AKRON — The City of Akron will host the 11th annual Blue Heron Homecoming Festival Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Water Reclamation Facility, 2460 Akron-Peninsula Road. This free, family-friendly event will be a day of education and fun for residents of all ages. The zero-waste event 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 nonprofits and environmental groups. This year’s theme is “Wings of Renewal.”
Highlights of the event include:
• inaugural Flight of the Heron 5K and Fun Run;
• beer garden hosted by Missing Falls Brewery;
• raffle to win a rain barrel;
• tours of Akron’s Water Reclamation Facility;
• free lunch provided by The Ice Bucket;
• two dozen exhibits with fun activities; and
• live music for children and adults.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard to make drastic improvements to the Water Reclamation Facility and 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 Shammas Malik 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 our residents on the basics of clean water.”
The Blue Heron Homecoming festival is named for the great blue herons that nest nearby. This 4-foot-tall bird is native to Ohio and was in serious decline due to the poor water quality of the Cuyahoga River, according to city officials. 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.
There is no public parking at the Water Reclamation Facility, so parking locations will be marked at Cuyahoga Valley Adventures, 1570 Akron-Peninsula Road, and Botzum Trailhead, 2928 Riverview Road. Shuttles will run in continuous loops to transport guests to and from the entrance back to both parking locations.
For more information, visit www.akronwaterwaysrenewed.com.