The City of Akron announced it will partner with the Akron Urban League to host a Juneteenth celebration this Wednesday, June 19, from 1 to 7 p.m. at the John S. Knight Center.

The event essentially replaces at least three celebrations that were canceled over the weekend because of security concerns.

The Akron Urban League, which was previously planning a celebration at its West Akron location, will consolidate efforts with the city at the Knight Center. 

METRO Regional Transit Authority will provide free transit that day to facilitate access to the event.  

“We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with so many folks on short notice, and want to thank the Akron Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau for opening the Knight Center for this important commemoration,” Malik said in a press release. “Event organizers, the Akron Urban League, METRO RTA, and others have all joined hands to make this happen.” 

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Teresa LeGrair, president and CEO of the Akron Urban League, said, “This decision underscores our commitment to stand in the GAP when it benefits the community, particularly small minority-owned businesses.” 

A full list of activities on the Akron Urban League’s website here. 

“Organizers, vendors, and community members put a great deal of effort and energy into preparing for these events,” said Matthew Talley, lead adviser to the Akron Juneteenth Festival. “It is appreciated that the Mayor is making a genuine effort to assist our vendors in recovering their losses so quickly.” 

The press release stated Talley, Damarios Walker from the West Akron Parade and Juneteenth / Father’s Day Celebration at Kerr Park, and Tara Mosley-Weems, organizer of the Ward 5 Juneteenth Festival, all assisted in planning the Wednesday event.

The Malik administration also stated in the release it plans to work with the community organizers to schedule neighborhood-based celebrations later in the summer. Other canceled events, including the North Hill 5K and the American Heart Association Heart Walk, will also be rescheduled.

Safety personnel and emergency medics will be present at the event Wednesday, and patrons will be subject to security screenings. 

Free parking will be available in the Broadway deck at 120 S. Broadway St. and the High Street deck adjacent to the Akron-Summit County Public Library – Main Library at 40 S. High St. The City of Akron plans to close Mill Street between High and Broadway streets in front of the Knight Center for the event.

Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.