Nov. 20: Northern soul band Wesley Bright and the Hi-Lites pump up ’60s dance tunes.

This town’s favorite hangout for grilled cheese sandwiches and microbrews is turning up the class and music this weekend in celebration of its fourth year in business.

Everyone is welcome at The Lockview’s annual fall formal, Saturday, Nov. 19, as long as they’re dressed in their evening best. The event begins at 4 p.m., when doors open for dinner.

To mark the occasion, The Lockview will tap a Founders Brewing Co. specialty keg – the 10.2 ABV “Backwoods Bastard,” a bourbon barrel aged ale – likely the only keg of its kind in town. Also, a photographer will be on hand to capture the night’s opulence with free prom-style photographs.

Extending the anniversary party into Sunday, Nov. 20, The Lockview presents Wesley Bright and the Hi-Lites, a kinetic Northern soul band that covers the likes of Otis Redding and James Brown, but dishes out a few highly danceable originals, too.

The Lockview opens at 5 p.m. on Sunday, and the dinner options will include – what else? – soul food. The two-set show starts at 8:30 p.m., and it’s free for anyone who drops by, but it’s freeing for anyone who dances.

Revelers  may indulge any of The Lockview’s more than 160 microbrew beers, including some of our newest seasonal additions: Christmas ales from the Breckenridge, Thirsty Dog and Troegs breweries.

And when hunger replaces thirst, The Lockview has 13 gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, along with burgers, chicken sandwiches, a vegetarian pita, salads and more.

The Lockview opened its doors four years ago, on Nov. 19, 2007, in a renovated space formerly occupied by Mr. Bilbo’s and then The Lime Spider. Since then, the restaurant has gone from quiet to riot, as patrons fawn over the grilled cheese sandwiches and beer selection, the occasional live band, a relaxed atmosphere and seasonal rooftop patio.

Experience local art, live music and fun for all ages at the award-winning artwalk in Downtown Akron. Galleries are located in the Northside District, North High Street, East & West Market Street and Main Street.

Click here for the October Artwalk Map.

The City of Akron’s free trolley service runs the entire route, making shopping convenient and parking painless. Trolley service begins at 5 p.m. and runs through 10 p.m. with destinations opening their doors between 5 and 6 p.m. Many Artwalk patrons make a night out of their visit to Downtown by enjoying a dinner at a Downtown restaurants as they peruse the galleries.

Visit www.downtownakron.com/artwalk for more information!

11 a.m.-9 p.m.

John S. Knight Center, 77 E. Mill Street

Event Details:

* Open to the public

* Featuring more than 80-exhibitor booths

* Final race registration opportunity

* Packet pick-up

*Official race merchandise sales featuring licensed Brooks apparel

Click here for more information.

Explore 16 Downtown Akron events from October 2011-May 2012 for only $15!

Have you visited Downtown Akron recently? Whether you haven’t been Downtown in years, or you’re here often and are just looking for a good deal, make sure you get your Downtown Akron Passport. The Passport gives you admission to 16 different events from October 2011-May 2012 for only $15.

Events include exclusive tours, free admission to popular venues and events, train rides, ice skating, magic and more! You’ll even get a free admission button to First Night Akron 2012 ($10 value)!

The Discover Downtown Akron Passport has an actual value of over $180. Buy yours early and attend as many events as possible for only $15!

Click here for more information.

Click here to purchase your passport online.

Take the Restaurant Week survey and be entered into a drawing for gift cards from participating restaurants.

Your feedback is greatly appreciate.  For more information about Downtown Akron Partnership, visit www.downtownakron.com.

http://www.wkyc.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1156579880001&odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|featured

For more information on Restaurant Week, visit www.downtownakron.com/restaurantweek.

I am a senior at The University of Akron, I am majoring journalism and I am the Editor-in-Chief of our student newspaper, the Buchtelite.  I hope that my internship at DAP will give me the opportunity to integrate what I’ve learned in the classroom and the newsroom into a real world work environment.  I hope to also receive insight into how a non-profit organization operates and learn new skills to further my career as a writer, editor and designer.

I have lived in North-East Ohio my entire life, yet I’ve never really explored the area and discovered what it has to offer.  I think that interning at DAP is a great opportunity to investigate the sights, sounds and tastes of the local community.

There are many skills that I think DAP will allow me to improve on or learn.  I would like to learn to design and update the DAP website, because working with web-based content is something I do not yet have a lot of experience with.  I am also interested in print design, and I know that DAP creates a lot of fliers to get the word out about many of the events that they are in charge of, such as First Night, a family-friendly alcohol-free New Year’s Eve celebration held in Downtown Akron.  Although I do have a lot of experience working with print design, I haven’t had any opportunity to work with an organization outside of The University of Akron in that field.  In addition to these skills, I am excited to begin working on planning First Night with the rest of the DAP staff.  With so much experience handling such a large event, I’m sure DAP will have much to teach me in the area of event planning.

Finally, I hope to gain the knowledge to inspire the community to explore Downtown Akron, and as a DAP intern, I feel confident that it won’t be long for me to gain this understanding.

David Sickels
DAP Intern

The City of Akron joined with the University of Akron today in celebrating the opening of the new $10 million Mill Street Bridge, which re-connects Downtown Akron with the University campus, after being closed for two years.

“The opening of the bridge is important not just because of its convenience to students and businesses,” said Mayor Plusquellic, “but because it represents such a significant partnership with our federal and state governments – who with the city, helped to create construction jobs when we needed them the most.”

The opening of two lanes on the bridge today coincides with classes resuming at the University of Akron this week. One lane is open in each direction, and one sidewalk is open to pedestrian traffic.

Click here for more information.

10 a.m.-4 p.m.

John S. Knight Center, 77 E. Mill Street

Parents and Kids are invited to attend the Summit for Kids family expo at the John S. Knight Center on Saturday, August 20, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. By bringing your child, you’ll be giving him or her an entertaining and educational experience and helping to promote healthy development.

Plans for the day include fun activities, free back-to-school items and other giveaways, special guests and much more, all made possible by generous local organizations. Admission is free, and the list of attractions is still growing.

Click here for more information.