Release Date: November 17,2023
Downtown Akron Partnership Brightens Main Street with Winter Lighting
November 17, 2023, Akron, Ohio — On November 1, 2023, Main Street lit up for the season with tens of thousands of twinkling lights and decorative snowflakes on light poles from Cedar to Perkins, as well as in the Northside District. This yearly investment—part of Downtown Akron Partnership’s year-round beautification program—contributes to a vibrant, welcoming downtown and lends warmth to the harsher months of the year.
This season, downtown’s winter beautification elements consist of 37 planters layered with evergreen branches and garland, decorative swags on light poles in the Northside District and the lighting of 100+ trees along Main Street and snowflakes on light poles. These elements help enrich and bring added sparkle to the appearance of Main Street’s mix of historic buildings such as the Akron Civic Theatre and the Landmark Building, vibrant residential buildings such as the 159 Main, and landmarks like Canal Park Stadium and Cascade Plaza, among other spaces.
Downtown’s winter lighting and décor also create a festive, nostalgic ambience to accompany Lock 3’s WinterBlast programming, which includes ice skating, igloo and fire-pit rentals, the Welcome Santa Parade, interactions with the famed Archie the Snowman, Polar Putt-Putt, historic holiday window displays and more.
Kimberly Beckett, DAP director of business relations and development, who works closely with the City of Akron and Edison Landscape & Deck Lighting to implement winter lighting on Main Street, says, “Downtown Akron Partnership has a robust summer beautification program, maintaining more than 230 planters, hanging baskets and hanging boxes. These efforts are essential to a vibrant and inviting downtown neighborhood and creating a sense of place. And there is plenty to do in downtown Akron in the winter months. Lighting, winter beautification elements and programming are essential in building a neighborhood that is warm and inviting all year round.”
Winter beautification elements will remain up through early March 2024.
Sponsorship Opportunities
This year, DAP is offering opportunities for sponsorship to individuals, businesses and organizations interested in contributing to downtown’s winter beautification program. There are options to sponsor the lighting of one, several or even a full block of trees, starting at $200 for the season. To learn more about sponsoring DAP initiatives, email info@downtownakron.com for more information, or fill out the interest form at https://bit.ly/WinterBeautificationAkron.