Summit Lake Neighborhood Farmers' Market

Summit Lake Neighborhood Farmers' Market is tied to Let’s Grow Akron’s work to improve food security and resilience while teaching people to grow and prepare food, giving the weekly market a clear neighborhood purpose beyond a standard produce stop. In Akron’s Summit Lake neighborhood, the market sets up by the lake behind the Summit Lake Community Center, placing it directly in a local gathering area rather than a distant retail strip. That mission-and-place combination makes this a focused seasonal Tuesday market with practical access to fresh food and related programming.

Why it matters locally

Let’s Grow Akron has been part of Akron since Elaine Evans established the organization in 1988, and Lisa Nunn later carried the work forward after Evans’s retirement and passing, giving the market a direct link to a long-running local nonprofit effort. The organization’s stated mission is to overcome blight and alleviate hunger by teaching people to grow, prepare, and use food, which grounds the market in neighborhood food access rather than occasional pop-up activity.

The market’s location in the Summit Lake neighborhood, by the lake behind the Summit Lake Community Center, keeps that work visible in the area it serves. Let’s Grow Akron also connects the market to other hands-on food education, including seasonal cooking workshops offered with Akron Public Library and local chefs.

What you'll find there

This market page emphasizes the setting and the surrounding activities more than named vendor rosters, so the clearest draws are the weekly lakeside market itself and the food-education programs tied to Let’s Grow Akron’s work. Expect a compact neighborhood market connected to the organization’s broader growing, cooking, and community programming.

• -Catch the Summit Lake Neighborhood Farmers Market on Tuesdays from June 9 through September 29.
• -Join free Seasonal Cooking Workshops offered by Let’s Grow Akron, Akron Public Library, and local chefs on the second Thursday of each month.
• -Look for free canoe rides on the lake provided by the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition.

Seasonal cooking workshops add an extra layer beyond shopping, with free classes scheduled monthly through Let’s Grow Akron’s partners.

Know before you go

No dogs are allowed, a rule that may shape plans before you head to the lakefront site. The market runs on Tuesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. during its June 9 to September 29 season, and it is located by the lake behind the Summit Lake Community Center at 380 W. Crosier St. in Akron.

If weather turns, the market moves inside the Summit Lake Community Center instead of canceling outright, which is useful for anyone planning around rain. Restrooms are not available, so it helps to plan your stop accordingly. The site is also tied to occasional free canoe rides on the lake through the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, which can make a market trip feel more like a full neighborhood outing.

Payments & SNAP

Cash, credit, debit, and EBT are accepted at the market, giving shoppers several ways to pay. Senior, TANF, and WIC coupons are accepted as well, which broadens access for households using nutrition benefits. SNAP/EBT acceptance is clearly part of the market’s regular setup rather than a one-off promotion.