Saturday, March 28 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | House Three Thirty

You don't need a reason to love Akron, but March 30 (AKA 3/30 or 330) — or the weekend closest to it — gives you one anyway. Start your morning with a free sound bath in the Cabaret, catch activist and author Rachel Cargle leading a children's storytime, then wander through the brand-new Mini Market featuring 20+ hyperlocal vendors — including ones making exclusively Akron-specific products. Circus performances, a contortionist, face painting, kids' art classes, and a free paint & sip round out the afternoon.

Live music runs all day across multiple stages: singer-songwriter Dominic Ebner at Starbucks, Melrose Eve in the Cabaret, the East High School Jazz Band, and alternative pop-punk-rapper Yacobucci closing things out at 4 PM. Admission is free — food, coffee, and sweet treats available all day from House Three Thirty's in-house spots.

Friday, March 27 | 6:00 PM | Akron Civic Theatre

Elmo is coming to Akron and he's bringing the moves — which, honestly, is more than most of us can say on a Friday night. The brand-new Sesame Street Live show brings Elmo and the whole neighborhood crew to the Civic stage for 75 minutes of singing, dancing, yoga, cartwheels, and general chaos that will have your littles out of their seats and your own inner child mouthing along to "Sunny Days." This one's built for families with young kids, but fair warning: adults have been known to have just as much fun.

Tickets start around $38 and are available through the Akron Civic Theatre and Ticketmaster.

Fridays & Saturdays, 12 PM–5 PM (through April 25) | Summit Artspace

After seven months of renovations, Summit Artspace is back open. The nearly 100-year-old building got new ceilings, fresh paint, track lighting, and improved accessibility, and reopened this month with five exhibitions spread across all three floors: the 23rd annual Kaleidoscope juried show, Amanda Branham's Confessions of a Comic Book Artist, Diversity by the Canton Artists League, Linda McConaughy's It Is What It Is, and Never Just a Quilt, a textile and mixed-media show by six artists.

Admission is free during regular gallery hours. If you missed the ArtWalk opening, the Grand Reopening Party is April 4 — live music, art installations, specialty cocktails from The Green Dragon Inn, and a dance party.

Saturday, March 28 | 8:00 PM | BLU Jazz+

Your dinner-and-a-show pick for the week, with a twist. Apollo's Fire, the Northeast Ohio early music ensemble, brings their Baroque Bistro format to BLU Jazz+ for a 70-minute musical journey through the four quarters of Jerusalem's Old City. Oud master Ronnie Malley shares stories of his Palestinian ancestors alongside Israeli-American musician Daphna Mor on the ney, an ancient wind instrument. Malley is a Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist who served as actor and musician in the Broadway run of The Band's Visit — yes, that one, the Tony and Grammy winner — and picked up the 2023 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award Indica along the way. This isn't stuffy classical music. It's storytelling, world music, and old tradition served over drinks at BLU Jazz+.

Tickets are sold out on the BLU Jazz+ website, but (at the time this is being written) tickets are still available on the Apollo’s Fire website, below.

Saturday, March 28 | 10AM-3PM | EJ Thomas Hall

Since 2001, Altrusa International of Akron has been helping Northeast Ohio high school girls get ready for prom, no strings attached. No registration required, no income threshold to meet. Just show up, get paired with a personal shopper volunteer, and choose from over 2,000 gowns organized by size, plus shoes, jewelry, and purses. In its 25th year, the Princess Night Project has helped over 3,000 girls head to prom without the price tag stress that usually comes with it.

Know a high schooler who could use a great dress and a fun afternoon? Pass it on.

Shiny Metal Boxes – The Police Tribute
Friday, March 27 | 7:30 PM | The Knight Stage
A tribute to one of rock's most iconic bands — every "Roxanne" and "Every Breath You Take" you know by heart.
More info →

David Graham & The Eskimo Brothers
Friday, March 27 | 7:00 PM | Musica
Nashville-rooted country-rock from David Graham and his band.
More info →

‘90s & ‘00s Rock Night
Friday, March 27 | 8:00 PM | The Workz, Cuyahoga Falls
Play some arcade games and catch your favorite ‘90s and ‘00s bands.
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Mixed Media Painting Class
Friday, March 27 | 6:30–8:30 PM | The Winery at Wolf Creek
Bring whatever materials inspire you and make your own mixed media piece. A glass of wine is included.
More info →