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Akron ohio gay

Akron, Ohio Gay City Guide

Many think of Akron as the “Rubber Capital of the World” – and indeed, it is a bustling center of manufacturing and opportunity. Beyond that, however, Akron is also home to a thriving music scene, a historic arts district, plenty of festivals, beautiful scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities a diverse, multicultural population, and a growing and thriving LGBTQ community that is welcoming to all.

A See at Akron’s History

The municipality of Akron was initially planned in 1825, and by 1841, it was named as the county seat of Summit County, Ohio. Many of Akron’s earliest residents were Irish migrants who were hired to help build the nearby Ohio and Erie canal. After the canal was completed, the town and its businesses continued to grow, being further encouraged by the arrival of railroads in the area during the second half of the 1800s. Many manufacturers had established headquarters and plants in Akron by the change of the century, most famously The B.F. Goodrich Company and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Business. Akron remained an essential hub of manufacturing throughout most of the 20th century, earning it the nicknam

Gay Akron

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In the northeastern corner of Ohio, Akron is a well-planned city spreading out over several hills. Although it’s just 40 miles south of Cleveland, Akron has its control vibrant gay scene centered around Highland Square. Many who live in the suburban neighborhoods between the two cities opt to party here rather than driving to the larger city to the north. Students from the University of Akron and Kent State, and workers from the Goodyear plant rub elbows in the friendly bars and clubs, mingling easily in this well-planned city. A visitor will find not many places anywhere in America with a friendlier welcome.

 

Getting here

You can fly into Akron-Canton Airport, but nearby Cleveland Hopkins International Airport often has more convenient connections.

 

Getting around

The best way to get around Akron and the surrounding area is by car. For general transportation see Akron Metro

 

Neighborhoods

Highland Square. Akron’s homosexual community seems to center around Highland Square, but same-sex attracted bars are scattered in all guide. Almost all the businesses in the area are very gay-friendly.



Gay Community Endowment Fund Grants

In 2025, the Gay Community Endowment Fund awarded 17 grants totaling $80,500 to the tracking nonprofit organizations:

A $7,500 impact grant will support an all-day conference that empowers and educates middle and high college LGBTQ+ students and allies.

  • Akron AIDS Collaborative, to support The Trans Leadership Program, a yearlong workshop for transgender little adults to advance their leadership and communication skills, $2,000
  • Akron Children's, to sustain patients and their families through free patient kits, parent support groups, and other services, $3,000
  • Akron Civic Theatre, to support the Millennial Theatre Project, which engages underrepresented fresh adults in theater productions, including those in the Queer community, $1,000
  • Akron Marathon, to expand outreach to LGBTQ+ individuals, $1,000
  • The Buckeye Flame, to publish three stories about inspiring LGBTQ+ individuals in Summit County, $3,000
  • CANAPI, to support the 2025 Akron Celebration Festival, $3,000
  • CANAPI, to provide short-term rental, utility and transportation assistance to Gay young adults experiencing housing instability, $10,000
  • Clapp for Art, to

    Akron's missing street holds the history of city's LGBTQ+ past

    If you’re familiar with Downtown Akron, you may know about the story of the innerbelt highway and its troubled history of bisecting a largely African American neighborhood.

    But another nearby neighborhood was also affected by the same forces — South Howard Street, which was Akron’s LGBTQ+ enclave prior to urban renewal.

    Julius Greenfield

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    Akron Beacon Journal

    “Howard Street cut through basically the middle of this building," said Tony Pankuch, of the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology at the University of Akron. Pankuch teaches an Queer history class there, called Out of the Archives.

    The building in question is the current FirstEnergy building just off Main Road in Downtown Akron, but 50 years ago, it was an entirely different place.

    “So this used to be a bustling street," said Pankuch. "It had restaurants, cafes, stores, bars, and South Howard Street was a hub of LGBTQ+ culture in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.”

    The [un]class uncovers history

    Pankuch co-teaches the Homosexual archives class with Professor Hillary Nunn, an English professor at the University of Akron.