Sick the Magazine is coming through Rock Falls from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, June 15, and Rock Falls is having a mini-block party downtown to welcome them for a third year in a row.

Rock Falls Tourism will host a Sick Summer Mini-Block Party as about 350 race vehicles and an additional 200 “Sick Ward” cruisers make their way through the city as part of the multiday drag-and-drive event. Downtown Rock Falls has been selected as an official checkpoint stop following racing activities at Byron Dragway earlier that day.

Motion Raceworks Sick Summer is one of the nation’s premier drag-and-drive events, featuring high-performance, street-legal vehicles that compete at drag strips throughout the Midwest while driving their race cars on public roads between tracks and checkpoints.

Participants will race at Byron Dragway on June 15 and June 19 and at Cordova Dragway on June 16.

“We are excited to welcome Sick Summer back to Rock Falls for a third year,” said Rock Falls Tourism Director Melinda Jones. “This event brings hundreds of unique vehicles and visitors to our community and provides a great opportunity to showcase our downtown businesses and hospitality.”

The downtown celebration will feature music provided by DJ Cabral, food and beverage vendors, and opportunities for visitors to view the vehicles and meet drivers from across the country. Community members are encouraged to come downtown and enjoy the festivities while supporting local businesses.

Due to the event’s travel schedule and the next checkpoint being in Davenport, Iowa, event organizers have requested that there not be a burnout pit this year in Rock Falls.

To accommodate the event, Rock Falls Tourism has been working closely with Sick the Magazine and the Rock Falls Police Department to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for participants and spectators.

Road closures and parking restrictions

The following parking areas will be closed during the event:

• First Street parking Lot
• Parking lot at West Second Street and Fourth Avenue
• Lower Dam parking lot

The following streets also will be closed:

• First Street from First Avenue to Fourth Avenue
• Second Avenue from West Second Street to First Street
• Fourth Avenue from West Second Street to First Street

Motorists are asked to use alternate routes during the event.

Event T-shirts available

Commemorative event T-shirts are available through Rock Falls Tourism and will be sold at the Tourism tent during the event. While these are not official Sick the Magazine merchandise, the shirt design has been approved by Sick the Magazine.