Holiday displays can be found in the windows of the University of Akron Polsky Building beginning Wednesday, November 25
Downtown Akron Partnership is pleased to continue a treasured holiday tradition by displaying Akron’s historical holiday displays in the windows of the University of Akron Polsky Building. Beginning Wednesday, November 25, “Land of Oz” and the “Prince and Princess” displays will fill the windows of the Polsky Building and add holiday cheer to Downtown Akron throughout the season.
Cynthia and Lawrence Nixon have directed the holiday display program for the past several years. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to be part of Akron’s magical holiday tradition. We had the opportunity to refurbish some of the displays and add some new elements this year that we feel the community will really enjoy,” said Lawrence.
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 department store windows in Downtown Akron. 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. Over the past few years the displays have been set up in the windows of the Polsky Building and at Lock 3. 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.
The holiday displays can be seen beginning Wednesday, November 25 through New Year’s Eve. The University of Akron Polsky Building is located at 225 S. Main St. in Downtown Akron. For more information call 330-762-9550.
