Downtown Akron 2023

AKRON DOWNTOWN PLACES | EVENTS | ADVENTURES

photo: Blaak Media

WELCOME TO DOWNTOWN AKRON. Akron is a diverse, multicultural city and at its heart, downtown provides the perfect backdrop to honor, celebrate and share the valuable cultural treasures our friends and neighbors contribute to our city. Experience the vibrancy firsthand at any of several downtown festivals and celebrations throughout the year, including the Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration, Downtown Akron Sakura Festival, Juneteenth Celebration, African American Cultural Festival, Summit County Italian-American Festival, Akron Pride Festival, Diwali Festival, Akron Latin Festival and others. Get a taste of it at unique small businesses serving Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican, Indian, barbecue and many other kinds of cuisine downtown. Be inspired by it when you visit arts and cultural organizations bringing performers, artists and creators downtown every day. Downtown Akron is a place of connection and belonging. It is home to more than 30 Black-owned businesses and more than 30 women owned businesses. Here you find the Akron Civic Theatre, Akron Art Museum, Akron Marathon, Akron Symphony Orchestra, Nightlight, Akron RubberDucks and The University of Akron. It is the heart of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Summit County, with the vibrant Towpath connected to Summit Lake in the south and to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in the north. Downtown is also home to Lock 3, soon to become the flower of downtown — a beautiful public space like Akron’s own Central Park.

There is so much to love about downtown Akron. We hope you will find inspiring ways to connect on these pages and know that you belong here.

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Diwali Festival

photos: DAP staff

The 2022 Diwali Festival provided a shining example of embracing all community members by welcoming more than 500 people for a celebration of one of the major religious holidays in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. It’s a festival of lights, symbolizing inner light that overcomes spiritual darkness. Come for the next Diwali Festival in November.

UNKNWN 3v3 Courtyard Classic Who shot the very first free throw on Main Street? Who had the first dunk? These questions and many others were answered in July at the first UNKNWN 3v3 Courtyard Classic basketball tournament and block party. Sponsored by the UNKNWN apparel store started by LeBron James and his friends and presented by Nike with support from DAP, the city and the Knight Foundation, the event welcomed 2,000 visitors downtown for an afternoon of basketball, food and an exclusive Nike LeBron sneaker release.

photos: Blaak Media

Boa Mistura Refreshes STEM Plaza “If you don’t look back / the future never happens” is a phrase from Akron native Rita Dove’s poem, “Dawn Revisited.” It’s also the phrase that comes into focus based on where you stand in relation to the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School plaza. The colorful public art installation was created in 2019 by the internationally acclaimed art collective Boa Mistura, with extensive input from students at the middle school. In 2023, Boa Mistura returned to work with students and DAP to refresh the vibrantly painted space.

photos: DAP staff

photo: Tim Fitzwater

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Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival

Downtown Akron Fall Fest

Cascade Plaza is the site of the Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival that’s loosely inspired by the show “Gilmore Girls” and brings fans from all over the region to Akron. The festival transforms the plaza into an approximation of Stars Hollow, the show’s fictional town. In 2022, the event drew 4,000 visitors for coffee, themed activities, crafts, photo ops, vendors and Gilmore-esque surprises. Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival is back Nov. 4.

DAP launched the inaugural Downtown Akron Fall Fest in October 2022, welcoming 2,000 people to Main Street for music, food, pumpkin decorating, a riddle activity, magic and a screening of “Hocus Pocus.” Downtown organizations sponsored about 16 trick-or-treat stations, including the Akron RubberDucks, Akron METRO RTA, Lock 3, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Akron Children’s Museum, The University of Akron and others. Downtown Akron Fall Fest returns Oct. 21.

photos: Chris Rutan

photos: Talia Hodge

Downtown Akron Sakura Festival

In mid-April, the third annual Downtown Akron Sakura Festival brought 6,000 visitors to the Towpath Trail to witness the flowering of over 450 Japanese cherry blossoms planted by the city of Akron with support from the Japanese Association of Northeast Ohio. The festival celebrates the contributions of Asian Americans to our community, the beauty of nature and the coming of spring. The community presented Japanese music, art activities, Japanese dancers, food, a story walk and more. Be on the lookout for the Sakura Festival in April 2024.

photo: DAP staff

photo: Richard Walter

photo: Richard Walter

photo: DAP staff

photo: DAP staff

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Akron Pride Festival

In 2021, the Akron Pride Festival expanded to downtown Akron and quickly became downtown’s largest festival, drawing upward of 30,000 people each year. The Pride Festival is an inspiring expression of Akron’s celebration of diversity, inclusion and community. Beginning with the Equity March on Main Street, the Pride Festival features local and national entertainers, music, vendors, art, community groups and fireworks throughout a colorful joyous day for all. Attend this year’s festival Aug. 26.

photo: DAP staff

photo: DAP staff

photo: DAP staff

Photo: Blaak Media

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Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration

The 2023 Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration welcomed more than 2,000 guests for an evening of performances, culture and food at the Akron Civic Theatre. In its second year, Lunar New Year drew an audience as diverse as Akron, with community members of all ages, ethnicities, genders and backgrounds welcoming in the Year of the Rabbit. See you in 2024 for the Year of the Dragon.

photos: Blaak Media

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THE PEANUT SHOPPE

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photos: Talia Hodge

Juneteenth Celebration

Tues.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (closed Sun. & Mon.) 203 S. Main St., Akron 330-376-7020

Juneteenth continues to grow as an observance, a holiday and a celebration of Black joy in Akron. The Downtown Akron Juneteenth Mix and Mingle at the Knight Stage drew 300 people for an evening of food, community and connection, and the Juneteenth Celebration Saturday welcomed upward of 1,200 people to Cascade Plaza for crafts, activities, dance, music and more. Join the celebration in 2024.

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Find things to do downtown.

photo: Talia Hodge

JOIN US DOWNTOWN

photo: Crave

photo:Chris Rutan

Find a place to eat downtown.

About Downtown Akron Partnership DAP’s mission is to build and promote a vibrant and valuable downtown Akron that is welcoming to all. Follow DAP for information about all things downtown Akron, from programs and events to business development and ambassador services. downtownakron.com