Julive starts with a bang

TO BE FOLLOWED BY FREQUENT BLASTS OF PASTA AND BURGERS

The City of Akron is calling it JULIVE!  And the month of July has started off with record numbers in attendance at the Fourth of July festival last weekend.  And with that, Lock 3 is having its best year ever with attendance so far 40% above last year; 2008 was the venue’s best year to date.

            “We’ve had a wonderful summer so far with good weather and terrific crowds for all of our events,” said Akron’s Deputy Mayor for Administration Dave Lieberth.

            “I’m sure a combination of more folks staying close to home this summer because of the economy along with a greater awareness each year of Lock 3 is what’s made this come together so well for us,” he said.  Lieberth counted the Fourth of July weekend crowd, excluding the fireworks on the innerbelt, at 25,367.  That is 30% higher than the same weekend last summer.

For the season to date, Lock 3 concert and special event attendance has been 58,004.

And from the Rib, White & Blue Rib Burnoff this past weekend, here are the winners as the City of Akron crowns this year’s champions in ribs.

• First place in Ribs-Carolina Rib King of Moore, South Carolina, winner of $1,000 prize
• First place in sauce- Smokin’ Joe of Columbus, Ohio. Winner of $500 prize.
• Runners up, Ribs- Texas Pit, Magnolia Texas and “The Spice is Right” of Cleveland
• Runners up, Sauce: Big Bone BBQ of Hixson, Tennessee and Smoke Shack of Columbus, Ohio.
• There were 9 rib vendors competing for the top prizes.

 

Now, the City heads into a brand new event this coming weekend.  The Italian-American Societies Festival runs Friday-Sunday, July 10-12,  with more than 70 vendors, continuous entertainment from two stages, an appearance by the Budweiser Clydesdales, bocce tournaments at Lock 3 and more.

Go to www.it-am.org for the details and scheduling.

The following weekend is the Fourth Annual National Hamburger Festival at Lock 3.  The festival benefits Akron Children’s Hospital and has nearly two dozen vendors of the best burgers anywhere ready to feed you and compete for the title of Best Burger. 

Festival promoter Drew Cerza says he has plenty of food and music for everyone to have a great time at the National Hamburger Festival July 18-19, 2009.   Find out more by visiting www.hamburgerfestival.com.

And, you can find out about all of the summer’s activities at Lock 3 at: www.lock3live.com.

 

Contact: Mark Williamson-Director of Communications: willima@ci.akron.oh.us

 

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