Akron Digest
December 19, 2025
Good Morning, Akron!
If you're superstitious, we've got a good one for you. According to old British folklore, washing anything between Christmas and New Year's—your clothes, yourself, even your underwear—was considered horrifically bad luck. We're talking boils, family misfortune, and for farmers, literal witch problems if you dared clean out the barn.
So if you find yourself avoiding the laundry pile next week, congrats! You're not procrastinating—you're honoring centuries-old tradition. (The fact that this superstition conveniently gave people a week off from chores during the coldest part of winter is purely coincidental, we're sure.)
Let’s dive into this week’s issue.
🗞 The Digest
Akron's Got Art...Who Knew? 🎨
Turns out Akron has 700+ pieces of public art, and now you can actually find them. The newly launched Akron Public Art Inventory is an interactive database that maps everything from the John Brown Monument to that mural you pass every day but never really look at.
About a third of these pieces are in rough shape—think lawnmower spray and years of grime. Mac and Allyse Love of Art x Love spent a year biking around the city cataloging sculptures, murals, and memorials, complete with condition reports and GPS coordinates.
Bottom line: You can now explore Akron's 24 neighborhoods through an art lens you never knew existed.
Meet Ava: Your New AI Police Dispatcher 🤖
"This is Ava, how can I help you?" If you call Akron Police non-emergency line now, that's who—or rather, what—you'll hear. The department just rolled out an AI-powered virtual assistant to handle non-emergency calls, freeing up human dispatchers for actual emergencies.
How it works: Ava (developed by Seattle-based Aurelian) gathers key info from callers, routes them to the right place, and can even understand 30 different languages. If she detects urgency or can't help, she'll transfer you to a real person. Human dispatchers still review everything Ava collects before officers roll out.
APD tested Ava over the summer with some residents—you might've already met her. The goal? Let dispatchers focus on 911 calls while still giving timely help for non-emergencies. It's part of a growing trend nationwide, with police departments betting on AI to boost efficiency when call volumes are overwhelming and staff shortages are real.
911 calls still go straight to humans. Ava's just handling the "my neighbor's trash cans are in my yard" situations.
🔥 Top 5 Events This Week
Here is our list of hand-picked events around the area:
An Evening with Peter Billingsley + A Christmas Story 🎬
Sunday, December 21 | 7:00 PM (Doors 6:00 PM) | Canton Palace Theatre
Peter Billingsley—forever known as Ralphie—brings A Christmas Story to life with a full screening followed by a live, moderated Q&A. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, reflections on how the film became a holiday institution, and audience questions that go deeper than the usual trivia.
If this movie is part of your family’s annual December rotation, this is the elevated version: nostalgia plus context, in a classic theater setting. Make a night of it and embrace the fact that you still want that Red Ryder BB gun.
Highland Square Holiday Stroll 🎄
Saturday, December 20 | 3:00–8:00 PM | Highland Square
Highland Square’s annual Holiday Stroll turns the neighborhood into a full-on, walkable holiday marketplace. Local shops stay open late with specials, pop-ups, and surprises, while live music and street activity keep things moving block to block. It’s designed for wandering—duck into a shop, grab a drink, catch a performance, repeat.
This is one of the easiest ways to knock out holiday shopping while actually enjoying yourself. No malls, no pressure, just a festive excuse to spend a few hours supporting local businesses and soaking up peak Highland Square energy.
Holiday Frenzy! 🛍️
Saturday, December 20 | 11:00 AM–8:00 PM | Downtown Cuyahoga Falls
Holiday Frenzy turns downtown Cuyahoga Falls into a one-day shopping incentive machine. Shop participating businesses and earn entries toward a large, multi-business gift basket valued at over $300. Every stop gives you another shot, which conveniently encourages you to keep moving and exploring.
It’s a smart excuse to visit shops you may not normally hit, all in a compact, walkable area. Go earlier if you want breathing room, later if you want buzz—but either way, it’s a solid blend of shopping, strolling, and local discovery.
