A barn is where hard work happens. It is where good times and bad happen. It is where families come together. To work. To play. To connect. To grow. And to make memories. It weathers storms, the elements and anything else you can possibly throw at it. Can you think of a better metaphor for marriage? Can you think of a better place to start one? We can’t either. That’s why we put so much heart into The Barn here at Allen Acres. To create a place where someone’s there to bring the vision of your day to life. Why we fought for it. Why we worked ourselves into the ground for it. Spent money we didn’t have on it. And put every ounce of energy into the four walls you’ll see before you. Labor of love? It was an undying test of our wills, our bank accounts and our sanity. But that’s what you do for something and someone you’re passionate about. It’s how you start your dream. It’s how we started ours. And how we’d like to start yours.

At the Barn at Brophy Creek, we are a family run business on a fourth generation farm. Running along the edge of Brophy Creek, the farm was purchased in the 1950's by my grandfather who immigrated from Germany and worked the farm as a hired man when he was 18 years old. The next generation took over and my dad began farming the land. My husband and I moved into the farmhouse where we raised our 4 beautiful children. I’ve stayed on this acreage my entire life. It is my history. Eventually, my dad retired and the buildings began to deteriorate. I knew we had to save these historic buildings and share them with the community, so we got creative and dreamed up the wedding and event venue that Brophy Creek is today. Luckily, my husband is able to take the dreams and visions I have in my head and make them reality. In 2015 we began dreaming it up, tearing it apart, and rebuilding - we've put our lives into this space.

In 1976, Hugh and Jody Deery had established themselves as greats in Midwest short track race promoting. With their large plot of land in Loves Park, just miles north of Rockford already housing Rockford Speedway, they asked themselves what's missing? The answer was affordable quality banquet space! Thus the idea for the Forest Hills Banquet was born. Construction began in 1977 and was completed in 1978. The annual Rockford Speedway Banquet was one of the first events held in the newly constructed "Lodge" and we are proud to have played a part in many wonderful celebrations in the years which have followed.