Akron’s holiday displays are part of a countless number of families' holiday tradition. Beginning in the 1950s, Akron area families would flock to the animated holiday window displays in the O’Neil’s and Polsky’s building windows downtown. The window displays were "unveiled" each Thanksgiving for the holiday season. It was a magical time. There was a period when the displays were brought inside the two department stores as part of their Santaland decor. By the end of the 1980s both O'Neil's and Polsky's stores were gone, leaving a void in local holiday family traditions. Downtown Akron Partnership brought the vintage displays back to the Akron community in 1999.
In 2005, because the former store fronts were utilized, leaving a void of this holiday tradition, the displays were set up inside the Main Library downtown through the holiday season. DAP's collection includes a storybook display, Peter Pan, the Wizard of Oz, the Prince and Ice Princess, Santas of Christmas past, a train display and Raggedy Ann.
Currently, these holiday displays can be found in the University of Akron Polsky's Building and in Lock 3.
The German holiday tradition of the Christmas market is brought to Akron straight from our sister city of Chemnitz, Germany. More than 50 Chemnitz citizens are on hand to provide authentic German crafts, food, beverages and music.
Lock 3’s most popular winter feature is their 10,000-square-foot outdoor ice skating rink, the largest seasonal skating venue in Ohio!
Chriskindl Market & Ice Skating
The 2009 Holiday Tree Festival will feature magnificent displays of more than 200 decorated full-size trees, wreaths, miniature trees, gingerbread displays and countless holiday creations. It will also include local entertainment surrounded by 85,000 strings of dazzling lights. All display items are for sale and proceeds help to support patient care programs, education and research at Akron Children's Hospital.
Since its inception in 1982, the Volunteers of Akron Children’s Hospital have raised nearly $3 million from this spectacular event of trees and holiday displays.
