City of Akron Celebrates Bicentennial Signature Celebration Week
- Editor Ellis
- Jun 30
- 6 min read
The City of Akron is gearing up to celebrate our 200th birthday all week long! For the city’s 200th birthday, there will be a birthday party like no other. The Heart of Akron Festival, taking place July 3, 4, and 5 at Lock 3, invites the community to gather for a three-day celebration packed with live music, mouth-watering food, dazzling fireworks, a special Sample the City tasting event, and Akron’s Bicentennial Downtown Parade presented by Goodyear. It’s a tribute to Akron’s past, present, and future—featuring everything we love about our city.
All municipal offices will be closed on Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. There will be no curb service on Friday, July 4 in observance of the holiday. There will be a one-day delay of trash/recycle collections with curb service resuming on Saturday, July 6.
“The Heart of Akron Festival serves as a unifying celebration that encapsulates Akron’s talents, creativity, heritage, and unique offerings,” said Akron Mayor Shammas Malik. “We’re excited to team up with the Akron Bicentennial Committee to host this special weekend for our residents and guests alike as we celebrate everything Akron has to offer. Set in the heart of downtown at Lock 3, the festival will showcase local pride, talent, and flavor daily from 11 am to 11pm.”
"The Bicentennial Signature Celebration Week seeks to bring all of Akron together, not only as we commemorate our city's 200-year history, but in looking ahead to a vibrant future as we continue to chart our path forward,” said Mark Greer, Executive Director Akron 200. “We're proud to partner with the City on the Heart of Akron Festival for what will be a dynamic weekend of events and celebrations that will long be remembered."
“Akron at 200”
A new 427-page publication, “Akron at 200: A Bicentennial History,” will be available for purchase next week at the Akron History Center (172 South Main St.).
Hours for sale are as follows:
Wednesday, July 2, 10am – 2pm Thursday, July 3, 10am – 2pm Friday, July 4, 10am – 2pm Saturday, July 5, 10am – 2pm
The hard cover book is listed at $50 but will be available for purchase during Akron’s Bicentennial week at a discounted price of $35.
Entertainment Lineup
Enjoy non-stop entertainment from local favorites and regional stars with free admission to all performances:
Thursday, July 3
11AM – 11PM Lock 3 open with a variety of Festival Food Vendors*
12–2 PM: JT’s Electrik Blackout
3–5 PM: Apostle
6–8 PM: Shane Vain & The Village Vandals
9–11 PM: The Shootouts
Friday, July 4 (Presented with The Summit 91.3)
11AM – 11PM Lock 3 open with a variety of Festival Food Vendors*
12–2 PM: Umojah Nation
3–5 PM: Akronauts
6–8 PM: Nikki D & The Sisters of Thunder
9–11 PM: Off Leash
9:45 PM: Fireworks Spectacular!
Synchronized with 91.3 The Summit. Enjoy a grand fireworks show in Downtown – visible from Main Street, Lock 3, and the Akron RubberDucks game at Canal Park!
Please note: The city is NOT planning to shoot off fireworks in any neighborhood locations this year. While the state of Ohio passed legislation allowing residents to set off fireworks on particular holidays, Akron passed an ordinance (O-150-2022) maintaining the city’s ban on setting off commercial or consumer grade fireworks without a permit. Residents are reminded it is not legal in city limits to set off these types of fireworks.
Saturday, July 5
10 AM – Akron Bicentennial Downtown Parade, presented by Goodyear
Witness Akron’s biggest parade in the past 50 years! With an all-new parade route to mark our City’s 200th Anniversary, this will be one of the Bicentennial’s Signature Events of the year, not to be missed!
The deadline to register for the parade is Tuesday, July 1 so visit Akron200.org/Parade for all the details and to sign up to participate.
11AM – 11PM Lock 3 open with a variety of Festival Food Vendors*
11 AM - Akron Bicentennial Homecoming Event
The “Feature the Future” Exhibition, presented by Bridgestone will highlight technologies, innovations, opportunities and developments from a variety of industries and sectors currently at the forefront in our city/region, and those on the horizon. Exhibitors will also share available opportunities (jobs/internships/programs/services).
