Shop Local: Support Downtown Akron
This holiday shopping season shop local and support downtown Akron businesses!
Enter for a chance to win prizes every week when you visit or shop downtown this holiday season with our Shop Local program. There are weekly prizes and a grand prize.
When:
Every week from November 1 - December 31, 2026
Winners will be chosen 11/6, 11/13, 11/20, 11/27, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18, 12/29, and 1/5/2027
To participate:
- Pick up a Shop Local Support Downtown Akron pin at The Akron Oatmeal Festival (DAP tent), Downtown Akron Fall Fest (Info tent), or the Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival (Info tent) or use your Shop Local pin from last year.
- Wear your pin when you're downtown (and everywhere else)!
Prizes and entry:
- Weekly prizes*: Take a selfie inside a retail, experience-based or dining business with your Shop Local pin visible and post it to social media, tagging Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP) (Facebook/Meta: https://www.facebook.com/DowntownAkron Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/downtownakronpartnership/) and the business patronized to enter for a weekly prize, chosen by us at random.
- More entries, more weekly prizes:
- 1 - 5 entries = 1 prize
- 6 - 14 entries = 2 prizes
- 15 - 25 entries = 3 prizes
- 26+ entries = 5 prizes
- Grand prize: We'll choose 1 Grand Prize Winner from all of the Weekly Entries, so if you didn't win a weekly prize, you could win the Grand Prize (a $100 Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift card, good at 20+ downtown locations and a gift basket with items from downtown businesses worth an additional $100). Grand prize will be awarded on 1/5/2027.
- *Weekly prize values will range from $20 - $40 per individual prize
Experience-based businesses include: shows, concerts, visiting a museum, attending a sporting event, the Great Escape Room, going to a studio session at Street Craftery, as well as service activities, such as getting a haircut.
For lists of retail, experience, and dining establishments located in the 49-block Downtown Akron Special Improvement District, visit downtownakron.com/explore.
Support Local Businesses
Get the Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Card
Give ONE e-gift card they can use at MANY locations, including
- retailers
- restaurants
- services
- entertainment venues
It works just like any other gift card you've ever received, except better:
- One Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Card can be used in 20 (and counting) different downtown Akron locations.
- No plastic or paper cards to misplace: Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Cards live on your phone.*
- Easily check your card balance.
* You can also print out your card information, as desired.
Are you an employer or organization? Volume discounts are available.
Consider using Downtown Akron Dollars E-Gift Cards for employee rewards, holiday gifts, customer appreciation, welcome gifts, promotions, incentives, etc. Get access to reduced or waived fees for purchases over $1,000, plus direct assistance and a free Enterprise Account with business reporting. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Find out more.
Downtown Akron Shopping and Dining Guides
Check out the updated Downtown Shopping Guide
NEW: A Zips Guide to Shopping Small & Local in Akron (by University of Akron students)
Explore Downtown Akron Eateries
Explore Downtown Akron Shops, Entertainment, and Arts & Culture
Who's Open for Lunch in Downtown Akron? Here Is a Regularly-Updated Guide