Akron Today Magazine

Akron Lifestyle and Entertainment

Attractions

The Ledges, Hudson & Peninsula Ohio

Many cities around the country have great parks that make you truly feel like you are in the middle of no where.  Akron is no exception.  There are many great parks a short drive from downtown Akron.  One park we refer to many people is The Ledges, located in Peninsula Ohio very close to Hudson.

These are not just woods to hike in.  The rock formations, cliffs and even a cave do not seem like they should be native to fairly flat Ohio.

There are several large picnic shelters that can be reserved for large groups.  Here is the one shelter on Google Maps which is very close to the most scenic trails.

The Overlook often has a group of people show up on a nice evening to watch the sun set.  It is a great view and a short walk back to your car, which is important as the park technically closes at dusk.

The path does a loop around many rock formations and cliffs, and is only a few miles long but stunning.  Across the street and down just a bit further from the Ledges entrance is another set of trails that are much longer if you want to get more exerciser.  While not full of rocks and cliffs, it is a more challenging trail and has a scenic lake and a lot of up and down areas of the trail that will give you a great workout.

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Address: 714 N Portage Path Akron, OH 44303

Phone: 330-836-5533

Website

Built during the years 1912 to 1915, this manor was formerly owned by F.A. Seiberling, founder of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and his wife Gertrude. Stan Hywet means stone quarry in Old English, which is a natural feature of the property. As most of the estates similar to Stan Hywet have been demolished over the years, the property and a few others have been preserved as historic estates and are therefore protected by the organizations that handle them.

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is considered as Akron’s sole National Historic Landmark. More than fifty years ago, the Seiberling family donated the estate to a non-profit organization, allowing the public to see what it is like inside the manor.

To support its day to day expenses, they have allowed some parts of the estate to be rented out for special occasions, such as weddings and corporate events. The lush garden surrounding the estate is perfect as backdrop for events and gatherings. They also offer tours around the estate from April to December.

If you’re an architectural buff and you enjoy visiting houses steeped in history and built with that authentic classical design that today’s classic houses could not emulate, then you must not fail to visit Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens when you find yourself in Akron.

For inquires regarding events and tours, you may call their office today.

Akron Area Country Club Now Open To Public

If you live in the greater Akron area, you need to check out Rustic Hills Country Club located in Medina.  This very exclusive golf course and stunning restaurant feels private but is open to everyone.

Country clubs have been adapting to changes in society by changing the way how they operate and Rustic Hills Country Club is a leader in opening up it’s wonderful 9-hole golf course, banquet facilities and Fireside Restaurant & Lounge to the public.  It is the kind of place you can take your family for a country club golf outing and enjoy a family dinner afterward or  meet up with buddies for 9 holes and happy hour from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the lounge.

What makes it a special place to visit for golf and dinner?

The 9-hole course is the perfect course for all golfers including men, women and young golf enthusiasts.  An advantage is that it allows golfers to play a stimulating game without taking up their whole day. If golfers want to play 18 holes they can, with two different sets of tees.

The course is challenging but accessible to all levels.  The second hole is 206 yards and is one of the toughest par 3s in northeast Ohio.  The ninth hole is one of the great finishing holes at 190 yards uphill.  Your round is not over until you sink that last putt.  Click here and call them to set up a tee time.

 

The Fireside Restaurant & Lounge then offers you a posh country club dining experience overlooking the grounds.  Whether you want to dine with your family, a group of friends or have a business lunch, it is the perfect setting to relax and enjoy great food.

What else can you expect from Rustic Hills Country Club?

Rustic Hills offers

  • Weddings, fundraisers and banquets
  • Junior Golf Camp for Children ages 6-16
  • Golf leagues, various tournaments, scrambles, and special events
  • Pool access for members
  • Special events for members and the public, fun for all ages

Anyone can go to a restaurant.  Playing golf and dining in a country club atmosphere is a higher level experience your family and friends will appreciate.  Visit their website, give them a call to book a tee time at 1-877-677-5792 or stop in any time to enjoy the Fireside Restaurant & Lounge.  You will be glad you did.

Art in the Park, Kent Ohio

The annual event, Art in the Park in Kent, Ohio is an easy drive for anyone in the greater Akron area. This event is not just art booths, but a very entertaining way to spend a day. It has live music and in many places demonstrations such as glass blowing, blacksmithing, pottery and more. There is even a group demonstrating Medieval fighting, armor, coin making and glass bead making.

