Mayor Don Plusquellic will lead a team of city officials and community presenters in accepting the award and making remarks during the intermission between music acts at Lock 3. Akron is one of 10 cities nationwide to have received "All America City" distinction from the National Civic League. About 100 cities nationwide applied for the honor in 2008. Akron was one of 16 finalists that were required to make formal presentations to a panel of judges in Tampa, Florida at the NCL national meeting in June.

As part of the ceremony, a 40-foot banner will be unfurled from the Lock 3 parking deck proclaiming Akron’s award.

Akron completed an extensive application providing detailed descriptions of the challenges faced by the City, and the impacts of three community projects that have addressed those challenges:

• The innovative joint venture by the Akron Public Schools, the City of Akron, and the Urban League;
• The conversion of Akron’s Industrial Incubator – celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2008 and last month, the recipient of the National Incubation Innovation Award – into the Akron Global Business Accelerator; and,
• Perkins Middle School’s "Activities Central," supported by the Knight Foundation, and other after-school programming including those funded by the City.

According to the National Civic League, "the All-America City Awards recognizes communities for collaboration, inclusiveness, and successful innovation. All-America Cities demonstrate community-wide civic accomplishments, cross-sector cooperation, grassroots participation, and creative approaches to issues such as the need for low-income housing, support for at-risk youth, downtown revitalization, and healthcare for the uninsured."