On the brisk afternoon and evening of October 17, 2026, an estimated 3,500 visitors descended upon downtown Akron in their Halloween best for Main Street trick-or-treating and free autumn activities during the 5th annual Downtown Akron Fall Fest.
Between Bowery and Cedar Streets, 15 local nonprofit organizations and downtown businesses set up stations for the costumed trick-or-treaters to collect candy—or in the case of those with food sensitivities or allergies, small trinkets. This year’s participants included Ilić Café, Akron Soul Train, Summit County Children Services, Insomnia Cookies, Akron Police Department, Barley House, Bar Phoenix, City of Akron Recreation & Parks, Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron History Center, Chill Ice Cream, ASIA – CYI, 7 17 Credit Union, the University of Akron Alumni Association, and Akron Civic Theatre. Additionally, METRO RTA brought back their beloved decked-out bus for trick-or-treaters to walk through—this year, themed after the Nickelodeon show SpongeBob SquarePants.
For those craving something to eat other than Halloween candy, two food trucks, Buzzy Bee and 3 Sisters Snack Shack, set up shop along the Main Street sidewalk to offer coffee, rolled ice cream, pretzels, nachos, walking tacos, and more.
In Lock 3, on the Swensons Patio—which we coined the Buckeye State Credit Union Boo Block—free stationary activities and attractions included mini-pumpkin painting, s’mores making, face painting, a craft with Akron Children’s Museum, a photobooth, a magician, and meet and greets with UA’s Zippy and Star Wars characters from Ohio Garrison, 501st Legion. On the lawn, KidStrong Fairlawn set up an obstacle course for the little ones to test out their agility while having fun.
After its successful debut last year, we brought back Little Roaming Railroad to orchestrate another iteration of the Spooky Express, which carried children and their adult companions along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail from Lock 3 to Lock 4, where the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office presented a Haunted Laboratory. There, riders disembarked from the train to make slime and meet a few characters—the Evil Queen, Maleficent, and a Mad Scientist.
While all this was happening, crowd favorite DJ Vinnie G. spun some background tunes to keep people in a spooky, festive mood, and JustUs Line Dance Crew led a Zombie Dance Party that got tons of people moving and grooving. We also held a costume contest to identify downtown’s best-dressed festivalgoers, which was sponsored by BRC Exterior Cleaning Solutions. The 2026 Downtown Akron Fall Fest was presented by Downtown Akron Partnership. Community Advocate sponsorships were provided by the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office and Buckeye State Credit Union. Costume Contest sponsorship was provided by BRC Exterior Cleaning Solutions. Additional support was provided by the City of Akron, Lock 3, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, GAR Foundation, Akron Community Foundation, Akron METRO RTA, and Akron Children’s Museum.
We are grateful to everyone who contributed to making the 2026 Downtown Akron Fall Fest memorable and fun. We couldn’t have done it without the helpful hands of Lock 3 staff, our generous sponsors—Buckeye State Credit Union, the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, and BRC Exterior Cleaning Solutions—all of the businesses and organizations on the trick-or-treat path, our event volunteers, and of course, the thousands of people of all ages who joined us in celebrating the season. We look forward to keeping the momentum going for years to come.