Sept. 27 & 28 - Don't Miss The Fun!

World War II Days 2025
Midway Village Museum, 6799 Guilford Road, Rockford, IL

Visitors to World War II Days engage in elaborate 1940s displays in historical buildings on the museum’s 148-acre campus, which becomes the back drop of a European village during World War II. This military re-enactment is known to be the largest in the Midwest and draws thousands of visitors yearly to the Rockford region and the museum grounds.

Festivities include encampments of Allied and Axis troops in the Midway Village woods. World War II Days includes elaborate and realistic battles complete with tanks, artillery, armored vehicles, and exciting pyrotechnic displays.

Uniformed re-enactors representing soldiers from the United States, Great Britain, France, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Japan, Italy, and Germany along with vintage tanks, half-tracks and other 1940s military vehicles make this a not-to-miss special event.

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Event Highlights, Military Vehicles & Armor!

• Narrated battles on both days with pyrotechnics (see schedule below)
• Skirmishes, demos, and displays
• Lectures on The Holocaust and Antisemitism; Women and WWII; and Women Go To Bat During World War II
• Live 1940’s Era Musical Performances, including the Andrews Sisters
• Briefings from General Patton’s Mobile Command Tent
• Rock Valley R/C Flying Club displays of WW2 era model airplanes
• Militaria Sales Vendors from around the Midwest
• Rockford Peaches team reenactors (Sunday only), and 1940s Girl Scouts (Saturday only)
• Rare military vehicles, including but not limited to: M2A1 White Halftrack; Amphibious Ford GPA 1942; M3A1 Light "Stuart" Tank, 1942; Humber Armored Car; White M3A1 Scout Car; Repro Daimler Dingo; original 1942 BSA Motorcycle; M22 "Locust" Light Arborne Tank; 1945 Willys-Overland 1/4 Ton Truck MB "Jeep,"; M16 Half-Truck; M8 Light Armored Car "Greyhound,";M5A1 Light Tank "Stuart"; German Halftrack SDKFZ251D;Hetzer Tank Destroyer; Sdkfz251 Replica Halftrack; Flak88 Antiaircraft Gun; Pak 40 Antitank Gun; Pak 38 Antitank Gun; le IG 18 Howitzer; Opel Blitz Truck; S3000 Ford Truck; Raupen Schlepper OST (RSO) 1943; and Marder III Tank.

World War II Days Event Schedules

Battle schedule: Returning this year, several "woods skirmishes" will take place according to the following schedule. Please note, all World War II general admission tickets include Battles on the Main Battlefield at no extra charge; Woods Skirmish tickets are sold separately to limit each Woods Skirmish audience to 250 for safety reasons.

Saturday, September 27th
10 am - 5 pm

• 10:00 am WWII Days Opens
• 10:30 am Lecture: Women and WWII: Many Victims and Many Victors
• 11:00 am Gen. Patton Briefing
• 11:00 am Woods Skirmish
• 11:30 am The Andrews Sisters, Performance by Sweet Reminder
• 12:00 pm Woods Skirmish
• 12:30 pm Lecture: Non-Jewish Victims of the Holocaust
• 1:00 pm Pick a Bouquet! Flowers for your Sweetheart
• 1:00 pm Meet 1940s Girl Scouts
• 1:30 pm Battle on Main Battlefield
• 2:30 pm Camp Grant USO Show - Summer Kwai & Dave Turner
• 3:00 pm Lecture: Women Go to Bat During World War II
• 3:30 pm Aerial Display - RC Flyers
• 4:30 pm Battle on Main Battlefield
• 5:00 pm Victory Parade
• 5:00 pm WWII Days Closes for the day

Sunday, September 28th
9:00 am - 3:00 pm

• 9:00 am WWII Days Opens
• 9:30 am Lecture: Women and WWII: Many Victims and Many Victors
• 10:00 am Woods Skirmish
• 10:30 am Gen. Patton Briefing
• 11:00 am Woods Skirmish
• 11:30 am The Andrews Sisters, Performance by Sweet Reminder
• 12:00 pm Lecture: Non-Jewish Victims of the Holocaust
• 12:00 pm Woods Skirmish
• 12:00 pm Meet the Rockford Peaches
• 12:30 pm Aerial Display - Scott & RC Flyers
• 1:30 pm Camp Grant USO Show - Summer Kwai & Dave Turner
• 2:30 pm Battle on Main Battlefield
• 3:00 pm Victory Parade
• 3:00 pm WWII Days Closes

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Food Vendors

• Bing’s Food Truck
• Lulu's Roasted Corn
• The Sassy Mac Boys
• The Machine Shed
• Pig Minds Brewing
• Polish Shack
• Vintage Goose Café

Visitor services include food vendors, free parking, ATMs on-site, a VETANK motorized wheelchair and two mobility scooters (available for reservation on a first come, first served basis), and vendors selling antiques, military collectables, vintage clothing, and books.

The Midwest's Largest WWII Reenactment!

This is a rain or shine event. No refunds. Schedule is subject to change.

Questions? Call 815-397-9112.