08/28/2026
Happy Friday, August 28, 2026, Everybody! It's the last weekend of August 2026, and I think I can safely say: this month has been a RIDE. Let's usher out the month in style with some fun:
1️⃣ Today and Saturday, Akron Pizza Fest continues in Lock 3 Akron, Ohio with lunch at 11 am - 1 pm, & rolling into live music this evening at 7 pm with a FREE Show with the legendary Northeast Ohio band, The Twistoffs followed by E5C4P3 Journey Tribute. On Saturday, catch Brett Young with DEK of Hearts at 7 pm—this one is paid admission, and you can get tickets here: https://bit.ly/BrettYoungAtLock3
2️⃣ Speaking of Live Music, there's good stuff to be heard this weekend:
BLU Jazz+ has The Mars Express, a Cleveland, Ohio-based band blending jazz, neo-soul, and funk, playing their debut at BLU (Fri. 8 pm), and on Saturday at 8 pm Akron pianist Jennifer James brings her new VGM Quartet to Blu Jazz+ for an exciting and unique night of video game music, performing arrangements of iconic tracks from games like Animal Crossing, The Sims, Mario Kart, and more. From classics to modern gems, this will be a night featuring the best of video game soundtracks that you won't want to miss!
Get tickets to BLU shows: https://blu-jazz.turntabletickets.com/
Musica has a Full weekend of shows: Friday at 8 pm, Funeral Proposals celebrate the release of a new single with Flippant and Placid State. $10 online, $12 at the door.
Saturday at 8 pm, catch Dynamo Love, Colour Phase, and The Tiger Tortoise Experiment. $10 online, $12 at the door.
Sunday at 7:30 pm, Jacob Augustine (Maine folk) with support from Blue Hour, Miss Dreadful, and Alina Remains. $12 online, $15 at the door. Get tickets https://www.theofficialmusica.com/
Jilly's Music Room hosts Roxxymoron at 7 pm Friday, and Working Class (Sat. 8 pm). PLUS: SUNDAY BRUNCH 11 am - 3 pm
INFO & TIX: http://www.jillysmusicroom.com
And Happy Hour 5 - 7 pm, during which time you get 20% off everything!
Party on the Plaza 2 nights in a row at the Akron Civic Theatre, with Jeri Lee Sapronetti playing (Fri. 6 - 7 pm), and Lee Marra and the River Boys (Sat. 6 - 7 pm), the perfect pre-game to Pizza Fest and shows in Lock 3.
Lock 3 hosts Gospel Sunday with Evangelist Keeya CL & Divinely Appointed on Sunday, from 4 - 6 pm. Free admission. Be uplifted!
Make your own music at The Green Dragon Inn Board Game Bar and Cafe with karaoke along with the Akron Roller Derby Team (Fri. 8 pm). Head to Ingy's Piano Bar every Sunday for an evening of piano karaoke with friends old and new. Choose between thousands of songs ranging from classic showtunes to forgotten gems and pop hits! All are welcome, and there's no cover. 7 - 11 pm.
3️⃣ The Nightlight has 3 great movies running this weekend: Teenage S*x & Death at Camp Miasma with Hannah Einbinder & Gillian Anderson, Coyote VS ACME featuring Wile E. Coyote, and Tony, an acclaimed bio pic about Anthony Bourdain. For showtimes and tickets: https://nightlightcinema.com/
4️⃣ On Sunday, the John S Knight Center hosts the annual Hall of Cuts Expo which showcases barbers and cosmetologists both local and nationwide, some of whom will be featured in competitions that demonstrate the sheer skill and talent of the barber and beauty industries. Learn from the pros as they perform live demonstrations. Whether you are a professional, a novice, or if you just want to see the creatives in action, this is definitely a show you won't want to miss!
AND, Akron Soul Train presents Journey of a Sign Painter: Artist Conversation with Ron Copeland and Arnold Tunstall. Check out this discussion about Copeland's artistic practice, the development of the work on view, and the role of research, experimentation, and personal perspective in shaping contemporary art. 2 - 4 pm; free admission, but registration is encouraged: https://bit.ly/JourneyOfASignPainter
ADDITIONALLY, Sunday is also The First Stitch Play Reading Series at Wild Oscar's (at the Akron Civic Theatre: Entrance is from Lock 4). This series invites audiences to experience compelling plays in an intimate staged reading format at Wild Oscar’s. This week, they'll be doing The Minutes by Tracy Letts. Find out more: https://bit.ly/WildThreadTheatre8-30
🏆 BONUS: This is the FINAL Free Fare weekend of summer 2026! METRO Regional Transit Authority offers Free Fare weekends all summer long in June, July and August! Ride METRO Direct or METRO ADA services for free on Saturdays and Sundays this summer, and skip the need for parking altogether!
Don't forget to enjoy a delicious meal from one of your downtown
Akron faves this weekend. Check out the DAP dining guide for options for every taste: https://bit.ly/DAP_Dining
And as always, for much, MUCH more to do and enjoy downtown, check out the DAP event calendar: https://bit.ly/DAP_Calendar