There is a lot for kids to do as well. There are art activities for kids and a playground right in the center of the whole event, which includes a play climbing wall. The event is held in Fred Fuller park around the first weekend of each September and is very close to Kent downtown, which is full of restaurants if you are not interested in the park food.

Over the last few years they have added a tent where young artists can also show off and sell their wares.

The booths of local artists include photography, paintings, alpaca woven items, glass and pottery, yard art, jewelry and more. With so many options you can find something to brighten up your home or just spend a few hours browsing and chatting with the artists. To find out more about the Kent Art in the Park event visit the Kent Park and Rec Website.

Akron Trampoline and Activity Locations

Everyone loves a good trampoline.  It just so happens it is all the rage now in the Akron area with several locations to choose from.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children and adolescents do 60 minutes of exercise every day. If you think this is too much, do not worry, many children at school are required to have two periods of gym class a week, plus the breaks they usually have during their elementary school years are used to run around the school yard.

If your children are involved in sports either at school or through programs offered by the city, they are getting more than enough exercise. But, if on the other hand, your child seems to be living a more sedentary life and you want to motivate him to start exercising, what a better place than to take him to have fun at these places while exercising at the same time? Some of these places offer aerobic classes in addition to the play time.  Check them out.

SkyMax Arena Trampoline Arena
7585 Freedom Ave.
North Canton, Ohio 44720
Phone: (330) 966-4503
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/SkyMaxarena

Sky Zone Trampoline Park
4381 Whipple Ave NW
Canton, OH 44718
Phone: (330) 538-8300
[email protected]
http://www.skyzone.com/beldenvillage

ZipCity Streetsboro
9960 State Route 43
Streetsboro Ohio 44241
Phone: 330-931-4944
http://zipcityusa.com/

Pump It Up
1135 W. Maple St
Hartville, OH 44632-8529
(330) 877-7867
https://www.pumpitupparty.com/hartville-oh/other-ways-to-play/open-jump/

Sky Zone Trampoline Park
6217 Chittenden Road
Boston Heights, OH 44236
234-249-3030
http://www.skyzone.com/bostonheights

Fun ‘n’ Stuff
661 Highland Rd. E
Macedonia, OH 44056
Phone: (330) 467-0820
EMAIL: [email protected]
https://fun-n-stuff.com/

Akron Symphony Orchestra

Address: 92 N Main St, Akron, OH 44308, United States

Phone: 330-535-8131

Website

If your taste in music is more into the instrumental ensemble of brass, woodwind, string and percussion instruments that make up an orchestra, then you should never miss an opportunity to witness one of the live performances of the Akron Symphony Orchestra the next time you visit Akron.

The Akron Symphony Orchestra started in 1949 when the publisher of Akron Beacon Journal provided Mabel Graham with a $500 initial funding, which she was supposed to raise, to start a professional union orchestra. However, it was only in 1952 when their first season took place after three years of hard work. Since that first season, The Akron Symphony Orchestra has been continuously performing concerts featuring professional and world-class musical talents.

The Akron Symphony Orchestra of today has seen more than 60 years of experience on stage. They have been responsible for showcasing unparalleled musical talent in the Greater Akron area. They have also been recognized multiple times for their versatility on stage and have been very instrumental in exposing Akron to the wonders of music.

The orchestra is under the management of Greater Akron Musical Association. The Akron Symphony Orchestra performs in numerous locations, including E. J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, Silver Lake Country Club, Medina Performing Arts Center and many more. For tickets and inquiries on performance schedules, you may visit their website or give them a call today.

Holiday Tree Festival

Address: 77 E. Mill St Akron, OH 44308

Phone: 330-543-8340

Website

The Holiday Tree Festival is held at the John S. Knight Center in Akron, Ohio. The festival will last for nine days and is one of the events held in the city to help the sick and less-fortunate children at the hospital. This year (2013) marks their 32nd year and they offer free admissions for festival visitors and guests. This event will serve as a kick-off to the festivals for the holiday season in the city.

At the Holiday Tree Festival, they showcase more than 200 decorated trees as well as holiday wreaths and decorations. The proceeds from the sale of these wonderful creations will be donated to the sick and less fortunate children at the Akron Children’s Hospital. Since they have started, the organizers have been able to raise more than $4 million – money that was able to help hundreds of children be given proper heath care.

Guests and visitors of the festival will enjoy their evening being serenaded by local performers. Aside from that, they have their choice of the wonderful creation that will not only add color and holiday cheer into their homes, but will also help the Akron Children’s Hospital. The festival organizers also accept donors and volunteers to help decorate the venue as well as do other tasks for the event.

