Akron Digest
September 19, 2025

Good Morning, Akron!

It’s that time of year again. The fond smells of beer, bratwurst, and sauerkraut are in the air.

While 40,000-50,000 people typically visit Oktoberfest in Cuyahoga Falls each year, the numbers at the official Oktoberfest in Munich make that look like a backyard cookout: 7.2 million visitors, and 7.4 million liters of beer consumed in just over two weeks.

Someone give Munich an award for their plumbing infrastructure.

Let’s dive into this week’s issue.

Sponsored by Samantha Russell, Realtor, Howard Hanna

Protect Your Investment: Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

Before fall fully arrives, give your home the care it deserves.

As a second-generation Realtor and proud homeowner, I've seen how a little fall maintenance goes a long way in protecting your home's value and avoiding costly repairs. Here's your essential Akron homeowner checklist:

• Clean gutters and downspouts: With all of our beautiful trees, clogged gutters can be a huge fall problem. Clogged gutters can cause even bigger problems if they are not addressed.

• Service your furnace: Schedule a tune-up before the first cold snap hits. Don’t forget to replace your furnace filter!

• Seal gaps around windows and doors: Keep the warmth in and energy bills down.

• Turn off outdoor faucets: Avoid frozen pipes and flooding. Bring in those garden hoses as well.

• Check your roof: Look for loose shingles or damage while it's still safe to make repairs.

Whether you're maintaining your forever home or preparing to sell in the coming year, these simple steps help you protect the space that matters most - home. If you're thinking about making a move, a well-maintained home always shows better and sells faster. Here’s to a beautiful home and an even more beautiful season ahead.

Questions about your home's value or the Akron market? I'm here to help. No obligation, just honest advice.

🗞️ The Digest

Bridgestone's Got Your Teen's Back (And Their Brakes) 🚗

Here's a stat that'll make any parent's heart skip: car crashes are still the leading cause of death for teenagers. But before you hide the car keys forever, Bridgestone's rolling into town with a free solution.

Their Teens Drive Smart program is being hosted tomorrow, September 20, at Firestone Stadium— and it’s offering real-world driving skills that go way beyond "hands at 10 and 2." We're talking professional instructors, closed courses, and actual practice with those scary scenarios that make parents white-knuckle the passenger door handle.

With Ohio tightening licensing requirements next month (18-20 year-olds will now need full driver's ed), this couldn't come at a better time. Four hours of hands-on training that might just save a life? That's worth clearing the Saturday schedule. For info and to register, visit the website.

All Aboard! The North Pole Train Is Coming Back 🎅

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's beloved North Pole Adventure is back, and tickets drop October 7 at 9 a.m.—mark your calendars now because they'll disappear faster than cookies on Christmas Eve.

This magical 90-minute train ride runs November 14 through December 21 from Rockside Station in Independence. Kids ride in pajamas through themed train cars (think Santa's Workshop meets Candy Cane Lane), enjoy milk and cookies, and yes—the big guy himself visits every child on board. Want to skip the ticket scramble? Railroad members get early access starting September 16. Info Here

MAPCO's Moving In (And They're Bringing $1.99 Gas) ⛽

Those old Circle K stores around town? They're getting a MAPCO makeover, and the company's celebrating with gas at $1.99 per gallon—yes, really—during each grand opening from noon to 2 p.m. at the following locations and dates:

• September 20th - 1693 W. Market St., Akron

• September 27th - 641 W. Portage Trail Extension, Cuyahoga Falls

• October 11th - 1830 Waterloo Road

Maybe try to sneak in right at noon to avoid a line at the pump!

🔥 Top 5 Events This Week

Here is our list of hand-picked events around the area:

📌 Everything Else Worth Knowing

Some bonus picks from us:

🎬️🎥 Akron Weekend Movie Action

Nightlight Theatre

Note: For a full list of showings, please visit one of the links below.

• The History Of Sound
  “Two young music students, Lionel and David, attending the Boston Conservatory in 1917, bond over their shared love of folk music. They reconnect a few years later, embarking on a song collecting trip in the backwaters of Maine.”

  Rotten Tomatoes: 69%

  Showtimes

• Linda Linda Linda
  “Only three days before their high school festival, guitarist Kei, drummer Kyoko, and bassist Nozomi are forced to recruit a new lead vocalist for their band. They choose Korean exchange student Son, though her comprehension of Japanese is a bit rough! It's a race against time as the group struggles to learn three songs for the festival's rock concert—including a classic '80s song by the Japanese punk rock band The Blue Hearts called "Linda Linda".”

  Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

  Showtimes

• Howl's Moving Castle

  “Sophie, a young milliner, is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king.”

  Rotten Tomatoes: 88%

  Showtimes

Highland Theatre

• Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
  “When Mary finds herself in a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble, the household grapples with the threat of social disgrace. The Crawleys must embrace change with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future.” (IMDB)

  Rotten Tomatoes: 88%

  Showtimes

Weather

Today

83 🌡️ 52 | 🌤️ | 25% 🌧️

Saturday

84 🌡️ 60 | 🌤️ | 1% 🌧️

Sunday

86 🌡️ 65 | 🌤️ | 55% 🌧️

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Talk to you next Friday!