Starting Thursday, downtown Akron will be the site of a slate of music, food and other activities during The Heart of Akron Festival, which takes place July 3, 4 and 5 at Lock 3. Don’t miss the city’s signature downtown fireworks show on Friday, July 4.

Other highlights include the Bicentennial Downtown Parade Saturday morning and Sample the City, a food-tasting event, Saturday afternoon.

Here’s everything you need to know about this week’s (mostly free) festivities as the city celebrates its 200th birthday along with the Fourth of July holiday.

Talisa Sims Taylor takes down an order inside the Lady T's Soul Food and Southern Cuisine food truck during the Akron Urban League's Juneteenth celebration. Lady T's will be one of the food vendors at the Heart of Akron festival beginning Thursday, July 3.
Talisa Sims Taylor takes down an order inside the Lady T’s Soul Food and Southern Cuisine food truck during the Akron Urban League’s Juneteenth celebration. Lady T’s will be one of the food vendors at the Heart of Akron festival beginning Thursday, July 3. (Susan Zake / Signal Akron)

Thursday, July 3 – Heart of Akron Festival

  • 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.: Lock 3 open with a variety of food vendors
    Features four returning rib vendors plus other food purveyors, including: The Smoothie Stand & Co., Southern Comfort Kitchen, HomeMade Delites, Grill Masters, The Food Depot, Lady T’s Soulfood, After Hours BBQ, Pigfoot BBQ, Stray Dog, Blue BBQ, Akron Pickle, Buzzy Bee Ice Cream, Bubblegum Concessions, Eddies Famous Cheesesteaks, DonutNV, Novelty Ice Cream and more.
  • Noon to 2 p.m.: JT’s Electrik Blackout
  • 3 – 5 p.m.: Apostle
  • 6 – 8 p.m.: Shane Vain & The Village Vandals
  • 9 – 11 p.m.: The Shootouts 
Signal background

Friday, July 4 

  • 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.: Lock 3 open with a variety of food vendors
    (See list of vendors above)
  • Noon to 2 p.m.: Umojah Nation
  • 3 – 5 p.m.: Akronauts
  • 6 – 8 p.m.: Nikki D & The Sisters of Thunder
  • 9 – 11 p.m.: Off Leash
  • 9:45 p.m.: Fireworks Spectacular
    Synchronized with the radio statin 91.3 The Summit. Enjoy the fireworks show in downtown. It will be visible from Main Street, Lock 3 and the Akron RubberDucks game at Canal Park. 

    (The city is not doing fireworks shows at any neighborhood locations this year. Neither commercial nor consumer-grade fireworks can be set off in the city limits without a permit.)

Saturday, July 5 

  • 10 a.m.: Akron Bicentennial Downtown Parade
    The deadline to register for the parade is Tuesday, July 1. Visit Akron200.org/Parade for details — view the parade map here.

    The parade will kick off from 10 N. Main St. in front of the Akron Public Schools’ administration building, head east on East Market Street, south on South High Street, west on East Buchtel Avenue and north on South Main Street and return to 10 N. Main St. 

    View the parade from either side of South High Street between East Market Street and Buchtel Avenue, on Buchtel Avenue between South High Street and South Main Street or along South Main Street between Buchtel Avenue (at Canal Park Stadium) and Cascade Plaza.

    (Note: This is not the same parade route as in previous years.) 
The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 5, from 10 N. Main St. in front of the Akron Public Schools’ administration building, head east on East Market Street, south on South High Street, west on East Buchtel Avenue and north on South Main Street and return to 10 N. Main St. View the parade from either side of South High Street between East Market Street and Buchtel Avenue, on Buchtel Avenue between South High Street and South Main Street or along South Main Street between Buchtel Avenue (at Canal Park Stadium) and Cascade Plaza. (Note: This is not the usual parade route from previous years.)
The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 5, from 10 N. Main St. in front of the Akron Public Schools’ administration building, head east on East Market Street, south on South High Street, west on East Buchtel Avenue and north on South Main Street and return to 10 N. Main St. View the parade from either side of South High Street between East Market Street and Buchtel Avenue, on Buchtel Avenue between South High Street and South Main Street or along South Main Street between Buchtel Avenue (at Canal Park Stadium) and Cascade Plaza. (Note: This is not the same parade route as in previous years.) (Map courtesy of the City of Akron)
  • 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.: Lock 3 open with a variety of food vendors
    (See list of vendors above)
  • 11 a.m.: Akron Bicentennial Homecoming event
    “Feature the Future” exhibition highlighting technologies, innovations, opportunities and developments from a variety of industries and sectors. Exhibitors will also share available opportunities, including jobs, internships, programs and services.
  • 11 a.m. to  7 p.m.: The Summit 91.3 livestream with Chad Miller
  • 2 – 6 p.m.: Sample the City – foodie local tasting event**
    This food-tasting event features bite-sized signature dishes from more than a dozen local culinary artists and restaurants. Sampling takes place at Lock 3, inside the lower level of the O’Neil’s building.

    Tickets are $40 — quantities are limited. Tickets are available here or at the door while supplies last.

    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.
  • 3 p.m.: Bicentennial time capsule opening
    (The city updated this time — it was originally 4 p.m.)
  • 7:05 p.m.: The Akron RubberDucks host Bicentennial Bobblehead Night
    Akron native, NASA astronaut and engineer Judy Resnik will be honored. Get tickets here.
  • 7 – 8 p.m.: Floco Torres
  • 8:30 – 10:30 p.m.: The Vindys 

Parking

Parking in city-owned decks is free after 6 p.m. weekdays, on July 4, and all day Saturday and Sunday. See downtown parking options here. 

Street closures

Main Street downtown will be closed minimally on July 4 to prepare for the fireworks. It will also be closed on Saturday, July 5, along with South High Street during the parade.

‘Akron at 200’ book

A new 427-page book, “Akron at 200: A Bicentennial History,” will be available for purchase beginning July 4 week at the Akron History Center (172 S. Main St.). 

The price of the hardcover book is $50, but it will be available during Akron’s bicentennial week for $35.

City offices closed on July 4

All municipal offices will be closed Friday, July 4, and there will be no curb-side trash service on July 4. There will be a one-day delay of trash/recycle collections with curb service resuming on July 6.

What can I bring and do inside Lock 3?

The following items and activities are strictly prohibited inside Lock 3: 

  • Weapons of any kind 
  • Solicitation 
  • Glass containers 
  • Motorized vehicles 
  • Illegal drug use 
  • Sleeping and camping 
  • Smoking and vaping in accordance with Chapter 3794 of the Ohio Revised Code 

For more FAQs and Lock 3 rules, visit Lock3live.com.

Signal background

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.