Photos: Stroll on State parade and festival in downtown Rockford

November 30, 2024|By Kevin Haas|In 815 News, Local, Rockford, Trending, Featured, Photo Gallery, Rock River Current
Charlotte McQueen, 3, waves at the parade on the shoulders of James Swanson with Kayla Swanson on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Photos by Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The 12th annual Stroll on State took over downtown on Saturday with a parade, food, shopping and a host of other activities to kick off the holiday season.

The festival brings thousands of people to downtown each year, including an estimated 81,825 people in 2023.

Full story: Low temps, warm spirits for this year’s Stroll on State in downtown Rockford

Here’s a look at this year’s Stroll through some of the images we captured:

The Stroll on State parade begins on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Stroll on State parade
Molly Guth, 6, left, and Amelia Devlieger, 7, wave to Santa Claus on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Santa Claus, played by Maurice West, signals a heart to the crowd on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Hammy the Rockford IceHogs mascot tosses a fake snowball on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Stroll on State parade grand marshals Rick and Jean Davis are driven by Dave Lantz on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, through downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Students with Miss LeMaster’s School of Dance perform during the Stroll on State parade on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Yavo Drum & Drill Corps. performs on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Aerial drones depict the Grinch on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Grupo de Baile Mosaico Cultural performs on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Grupo de Baile Mosaico Cultural performs on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Kaitlyn Strommer waves to the crowd on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Rockford Phoenix Cheer moves down the Stroll on State parade on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Hard Rock Casino Rockford’s Screw City float is moved through the Stroll on State parade on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
A Rockford Peaches float moves down East State Street during the Stroll on State parade on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Winnebago County Fair Queen Elizabeth Taylor waves to the crowd on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Beth Halusan with Franz walks with 815 Paws therapy dogs on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Riley Shine walks with Bucciferro family McDonald’s on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Prestige Dance Co. of Beloit, Wisconsin, performs Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Jennifer Furst as Mrs. Claus throws candy to people lined along State Street on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, for the Stroll on State parade in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
The Rockford police color guard begins the Stroll on State parade on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Beefaroo mascots wave to the crowd on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Lydia Aguilar, 6, and Briseis Huertero, 5, wave to the parade on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
The Pearson Plumbing and Heating mascot waves to the crowd on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
John Ekberg sings on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
April Bieschke, holding Henny, walks with 815 Paws therapy dogs on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Matthew Simpson sells a hot coffee to Tony Turner on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, outside Wired Cafe during Stroll on State in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Families fill City Hall to write letters to Santa on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
A Tesla Cyber Truck rolls down State Street during Stroll on State on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
A low-rider truck rolls through downtown on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during the Stroll on State parade in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Leslie West, Jeremy Ennis and Maurice West walk toward the start of the parade on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Northern Lights Drone Shows puts on the Stroll on State drone show on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Northern Lights Drone Shows puts on the Stroll on State drone show on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Elliott Ernst pours a drink on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at Disco Drinks during Stroll on State in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Comfort 1st Insulation pumps fake snow into the air on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Raylinn Feldt, 6, poses for a photo with Santa on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Rollin’ Whiskey performs on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
People watch the drone show on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in front of the city’s Christmas tree during Stroll on State in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
People watch the drone show on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in front of the city’s Christmas tree during Stroll on State in downtown Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Raemah Dempsey of Rockford Dance Co., which will perform ‘The Nutcracker’ with Rockford Symphony Orchestra next week, waves to passersby on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, during Stroll on State in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas