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🗞️ Pizza, Foodtrucks, and a New Millionaire
Ben Boggs
August 29, 2025
Akron Digest
August 29, 2025
Good Morning, Akron!
Forget the latest stock tips—Akron’s best investment advice is ‘swing by the Circle K.’
A Powerball ticket sold in Green this week ended up being a $2 million winner, while another in Fairlawn hit for $50K. Around here, “portfolio diversification” means splitting your investments between scratch-offs, Mega Millions, and an occasional Sheetz hot dog.
A special message from us to the winners:
Let’s dive into this week’s issue.
🗞️ The Digest
Gorge Dam Cleanup 🏗️
Local Officials gathered Thursday to celebrate the start of Cuyahoga River's most ambitious makeover yet—removing 850,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from behind the 114-year-old Gorge Dam. The EPA-led cleanup marks one of the largest sediment remediation projects under the Great Lakes Legacy Act.
The dam, straddling Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, hasn't generated power since 1958 but has been collecting toxic souvenirs like heavy metals, PCBs, and PAHs ever since. Governor Mike DeWine called it a historic moment, noting the river hasn't flowed freely here in over 100 years.
The two-year dredging operation will pipe the contaminated muck to a containment site before the dam's eventual removal in 2032. Local officials are already dreaming big—Mayor Don Walters envisions whitewater rafting tourists flooding the area once the original Cuyahoga Falls waterfall is freed.
The project brings the notorious river (yes, the one that caught fire) closer to being removed from the federal Great Lakes Areas of Concern list. DeWine's parting request? An invitation to watch them blow up the dam when he's retired.
Akron Gas Prices on the Rise ⛽️
Northeast Ohio drivers got sticker shock this week as gas prices jumped almost 45 cents to $3.49 per gallon—the highest price in almost a year. The culprit? A BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana was disrupted after severe thunderstorms and flooding, sending the facility into emergency flaring mode for nearly a week.
The silver lining: GasBuddy expects prices to drop heading into next week as the refinery restarts operations.
🔥 Top 5 Events This Week
Here is our list of hand-picked events around the area:
Akron Food Truck Festival 🍔
Friday-Sunday, August 29-31 | Hardesty Park
Roll up to Hardesty Park for the third annual feast on wheels featuring 25+ of the area's best food trucks. This isn't just your average food fest—it's a Labor Day weekend extravaganza with live music, a fierce food truck competition, and enough variety to make your taste buds do a happy dance.
Free admission means you can save your cash for sampling everything from Lobster Rolls to Ethiopian food. Grab a cold one and stake out your spot on the lawn for a true Akron summer send-off.
Made in Ohio Art & Craft Festival 🎨
Friday-Sunday, August 29-31 | Hale Farm & Village, Peninsula
Celebrating its 15th year, this festival transforms historic Hale Farm into Ohio's premier marketplace for local artisans. With over 200 vendors showcasing everything from handcrafted jewelry to unique pottery, it's like walking through Ohio's creative soul.
Admission runs $12 for adults and $6 for kids (3-12), with gates open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Pro tip: come hungry—local food vendors and Ohio wines will be flowing all weekend long.
The Lion King in Concert 🦁
Friday - Sunday, August 29-31 | 7:00 PM | Blossom Music Center
Experience the Circle of Life like never before as The Cleveland Orchestra brings Hans Zimmer's Oscar-winning score to life alongside the beloved 1994 film. The Blossom Festival Chorus joins in for this majestic performance that'll have you feeling the love tonight (and probably shedding a tear during that scene).
Tickets range from $35-$125. Catch any day this weekend – all shows start at 7 p.m., and trust us, hearing that iconic score live at Blossom will give you goosebumps.
Akron PizzaFest 🍕
Friday & Saturday, August 29-30 | Lock 3
Two days of pure pizza paradise returns to downtown! Friday kicks off at 5 p.m. with Led Zeppelin tribute band Zoso featuring Neil Zaza, while Saturday brings the heat with a pizza eating contest and continuous live music.
The best part? Thanks to the City of Akron, admission is completely FREE this year. Just show up, buy your slices directly from the vendors, and prepare for the ultimate pizza crawl without leaving downtown.
Akron CityFest 🎉
Sunday, August 31 | 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Lock 3
The third annual celebration of Akron's youth kicks off the school year with serious style. A parade starts at 1 p.m. from the old Spaghetti Warehouse lot, leading into an afternoon packed with basketball, gaming trucks, face painting, and live DJ sets.
This family-friendly festival brings the whole community together with food trucks, bounce houses, and plenty of giveaways. Mayor Malik promises it'll set the tone for our future leaders – and provide some serious fun for kids and parents alike.
📌 Everything Else Worth Knowing
Some bonus picks from us:
🎶 Live Music
Party on the Plaza: Mick and Rick
Friday, August 29 | 6:00 PM | PNC Plaza at the Civic
Classic rock duo performs hits from the 60s-80s.
More info →
Mario Kart Band
Saturday, August 30 | 7:00 PM | Knight Stage
Interactive concert where audience members play Mario Kart while the 9-piece band performs live.
More info →
Radiohead Tribute Fundraiser
Saturday, August 30 | 7:00 PM | The Rialto Theatre
Northeast Ohio's finest musicians unite for a Radiohead tribute benefiting Keep Akron Beautiful.
More info →
🏃 Sports & Recreation
Urban Disc Golf Experience
Saturday, August 30 | Downtown Akron
Turbo Putt Disc Golf transforms downtown into an urban disc golf course for one epic day.
More info →
🎉 Community & Culture
Latin Night
Saturday, August 30 | 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM | El Patron Tequileria & Cuisine
Live DJ on the rooftop bar.
More info →
🎬️🎥 Akron Weekend Movie Action
Nightlight Theatre
The Roses
“Life seems easy for picture-perfect couple Ivy and Theo: successful careers, a loving marriage, great kids. But beneath the façade of their supposed ideal life, a storm is brewing – as Theo's career nosedives while Ivy's own ambitions take off, a tinderbox of fierce competition and hidden resentment ignites.”Rotten Tomatoes: 63%
Caught Stealing
“Burned-out ex-baseball player Hank Thompson unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a dangerous struggle for survival amidst the criminal underbelly of 1990s New York City, forced to navigate a treacherous underworld he never imagined.”Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
Highland Theatre
Weapons
“When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.”Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Weather
Today
66 🌡️ 45 | ⛅️ | 3% 🌧️
Saturday
69 🌡️ 46 | ☀️ | 1% 🌧️
Sunday
75 🌡️ 50 | ☀️ | 1% 🌧️
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Talk to you next Friday!