11 AM–7 PM: The Summit 91.3 Live Stream with Chad Miller
2 PM-6 PM Sample the City – Foodie local tasting event**
4 PM Bicentennial Time Capsule Opening
7:05PM – The Akron RubberDucks will host the Bicentennial Bobblehead Night at their home game, which will honor legendary NASA astronaut and engineer, Judy Resnik. Get your tickets here.
7–8 PM: Flocco Torres
8:30–10:30 PM: The Vindys
*A Feast of Local Flavors
Fuel your fun with food from Akron’s best vendors including four returning rib vendors complimented by a host of options to tempt your tastebuds.
Festival vendors include: The Smoothie Stand & Co, Southern Comfort Kitchen, HomeMade Delites, Grill Masters, The Food Depot, Lady T’s Soulfood, After Hours BBQ, Pigfoot BBQ, tray Dog, Blue BBQ, Akron Pickle, Buzzy Bee Ice Cream, Bubblegum Concessions, Eddie’s Cheesesteaks, DonutNV, Novelty Ice Cream, and many more!
**Sample the City – A Foodie Experience
Saturday, July 5 ONLY| 2 PM–6 PM Get a taste of Akron—literally! Join us for Sample the City, a delicious, indoor, ticketed food tasting event featuring bite-sized signature dishes from over a dozen local culinary artists and restaurants. Tickets are $40 and quantities are limited, so grab yours while they last!
Sample the City takes place at Lock 3, inside the lower level of the historic O’Neil’s building.
Tasting Vendors Include:
Soul Bowl 330, Prepped By Sharina, Tasteful Expectations, The Juice Hive, Cookies BBQ, Epiphany Mushroom, Authentic Nigerian Kitchen, Bob’s Hamburger, Majestic Tails, Merriman Valley Pizza, The Peanut Shoppe, Buzzy Bee Rolled Ice Cream, Gurka Curry House, Double T’s BBQ, La Reina Boricua, Akron Pickle, Hartville Chips, and Stray Dog.
Tickets for Sample the City available at: https://ayrs.io/pED5Kh or at the door while supplies last
FAQs
Will there be multiple July 4 fireworks shows?
No, the City is hosting one Bicentennials fireworks show in Downtown Akron. It will be visible downtown from Main Street, Lock 3 and Canal Park Stadium. You can tune into 91.3 The Summit to hear a special fireworks soundtrack synchronized to the show!
Is there an admission fee for the festival?
No, admission to Lock 3 is free. However, the Sample the City food tasting event is ticketed. It is an indoor event with tickets available at https://ayrs.io/pED5Kh or at the door while they last. Admission to Canal Park Stadium for the Akron RubberDucks Game and view of the Fireworks is also ticketed.
Where can I park?
Parking in City-owned decks is free after 6 PM weekdays, on July 4th holiday, and all-day Saturday and Sunday. See downtown parking options here.
Will the streets be closed?
Main Street will be closed minimally on July 4th in preparation for the fireworks, and only during the parade on Saturday, July 5th. High Street will also be closed during the parade. For the best experience, we suggest taking a look at the parade map attached for the route and closures in advance to help you navigate the day of. We also recommend planning to arrive early.
How early should I arrive to see the parade, and where should I stand?
The Bicentennial Parade begins at 10 am, so if you are a spectator, plan to arrive before 9:30 am to park and find a good place for your family to watch the parade. The parade route will leave 10 N. Main Street at 10 am, travel up E Market Street, down High Street to Buchtel Ave, West on Buchtel and return to 10 N. Main via Main Street. This is not the usual parade route, so give yourself extra time to make your way downtown. You can view the parade from either side of High Street between Market and Buchtel Ave, on Buchtel between High and Main, or along Main Street between Buchtel (Canal Park Stadium) and Cascade Plaza.
What can I bring into Lock 3?
For the safety of all, the following items are strictly prohibited inside Lock 3:
Weapons of any kind Solicitation Glass containers Motorized vehicles Illegal drug use Sleeping/camping Smoking/vaping in accordance with Chapter 3794 of the Ohio revised code
For more FAQs and Lock 3 Rules visit Lock3live.com.
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