Rib, White & Blue

Address: Company Address

Phone: Company Phone

Website

Rib, White and Blue is Akron’s National Rib Festival. Organized and sponsored by the City of Akron, this festival can be considered as the highlight of all summer festivals in the City. This festival is held on the Fourth of July weekend in South Main Street in Akron. One great thing about this event? Admission is free on all four days!

At Rib, White and Blue, the best rib restaurants and vendors in the state compete and one amongst all of them will hail supreme – at least when it comes to ribs. The winner will receive cash prize and the chance to travel five states as the winner of the rib festival. For the first three years since the festival started, Carolina Rib King held the title, but was bested by Big Boned BBQ this year (2013).

The festival may be all about ribs, but no one can survive on those grilled goodness alone – and yes, I will admit that some people may prove me wrong in that claim. The organizers, however, believed there should be more food choices in the festival. For this reason, they have allowed ice cream, fried and chips, hoagies, fried veggies, cakes, beer floats and food truck vendors in the festival grounds for those people who want something else to eat.

Aside from the food, one big thing that festival participants should look forward to is the entertainment. For four days, the organizers have commissioned different artists to provide live entertainment to the participants. Parents who bring their kids in the festival can also find time to enjoy the activities themselves as there are attractions where children can hang out and meet friends.

Of course, the Fireworks Finale is also something that shouldn’t be missed. This is after all, a Fourth of July weekend and like all Fourth of July celebrations in the past, the fireworks display is always anticipated. Whether you want to sample to sample the best ribs in the state or you’re there to enjoy the fireworks display, Rib, White and Blue has something to offer that will keep you coming back for more the following year.

Porch Rokr Festival

Address: Highland Square Akron, OH, USA

Website

The PorchRokr Festival held in Highland Square in Akron, Ohio is organized by Highland Square Neighborhood Association, an organization that has been responsible for starting the Art in the Square event in 2007. The main purpose of the festival is to promote Highland Square as a center for cultural arts, education and history.

PorchRokr is a gathering of musicians and artists in Akron to showcase their musical talents and crafts. This serves as an example to other parts of the town on how they can enrich the culture of neighborhood. Local artists will also have a chance to show their talent to the other people in the community as well as earn from their craft. The festival itself brings a crowd of more than 5,000 in Highland Square for a day filled with fun activities, performances and exhibits put together by local talents.

Aside from local artists and performers, PorchRokr also draws a number of food vendors in the square to cater to the appetite of the crowd. Some bakeries and food trucks have participated in the festival as vendors in the past. They also have beverage available for those who are thirsty after a day of watching performances or attending workshops.

Speaking of workshops, the PorchRokr Festival in the past few years have invited organizations that conduct workshops on Yoga and Feldenkrais, which aims to teach sensory refinement through gentle exercise. These organizations recruit several participants in their own workshops as well as promote their case in this event. Whether you’re there for the music, the art or the other activities, you will find something that will feed your interest in the PorchRokr Festival of Highland Square.

Akron’s Italian-American Festival

Address: 200 S Main St, Akron, OH 44308, United States

Phone: 330-375-2877

Website

Akron’s annual Italian-American Festival is organized by The Council of the Italian-American Societies of Summit County, an organization of different Italian-American groups founded in Akron in 1947. Since they have started, the money that is raised from this annual festival is used to provide scholarships for deserving high school students as well as contribute to charities that help the localities in Akron, Ohio.

The Italian-American Societies of Summit County prepares for this event by gathering volunteers, sponsors, entertainers and vendors for the event. The preparation alone takes months and everything must be planned according in order for the festival to go smoothly. The organization also receives help from the Akron Police Department in order to guarantee the safety of the people participating in the event.

As if the prospect of helping deserving children receive scholarships is not enough to convince one to participate in the event, the organizers have made it even better for the participants. When we think of Italy, we probably think of pizza and pasta, not to mention the tunes that speak volumes about their culture and way of life. Well, visitors of this event will not be disappointed. The day is filled with Bocce tournaments, entertainment for the kids and music.

What of the food and wine? Now, those two deserve some special mention because no self-respecting and heritage-loving Italian will go without those two. To add to the excitement, guests of the festival will have their choice amongst food vendors lining up the streets with their authentic Italian fare of Gnocchi, Pizza Fritta, Italian sausage and other mouth-watering dishes from their homeland. The organizers have also set up pizza eating contests and wine tasting booths for those who want to sample selections from Italy.

Tickets for the festival may be purchase beforehand by contacting the organizers.