Belvidere’s Apollo Theatre reopening Sept. 16

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) -Although the iconic marquee that at the historic Apollo Theatre in downtown Belvidere for many years is gone, the venue will reopen Saturday, just shy of six months after a tornado tore off parts of the roof on March 31, sending heavy debris down onto concertgoers who were inside the 121-year-old building.

One person died and dozens were injured.

Structural engineers and contractors acted swiftly stabilize the building in order to bring the theater back online. A combination of private and disaster relief dollars funded the repair project.

“It’s a tragedy that they were hit with a tornado,” Belvidere Mayor Clinton Morris said. “They seemed to suffer brunt of the tornado that passed through our downtown area. However, they have done a great job in rebuilding, and very quickly.”

Saturday’s “Viva Mexico” events at the Apollo includes four bands and a DJ.

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