Diversions
Be exhilarated, entertained, enlightened. Whether you’re a fan of the arts or seeking fun with your kids, we’ve got you. The list below will get you started. Check ArtsNow.org, downtownakron.com or visitcanton.com for more.
“Where words fail, music speaks.” —Hans Christian Andersen
The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center—Sit on the lawn, drink a little wine and hear one of the world’s truly great orchestras.
Akron, Canton and Alliance Symphony Orchestras—You don’t have to go far to hear inspiring music played by professionals. Visit a local park in summer to hear their free concerts—gifts to their home communities. Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival—Concerts on the Towpath Trail and an annual three-day festival honor Akron’s rich jazz and blues history.
Tuesday Musical Association— Founded in 1887, it brings some of the world’s best music to the community. All students can attend concerts for free, and its Decompression Chamber brings concerts to high-stress environments.
Broadway at EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall—Home to the Akron Symphony and Tuesday Musical, E.J. Thomas hosts a series of Broadway shows that shouldn’t be missed.
“Dancers are the athletes of God.”—Albert Einstein
The Ballet Theatre of Ohio—A classical ballet company that brings dance to all through educational outreach and performances.
Canton Ballet—A nonprofi t arts organization founded in 1965, Canton Ballet comprises Ohio’s largest preprofessional performing dance company and a classical ballet school.
Ballet Excel Ohio—The nonprofi t is one of the oldest youth ballets in the nation with dancers ages 8-18. Its educational outreach exposes thousands of students to dance each year.
The National Center for Choreography at The University of Akron—The NCC supports working dance artists as they engage in the creative process and advocate for the field.
“There is no ‘must’ in art because art is free.”—Wassily Kandinsky
The Akron Art Museum—Focused on art from 1850 onward, the museum is free on Thursdays. Visit the inspiring Bud and Susie Rogers Garden. It has many community outreach programs for adults and children.
The Canton Museum of Art—The museum’s permanent collection focuses on American works on paper from the 19th century onward and contemporary ceramics. Admission is free on Thursdays. Check out the Downtown@Dusk concerts all summer.
The Kent State University Museum—Home to extraordinary collections of historic dress, fashion, textiles, and decorative arts. The museum is affiliated with Kent State’s top-ranked fashion school.
Massillon Museum—Known as MassMu, this is where art and history intersect. Check out its mini-museum about Paul Brown, the famous football coach and Massillon native.
The Emily Davis Gallery—This University of Akron gallery brings in exhibitions of contemporary artists and showcases the works of university students and faculty at the Mary S. Myers School of Art.
The Downtown Akron ArtWalk—Travel by foot or trolley to discover two dozen destinations for art appreciation (and shopping!).
The Canton Arts District—This downtown area boasts 30 art galleries, studios and specialty shops plus a wide range of public artwork on display.
“What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out.”—Alfred Hitchcock
Ohio Shakespeare Festival—In the gardens of Stan Hywet Hall in summer or in graceful Greystone Hall in winter, this professional theater troupe brings the magic of Shakespeare and his fellow playwrights to vivid life.
Weathervane Playhouse—Celebrating its 89th season, this community theater is designed to enrich quality of life and engage the community through performance and education.
Rubber City Theatre—In residence at The University of Akron, its storytellers create intimate productions in an intentionally accessible, inclusive and safe space.
none too fragile theater—Some of the edgiest theater you’ll find in Northeast Ohio, its Akron-based productions are always compelling.
QuTheatr Ensemble—This theatre project employs and empowers LGBTQ+ youth and young adults in Greater Akron.
Millennial Theatre Project—In residence at the Akron Civic Theatre, MTP’s shows are performed and created by young adults, bridging the gap between youth and adult community theater.
Porthouse Theatre—The theatre, affiliated with Kent State University, presents outdoor musicals and dramas on the grounds of Blossom Music Center. Picnic before the show.
The Nightlight Cinema—On Akron’s High Street, patrons can sip a drink and watch fascinating, independent films with like-minded folk.
Gum-Dip Theatre—Plays for, with and about our Akron community. Named for a step in the tire-building process.
“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Akron Children’s Museum—With water tables, wind tunnels and monster makers, this downtown museum is the place for children to learn about the world while having a blast. The museum, at Lock 3 downtown, recently expanded. It now has a private party room, sensory room and redesigned makerspace, among other improvements.
Magical Theatre Company—Based in a renovated, gem-like theater in Barberton, it is the only professional resident and touring theater for children in Northeast Ohio.
F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm—The park has three hiking trails, gardens, a suspension bridge and two ponds. An indoor center with exhibits, live animals and presentations allows visits to touch, listen and learn.
The Akron Zoo—The zoo sits on 77 acres, half of which have been developed into spectacular exhibits and gardens designed to bring visitors close to 1,000 animals from around the world. Its Wild Asia exhibit has Sumatran tigers, red pandas and white-cheeked gibbons. Kids love the tube slide through the otter exhibit at Grizzly Ridge. And check out the spray pad at Pride of Africa. Its gardens have 7,000 native plants. The zoo is easily navigated in a few hours. For those with sensory processing needs such as autism, it off ers special tools and services. And the zoo recently received the Age-Friendly Seal of Approval from the Better Business Bureau, the first Ohio zoo to garner this recognition.
Wingfoot Lake State Park—Paddleboats, fi shing, miniature golf, a massive playground and a clear view of the Goodyear Blimp hangar—what more could a kid ask for? Well, how about a Storybook Trail that takes them on a hike them through an engaging tale by a children’s author. Open Studio—In the lobby of the Akron Art Museum, kids can develop their creative spirits. From sensory stations for babies to messy arts supplies school-age kids love, this artistic maker space is open weekdays. Serious artists are welcome too.
The William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum in Canton has all the things you’d expect of a presidential library, but it has kid-friendly surprises too. Its life-sized Street of Shops replicates a street from the late 19th century. Its Discover World is an interactive science center and Hoover-Price Planetarium has more than 60 projectors.
