City of Akron to host 8th Annual Blue Heron Homecoming Festival
City of Akron Press Release
From the desk of Kelli Stewart
Published: 06-09-2022
Akron, Ohio, June 10, 2022 – The City of Akron is delighted to host its 8th annual Blue Heron Homecoming on Friday, June 17, 2022 from 10 AM to 2 PM at Cascade Valley Metro Park, located at 837 Cuyahoga Street. This free, family-friendly event will be a day of education and fun for residents of all ages. The zero-waste event will be held at the Chuckery area and will take place rain or shine.
The Blue Heron Homecoming is an annual environmental festival that provides community members with a chance to learn about the Akron Waterways Renewed! (AWR!) program. The festival features representatives from the City of Akron, firms involved with the AWR! program, and community partners, including local non-profits and environmental groups. This year’s theme is “Restored: The Path Forward.”
Highlights of the event include the following:
- vouchers for free rain barrels, available to the first 200 Akron families to attend;
- free seedlings, available to the first 100 families to attend;
- bus tours of AWR project sites;
- free lunch provided by Lock 3;
- two dozen exhibits with fun activities; and
- live music for kids and adults
“We’ve worked incredibly hard to drastically overhaul our sewer infrastructure and it’s evident in the return of the Blue Heron and the eagles you see nesting near the Cuyahoga River,” Mayor Dan Horrigan said. “The Blue Heron Homecoming festival is always a great opportunity to celebrate the progress we’ve made in improving our waterways, and to educate future generations on how to continue forward with this path.”
The Blue Heron Homecoming festival started in 2015 and is named for the great blue herons that nest nearby. This four-foot-tall bird is native to Ohio, and was in serious decline due to the poor water quality of the Cuyahoga River. Since efforts have been made to improve water quality, the great blue heron has returned to the area, and is commonly seen along the Towpath Trail, Ohio & Erie Canal, Cuyahoga River, and Little Cuyahoga River. This year’s homecoming is a testament to the accomplishments Akron Waterways Renewed has achieved thus far.
Public parking locations will be clearly marked at: North High School, Buchtel CLC, and Firestone CLC. Shuttles will run in continuous loops to transport guests to and from the entrance at. Metro RTA is offering free rides to those who show the Blue Heron Homecoming flyer. There will be an additional shuttle to the nearest Metro bus stop.
For more information, please visit www.akronwaterwaysrenewed.com.
For further information, contact:
Kelli Stewart
Communications Specialist
Phone: 330-375-2949
E-mail: [email protected]
