Legend Has It…
Legend has it that it was two brothers from Akron,
Ohio who created the hamburger back in 1885. On the
final day of the New York State Fair in Hamburg, NY,
Akron natives Frank and Charles Menches ran out of
pork for the sandwiches they were vending from their
concession booth. Thankfully, the pair found some
ground beef, as well as a myriad of other ingredients,
to create one of America’s most iconic foods – the
hamburger.
More than 125 years later, the city of Akron salutes this all-American sandwich during the National Hamburger Festival. Each year, 20,000+ people converge onto the Northeast Ohio community for a summer weekend of family fun featuring over 20 area eateries serving-up 50 different styles of hamburgers.
For more than a decade, The National Hamburger Festival has been made possible by the City of Akron’s leadership, as well as the residents of Ohio.
The Founder
The festival is the brainchild of Drew Cerza
President/CEO of Just Wing It Productions located in
New York. As founder of the
National Buffalo Wing Festival
and the Road to Buffalo Tour, Cerza has a history of
managing successful events across the country.
Charity Partner
The National Hamburger Fest is held at Lock 3 Park in
downtown Akron. Each year, the festival raises money
for one of Akron’s favorite charities,
Akron Children’s Hospital.
Media Coverage
TV, radio and print media are big fans of the festival
as they feature stories about the festival throughout
the week and the weekend. The National Hamburger
Festival has been featured on the Food Network’s hit
show “Unwrapped” and in PARADE Magazine’s “Eat Your
Way Across America” as one of the top 50 festivals in
the country.