AKRON, Ohio — Akron looks a lot different than it did 200 years ago. It looks a lot different than it did even two years ago. And as the city celebrates its bicentennial, it does so at the new-look Lock 3 during the Heart of Akron Festival this week.
From Thursday to Saturday, the festival will take place on Main Street. The event features free admission and free parking on Friday and Saturday. Guests can fill up on food from a number of vendors and enjoy cold beverages and snacks while taking in the renovations to Lock 3.
The revamped outdoor entertainment space is the result of a $10 million plan to reinvigorate the downtown hub. A brand-new stage for live music, with trees and wildflowers planted throughout the green space, and a paved path from the top of Main Street down to the stage and to the canal behind it, makes the space more modern and accessible to all.
In its first summer, Lock 3 is hosting this year's Fourth of July festivities—a special year of celebration as Akron commemorates its 200th birthday.
Each night features concerts, and on Friday night, the Fourth of July, a fireworks show is expected to begin around 9:45 p.m., following the Akron RubberDucks game.
The celebration culminates in Akron's largest parade in 50 years, followed by the opening of a time capsule that has been sealed for the past 25 years.
To learn more about the Heart of Akron Festival, CLICK HERE
