Akron’s signature pizza celebration is growing up. The Akron Pizza Fest has expanded into a full three-day event for 2026, running Thursday, Aug. 27, through Saturday, Aug. 29, at Lock 3 in downtown Akron, with pizza judging, live music, and a lineup of vendors spread across the park’s newly redeveloped grounds.
The festival’s move to a three-day format was reported by Cleveland.com, which detailed the schedule, performers, and participating pizzerias for this year’s event. Now in its seventh year, the festival is produced by event management group Great American Outdoor Events, according to the Akron Pizza Fest’s official website. Admission is free Thursday and Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., with a Friday lunch session running 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., while Saturday evening from 5 to 10 p.m. requires a ticket, per the Cleveland.com report.
A Bigger Stage, Literally
The festival’s new home base is a Lock 3 that barely resembles its former self. The park at 200 S. Main St. reopened in November 2024 following a $17 million redevelopment funded primarily by the City of Akron and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as reported by Signal Akron. The project transformed the 3.2-acre space from a seasonal event venue into a year-round park complete with landscaped gardens and skating areas.
Among the additions is the new Maynard Performance Pavilion, which includes a 550-seat reserved section directly in front of the stage and room for up to 2,500 attendees on the adjacent Knight Lawn, according to the City of Akron. The stage was named for Akron civic leader Phil Maynard. That larger performance footprint will host this year’s music lineup, including a Journey tribute act called Escape on Friday and Nashville-based country-pop trio Dek of Hearts, who appeared on NBC’s The Voice, Season 28, performing Saturday at 6 p.m., per Cleveland.com’s schedule details…