The first wave of performances at Lock 3 in downtown Akron have been announced, giving residents a glimpse of the wide variety of events coming to the heart of Summit County’s largest city.
The city of Akron, along with the Akron Civic Theatre, unveiled six national touring acts performing downtown between June and September. Tickets are available for purchase this week via LiveAkron.com, AkronCivic.com and the LiveAkron venue box offices, which includes the Akron Civic Theatre, Goodyear Theatre and EJ Thomas Hall.
Who is performing at Lock 3 in Akron this summer?
Here’s the look at the initial lineup, as well as when tickets go on sale:
Lock 3 2026 summer programming lineup two years in the making
Howard Parr, executive director of the Akron Civic Theatre, said planning the national concert lineup has been underway for nearly two years.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the city of Akron,” Parr said in a statement.
City officials said Parr shaped the 2026 lineup using feedback from audience surveys conducted in 2025 as well as new relationships built with touring artists.
More programming is still being finalized for the summer season at Lock 3 Park, officials announced. In addition to national concerts, organizers plan to feature local musicians, community festivals, outdoor movies and other regional acts.
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said the early announcement is meant to tease what is expected to be a fun summer at Lock 3.
“This is just a taste of what’s coming,” Malik said in a statement. “We’re building a summer lineup that brings national energy to Akron while keeping the community traditions people love.”
Chris Griffith, the city’s downtown operations manager, said announcing the first round of concerts now helps both ticket sales and community momentum.
“Our goal is to bring 250,000 people to Lock 3 in 2026,” Griffith said in a statement. “Live music at Lock 3 uplifts our community and is a big part of the heartbeat of downtown Akron.”
When will the rest of Lock 3’s summer concert line up be announced?
The complete lineup for this summer’s Lock 3 event season will be announced April 15, officials said.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Who’s performing at Lock 3 this summer? First wave of Akron concerts announced
Reporting by Anthony Thompson, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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