HOTEL AVAILABILITY
Need to reserve a hotel room?
Burpee Museum has partnered with Holiday Inn Rockford, to reserve hotel rooms for this special event!
Location:
Holiday Inn Rockford
7550 East State Street, Rockford, IL 61108
Need to reserve a hotel room?
CURRENTLY SOLD OUT
Burpee Museum has partnered with Riverview Inn & Suites, to reserve hotel rooms for this special event! The room rate is $99 per night. The hotel restaurant is now open serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Book Before February 7th to Lock in Burpee DISCOUNT Rates
Use the link below or contact the hotel directly to lock in our PaleoFest special negotiated rate.
Location:
Riverview Inn & Suites, Ascend Hotel Collection
700 W. Riverside Blvd., Rockford, IL, 61103, US
+1 (815) 282-3033
PALEOFEST SCHEDULE
Click a date to see schedules:
Friday, February 28, 2025
Members Honorary Kick Off Event
- 5:00 pm – Main Museum
Doors Open for Reception: Appetizers & Cash Drinks - 6:00 pm – Check-in for Baby Dinos Class
- 6:15pm: Baby Dino Class Begins
- 6:16pm Scott Williams: Paleo & The Celebrity Spotlight Talk Title TBA
- 7:30 pm – Museum Closes
Saturday, March 1st, 2025
| 8:30 am | Doors Open for Research Ticket Holders | Main Museum | |
| 9:15 am | Lecture Hall Opening Remarks | Riverview Room | |
| 9:30- 10 am | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 10- 10:30 am | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 10- 11 am | TBA Lecture Speaker | Mahlburg Auditorium | |
| 10:30-11 am | Lecture Break | ||
| 10:30-11:30 | Workshop: Replicating the Past: Make Your Own Fossil Replica | CL2 | |
| 10:30-11:30 | Workshop: Prehistoric Pathologies Making a window into the past. | CL3 | |
| 11:00-11:30 am | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 11:30-12 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 12:00-1 pm | Lecture Lunch | Mahlburg Auditorium | |
| 1:00-1:30 pm | Burpee Rocks Reading | WtW | |
| 1:00-2:00pm | Workshop: Replicating the Past: Make Your Own Fossil Replica | CL 2 | |
| 1:00-2:00 pm | Workshop: Prehistoric Pathologies Making a window into the past. | CL 3 | |
| 1:30-2 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 2:00-2:30 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 2:30-3:00 pm | Lecture Break | Main Museum | |
| 2:30-3:30 pm | Workshop:Replicating the Past: Make Your Own Fossil Replica | CL2 | |
| 2:30-3:30 pm | Workshop: Prehistoric Pathologies Making a window into the past. | CL3 | |
| 3:00-3:30 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 4:00-4:30 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 5:00 pm | Museum Closes | Main Museum |
Saturday Evening, March 7, 2026
Saturday 3/7/2026 at Riverview Inn and Suites
| 5:00 pm | VIP Doors Open for PaleoReception | ||
| 5:30pm | Doors Open for All to PaleoReception | ||
| 6:30 pm | Dinner Service | ||
| 7:30 pm | Keynote Talk: Paul Sereno | ||
| 8:30-9:00pm | Live Auction of Special Paleo Items |
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Sunday 3/8/2026
| 9:00 am | Doors Open for Research Ticket Holders | Main Museum | |
| 9:15 am | Lecture Hall Opening Remarks | Riverview Room | |
| 9:30- 10 am | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 10- 10:30 am | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 10- 11 am | TBA Lecture Speaker | Mahlburg Auditorium | |
| 10:30-11 am | Lecture Break | ||
| 10:30-11:30 | Workshop: Replicating the Past: Make Your Own Fossil Replica | CL2 | |
| 10:30-11:30 | Workshop: Prehistoric Pathologies Making a window into the past. | CL3 | |
| 11:00-11:30 am | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 11:30-12 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 12:00-1 pm | Lecture Lunch | Mahlburg Auditorium | |
| 1:00-1:30 pm | Burpee Rocks Reading | WtW | |
| 1:00-2:00pm | Workshop: Replicating the Past: Make Your Own Fossil Replica | CL 2 | |
| 1:00-2:00 pm | Workshop: Prehistoric Pathologies Making a window into the past. | CL 3 | |
| 1:30-2 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 2:00-2:30 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 2:30-3:00 pm | Lecture Break | Main Museum | |
| 2:30-3:30 pm | Workshop:Replicating the Past: Make Your Own Fossil Replica | CL2 | |
| 2:30-3:30 pm | Workshop: Prehistoric Pathologies Making a window into the past. | CL3 | |
| 3:00-3:30 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 4:00-4:30 pm | TBA Lecture Speaker | Riverview Room | |
| 5:00 pm | Museum Closes | Main Museum |
About Burpee Museum’s PaleoFest
Since 1999, PaleoFest has become an internationally recognized and respected program that celebrates the science of Paleontology. PaleoFest is an exemplary program to excite, educate, and inspire all people in science. This 3-day event includes many educational programs and activities for all levels of interest in paleontology. Each year, PaleoFest attracts nearly 2,000 visitors and some of the biggest names in the field.