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara unveiling plans on how to celebrate the Coronado Theater's 90th anniversary and a Rockford Day Job Fair. 

A full line-up of events is available at gorockford.com.