Everyday Akron Stories

Free & Under $10 Things to Do in Summer in Akron, Ohio

Melanie Mohler

By Melanie Mohler, Everyday Akron team member

While Akron is often known for its “all-sour-seasons-in-one-day” weather, the city can have some pretty great warmer weather in the summer. We’ve compiled a list of free and cheap ($10 or less) things to do in the Akron area in the summer.

Outdoor Activities

There’s plenty to do outside and stay active in the summer in Akron. Here are just a few ideas.

Get active

Downtown Akron Partnership’s Summer on the Plaza event series offers a few ways to get active, including skate nights and wellness workshops.

For biking, Akron Bike Party hosts a free bike ride on the third Friday of the month and Yeti Squad rides most Sundays at 10am from Dirty River Cycle Works.

Cool off at the pool or splash pad

The city of Akron’s Perkins Woods Pool and two splash pad areas are free and open to the public. Just note that you’ll need to register for a free membership to use the pool.

See an outdoor movie

There are several opportunities to catch a free outdoor movie this summer. Bring a blanket, chair, and your favorite snacks to enjoy one of The Nightlight’s several free outdoor movies at Lock 3. 

Free Akron Outdoor Movies also typically offers at least one free movie per summer. Check out their Facebook page for upcoming events around Akron.

Attend live music and dance performances

You’ll find plenty of live music and dance performances around Akron throughout the warmer months, too. Between the Akron Art Museum’s Downtown@Dusk concert series, Lock 3 concerts, Akron’s city park summer concert series, Summit Metro Parks’ Music by the Lake, and the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival, there’s a free live performance to attend nearly every evening.

Walk around a festival or other outdoor event

The Akron area has plenty of festivals, markets, and other outdoor events in the summer. Most of these events are free to attend and walk around, although you may be tempted to buy a snack or other treat from a vendor! 

Here are just a few annual summer festivals and events.

July: 

August: 

Recurring: 

Indoor Activities

Maybe it’s too hot and muggy to be outside, so you’d like to cool off inside. Consider these indoor activities and events to enjoy during the summer.

Play arcade games

Several businesses around town have arcade and pinball games that you can play, including Quarter Up and Eighty-Three Brewery. Don’t forget your quarters!

Check out your neighborhood’s community center

Akron has 12 community centers which offer a variety of classes, meetings, activities, and other opportunities to meet new people and learn something new. Look through the list of programs to find something that interests you!

Visit a museum or art exhibit

Akron’s got a number of museums and art exhibits you can spend an afternoon exploring. Free options include Akron Soul Train, Summit Artspace, Emily Davis Gallery, and Dr. Bob’s Home. Museums with entry fees include the National Museum of Psychology ($10 for adults) and Hower House Museum ($10 for adults). 

You can also visit Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, the Akron Art Museum, Akron Children’s Museum, and the Akron Zoo for free by borrowing passes from the Akron-Summit County Library.

See an indoor movie

The Main Library offers Movies@Main nearly every Thursday for free. Other cheap movie options include The Nightlight ($10 ticket + $1 fee), the Linda Theater ($5 tickets), and the Highland Theater ($5 tickets). 

Explore a nature center

There are still ways to enjoy nature without going outside. The Nature Realm Visitors Center and Liberty Park Nature Center offer educational exhibits and live animals to learn more about nature while keeping cool inside.

Explore Akron on a Budget this Summer

What Akron summer activities did we miss? Tell us on social media! Include #ExploreMore2024AK in your captions across platforms and tag @everydayakron in your posts. We’re excited to see the fun you have! 

Looking for free and under $10 things to do in the winter? Get some ideas from this blog post.