Christmas Candlelights 🕯️
Friday and Saturday | St. Bernard Church
Christmas Candlelights delivers a classic, reverent holiday concert experience inside one of Akron’s most striking historic spaces. Performed by a full choir with instrumental accompaniment, the program blends traditional carols with larger choral works designed to fill the sanctuary.
This is the kind of event that forces a mental gear shift—in a good way. If December has felt loud, rushed, or transactional, this is a chance to slow down and reset. Dress warm, show up on time, and let the space and sound do the work.
Neil Zaza’s One Silent Night 🎸
Saturday, December 20 | 7:30 PM | Goodyear Theater
Neil Zaza’s One Silent Night is a holiday concert that skips the novelty and leans hard into musicianship. Built around Zaza’s signature instrumental guitar style, the show reimagines Christmas classics with precision, emotion, and just enough rock influence to keep it interesting. No lyrics, no gimmicks—just clean arrangements and serious playing in an intimate theater setting.
This is a strong pick if you want something festive without being cheesy, or if you’re shopping for a “grown-up” holiday night out that still feels special. Expect polish, restraint, and a very attentive crowd.
📌 Everything Else Worth Knowing
Some bonus picks from us:
🎶 Music & Live Performances
Akron TubaChristmas
Saturday, December 20 | 12:00 PM & 2:30 PM | E.J. Thomas Hall
A joyful wall of low brass playing holiday favorites—surprisingly moving, occasionally hilarious, and extremely Akron in the best way.
More info →
Barbara Rosene’s BLU Christmas
Friday, December 19 | 8:00 PM | BLU Jazz+
Holiday jazz classics with a legit jazz vocalist—cozy, classy, and a perfect excuse to pretend you’re in a movie.
More info →
👨👩👧 Family-Friendly Fun
Free Movie: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Saturday, December 20 | 11:00 AM | House Three Thirty
Free holiday movie screening—easy win for parents, or anyone who wants to feel festive without spending money.
More info →
Sundaes with Santa 🎅🏻
Sunday, December 21 | 12:00–3:00 PM | Pav’s Creamery (Cuyahoga Falls)
Santa + ice cream = an unstoppable combo. Bring the kids, or bring your inner child and commit to the bit.
More info →
📸 #SeenInAkron
🎬🎥 Akron Weekend Movie Action
Nightlight Theatre
Note: For a full list of showings, follow one of the links below.
Hamnet
“The untold love story that inspired Shakespeare's greatest masterpiece. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal star in HAMNET, directed by Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao. Only in theaters this Thanksgiving.”Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
The Secret Agent
“Amid the raucous revelry of Carnival week, a widower named Marcelo (Wagner Moura) arrives in 1977 in Recife, Brazil, a city as vibrant as it is violent. A technology researcher who suddenly finds himself an unwitting target in the heart of the dictatorship's political maelstrom, Marcelo is a man on the run from mercenary killers, from ghosts of the past and from the ruthless, mischievously militant spirit of Brazil in 1977. In the midst of these mounting threats, Marcelo, with the help of a mysterious woman named Elza and her compatriots in the country's growing underground resistance, remains primarily focused on escaping Brazil with his young son. Master filmmaker Kleber Mendonca Filho teams up with renowned actor Wagner Moura - giving an extraordinary, career-defining performance - to craft a thrillingly unpredictable, playfully shape-shifting epic steeped in history even as it feels remarkably contemporary, paying affectionate tribute to the movies of Filho’s youth while unfolding against the backdrop of political turmoil and palpable danger.”Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Die Hard
“NYPD cop John McClane's plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her office’s Christmas Party, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.”
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Highland Theatre
Zootopia 2
“Brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde, team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers.” (IMDB)Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Weather
Today
36 🌡️ 20 | ❄ | 65% 🌧️
Saturday
44 🌡️ 25 | ☁ | 5% 🌧️
Sunday
30 🌡️ 16 | ⛅ | 12% 🌧️
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Talk to you next Friday!