This Fourth of July weekend is rather historic in Greater Akron.
And for more reasons than those forefathers passing the Declaration of Independence.
The city of Akron is celebrating its Bicentennial this weekend with a variety of events and related activities.
It also means fireworks − not only in Akron − are scheduled across northern Ohio with community displays.
Here are just a few things to do this holiday weekend in Greater Akron.
Heart of Akron Festival
The city’s Bicentennial festival will take place starting July 3 through 5 in Locks 3 and 4 along Main Street in downtown Akron.
The free festival will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily and feature live music, food and activities.
The city’s fireworks display will light up the sky at 9:45 p.m. on July 4.
Akron Bicentennial Parade
Akron plans to celebrate its bicentennial with a parade sponsored by Goodyear.
The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. on July 5 at the corner of Market and Main streets.
The parade will head east on Market Street then south on High Street, west on Buchtel Avenue and north on Main Street.
The parade will end at the roundabout at Main and Mill streets by the Rubber Worker statue.
RubberDucks games over 4th of July weekend
The Akron RubberDucks will host the Erie SeaWolves over the Fourth of July weekend.
There are fireworks planned for Friday and Saturday’s night games.
There will be a bobblehead giveaway for fans who arrive early for Saturday’s game as the team honors astronaut Judy Resnick as part of its Bicentennial Series of notable Akron residents.
Say goodbye to a friend at the Akron Zoo
This will be the last weekend for Akron Zoo visitors to see snow leopard Tai Lung before he is moved off exhibit on July 8.
The zoo is about to begin work on a project to expand its snow leopard outdoor habitat to include the adjacent space now occupied by white-naped cranes.
The cranes will return to their original habitat that they shared with the tufted deer.
Visitors may also catch a glimpse of the zoo’s newest addition a baby white-cheeked gibbon born June 27.
The baby along with mom, Parker, and dad, Milo, and big sister, Lolani, can be found in the zoo’s Wild Asia area.
And throughout the zoo there are 20 life-size animatronic dinosaurs, including some 15 different species, on display this summer.
The zoo’s temporary exhibit − DinoTrek − runs through Sept. 14 and is included with regular zoo admission.
The largest dinosaur on display is a 60-foot-long Apatosaurus, followed by the 43-foot-long Tyrannosaurus rex and then the 33-foot-long Acrocanthosaurus.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 4 things to do over 4th of July weekend in Akron from RubberDucks to Bicentennial parade
Reporting by Craig Webb, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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