With the 2022 school year coming to an end and the summer drawing near, there are multiple events and activities nearby to partake in over the summer. 

The Summerfield Zoo

The Summerfield Zoo, located in Belvidere, reopened for this year May 18th and plans to stay open until August 12th. They have many discounts and offers placed for visitors, from senior discount to offers of interaction with some of the animals. 

As it is the only zoo in the Northern Illinois area, their website mentions how it continues to grow and expand with its care for the diverse amount of animals it has.

“We have exotic animals ranging from A to Z!   We are home to mountain lions, zebra, lemurs, alligators, giant tortoises, wolves, reindeer, monkeys and much more!” the website says. “Many of our resident animals are rescue animals from the Northern Illinois area.” 

During the weekdays, the zoo is open Wednesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Although it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, there is an offer on Wednesday and Thursday’s of $9 per visitor. Admission fees are different for Friday through Sunday, Adults (12-64) are $13, Seniors (64+) are $11, and Kids (2-11) are $9. 

The zoo also offers $1 tickets that can be purchased and used for different things. Examples of activities they go for are: feeding bottles to baby goats (4 tickets), and the petting zoo (1 ticket). They also have private animal encounters that can be scheduled, just with a higher fee. 

As I have visited this zoo personally many times, I recommend stopping by. The wolves and many big cats are incredibly intriguing to view, along with seeing the reindeer and learning about each animal.

You can visit the Summerfield Zoo here in Belvidere at 3088 Flora Rd, Belvidere, IL 61008, or visit their website: https://summerfieldfarmandzoo.com/ 

NEARBY CONCERTS

Other possible events to participate in are the local concerts being held from Rockford to Chicago. 

The Beach Boys

One concert coming up at the Coronado Performing Arts Center in Rockford, IL, is The Beach Boys. The American rock band that formed back in 1961 is currently back with two original members, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, for touring with one of their concerts being held in Rockford. The concert is Aug. 12, set to start at 8 p.m. with tickets still available. 

This is a concert I definitely would want to see, and this opportunity isn’t one to pass up. Who can say they’ve gotten to see a band perform that was formed back in the 1960’s? Especially one known as The Beach Boys.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga has an upcoming concert that was rescheduled from the canceled date from Aug. 27, 2021. The concert is to take place at Wrigley Field in Chicago at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are currently still available. 

Lady Gaga is definitely a concert I want to see personally and wouldn’t give up the chance. Her music is one of a kind and definitely the energy I would want to witness in person. Don’t miss the chance to watch her live.

Elton John

Another upcoming concert is Elton John at Soldier Field in Chicago. The concert is apart of the “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour on Aug. 5. The concert is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. with tickets still available. 

Although I have no interest in attending this concert, I know my grandparents would definitely want to go see Elton John in concert. A cool summer activity could be taking your grandparents or parents out to Soldier Field to see Elton John perform.

The Boone County Fair:

A recurring summer event held in Belvidere every year is the Boone County Fair. The week of the Fair for year 2022 is Aug. 9 – 14. 

The Fair has many entertainment options from vendors to activities and the carnival. Carnival rides include The Zipper, Zero Gravity, Fireball, and more! This year the Fair is holding a tractor pull, demolition derby, and horse events for visitors to come watch. 

General admission from Tuesday to Sunday is $8 with Tuesday costing $7 anytime after 4 p.m. Day passes and season tickets are also available. 

A few discounts are offered to visitors as well. Children 10 and under are completely free with senior citizens 65 or older are free Thursday, Aug. 11. 

The fair is located 8791 IL-76, Belvidere, IL 61008 and gates open 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday. 

Other local activities to partake in could be, camps held by the park district, visit the park pool, camps held by the YMCA, summer sports through the YMCA, and more.