AKRON has a lot to offer, INCLUDING our Prairie Home 50th Celebration — May 26th.

Road Trip!!

Oh, beautiful Ohio, Prairie Home loves you so. Over our history, we’ve taken our show to Ohio fifteen times. So, of course, we need to swing back through the state for this celebration.

We have been celebrating 50 years of A Prairie Home Companion by bringing our whole troupe together and performing across the country. Since last July, we’ve visited Lancaster, PA, New York City, Nashville, Manhattan, KS, West Palm Beach, FL, Galveston and Austin, TX, Wilmington, NC, Greenville, SC, Bethesda, MD, and Burlington, VT. 

The shows have been jam-packed with music, sketches, sing-alongs, and an update from Lake Wobegon. And fans have had the chance to see MOM, GUY NOIR, KETCHUP, POEM, and THE COWBOYS one more time. We’re down to the final eight full-cast Prairie Home shows on the schedule.

On Memorial Day weekend, join us in Akron, Ohio, on Sunday, May 26. Garrison will bring these merry mischief-makers: Heather Masse, Christine DiGiallonardo, Sue Scott, Tim Russell, Fred Newman, Rich Dworsky, and our house band. 

Don't blink or you’ll miss the opportunity.

TICKETS

THINGS TO DO

PLACES TO STAY

FUN FACTS ABOUT AKRON
Akron, also known as “The Rubber Capital of the World,” has a rich history of innovation. It was here that the first rubber tire, the first synthetic polymer, and the first toy balloon were created. The city became an industrial powerhouse in the late 19th century due to its booming rubber industry. Companies like Goodyear, Firestone, and General Tire established their headquarters here, shaping the city’s economy.

The University of Akron’s athletic nickname, the Zips, refers to “zippers,” a rubber shoe that originated at Akron’s BF Goodrich Company. 
 
Akron’s mascot Zippy, however, is a kangaroo. Zippy is female, making her one of just eight female college athletic mascots in the U.S. 

Akron was the first city to use a police car; the “car” was actually an electric wagon. Built in 1899, the wagon maxed out at about 16 mph and needed to be recharged every 30 miles. (They had Toyota beat by roughly a century.) 

Akron native LeBron James was a high school football hero. He played wide receiver, was named to Ohio’s all-state team as a sophomore, and led his team to the state semifinals as a junior before quitting to focus on basketball his senior year. 

The University of Akron is also the only place in America — besides the U.S. Air Force Academy — where you can get a degree in Aerospace Systems. 

Akron is responsible for the first American spacesuit to orbit the earth. John Glenn wore a suit designed by B.F. Goodrich when he was launched into space on February 20, 1962. 

Akron native Linda Lorenz-Sengpiel is arguably the best yo-yoer ever. By age 13 the Duncan Yo-yo Company asked her to become their company spokesperson. 

Alcoholics Anonymous was first started in Akron in 1935 by Bill Wilson, a New York stockbroker, and Dr. Bob Smith, a local surgeon. By 1950, the group had 100,000 members. 

Akron-based food vendors Charles and Frank Menches have been credited with inventing the ice cream cone, the hamburger, and caramel corn, although the historical record is a bit fuzzy on the matters. 

Founded in 1884, American Marble & Toy Manufacturing Company was the United States’ first major toy manufacturer. 

Akron’s Canal Park, home of the minor league Akron Rubber Ducks, has one of the most artery-clogging ballpark menus in the country. The stadium is home to the “Three Dog Night,” a hot dog in a bratwurst in a kielbasa. This gourmet delight weighs in at about two pounds.

The Dum-Dum lollipop originated at the Akron Candy Company in 1924.

Akron’s Derby Downs has been home to the world Soap Box Derby championship since 1934. These Derby cars are powered entirely by gravity and are capable of reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. 

Akron’s German Mills American Oatmeal Company, later known as the Quaker Oats Company, popularized oatmeal, marketing it as a substitute for breakfast pork. Previously, oats had only been thought of as horse chow. 

According to an Akron city ordinance, “No person shall dye or otherwise color any rabbit or baby poultry, including, but not limited to, chicks and ducklings.” 

In Akron, as in all of Ohio, it’s illegal to get a fish drunk. 

It’s also illegal to lie during a political election, meaning everyone who has ever conducted a political campaign in the state must stop reading this right now and turn themselves in.