4th Annual Downtown Fall Fest Welcomes 3,000 for Halloween Fun

The 4^th Annual Downtown Akron Fall Fest brought approximately 3,000 costumed visitors of all ages to enjoy an evening of trick-or-treating on Main Street and free fall activities in Locks 3 and 4. The festivities began at 4 pm and ran until 7, and the event footprint stayed steadily full the whole way through.

On Main Street between Bowery and Cedar, staff and volunteers from 23 local nonprofits and businesses manned trick-or-treat stations. Downtown businesses and organizations on the map included the Akron Civic Theatre, Chill and Indulge, Clayton Bailey’s World of Wonders, the Great Escape Room, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Akron METRO RTA, Barley House, the Akron History Center, the Lockview, 3Six92, Insomnia Cookies, Akron Soul Train, Summit ADM Board, Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, and Bar Phoenix.

In Lock 3, people decorated pumpkins with acrylic paint markers, roasted s’mores over firepits, enjoyed a special craft with the Akron Children’s Museum, posed for photos at a photo booth, interacted with costumed characters from the Ohio Garrison of the 501^st Legion, and experienced the masterful illusions of magician Bill Bishop. On the Lock 3 stage, JustUs Line Dance Crew led a Zombie Dance Party, followed by an animated performance by local band Wishgarden. Visitors also had the opportunity to enter our costume contest in one of 5 categories, where they were judged on their creativity and the level of fun or scariness they embodied.

On the lawn, PBS Western Reserve generously donated their time and resources to create a Play Path, a fun, interactive obstacle course where kids could try a series of games inspired by some of their favorite PBS Kids characters, like Daniel Tiger, Molly of Denali, and the Wild Kratts.

One of people’s favorite festival elements seemed to be the Spooky Express, a train ride that boarded on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail behind the stage and took riders through Lock 4—aka “Salem”—to access a couple more hidden trick-or-treat stations and take photos with characters inspired by the three sisters from Hocus Pocus.

People also thoroughly enjoyed walking through METRO RTA’s haunted bus, a spooky attraction they bring to Fall Fest each year. This year, its decorative theme was inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas.

We’re grateful that for the fourth year in a row, kids and families from around the area have made a tradition of visiting Downtown Akron Fall Fest as part of their Halloween celebrations. We look forward to many years of continued trick-or-treating, spooky experiences, and inviting kids and families to traverse our beautiful Main Street and explore the nooks and crannies of Locks 3 and 4.

Downtown Akron Fall Fest was presented by Downtown Akron Partnership. 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, PBS Western Reserve, the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Akron Cleveland Association of REALTORS.