A free concert lands at Barberton's Lake Anna Gazebo on Friday night, with The Ark Band bringing its blend of reggae, calypso and soca music to the lakeside stage for an all-ages crowd. Concertgoers can begin staking out lawn space with chairs starting at 6:30 a.m. that day, ahead of the evening performance. A food truck will also be parked on site for anyone looking to grab a bite before or during the show.
The show is part of the city's ongoing summer series, first announced in a post from City of Barberton on Facebook. The Ark Band will perform a mix of original songs alongside classic and current hits, drawing on the reggae, calypso and soca traditions the group has built its reputation on. Because the gazebo is an outdoor venue without built-in shelter for large crowds, organizers are advising attendees to call the rainout line after 3 p.m. Friday for the latest weather status, per the Facebook announcement.
A Columbus Reggae Act With Deep Roots
The Ark Band isn't a local pickup act — it was founded in 1987 in Columbus by brothers Terry Bobb on drums and vocals and Eustace Bobb on bass and vocals, according to WOSU Public Media. The Saint Lucia natives, known in reggae circles as the “St. Lucian Riddim Twins,” formed the band after leaving another Columbus reggae group called Irie/Identity, and they've toured North America and the Caribbean for more than three decades. Over that span, the band has performed across 48 U.S. states and shared festival stages with reggae heavyweights including Burning Spear, Inner Circle and Culture, according to the St. Lucia Star. The ensemble's sound blends original roots reggae with traditional calypso and soca aimed, in the band's own framing, at promoting unity.
Food Truck and Rainout Details
Wooster-based BAMtastic Eatz will supply the on-site food options, serving up comfort staples like smash burgers, all-beef hot dogs and fresh-cut fries, according to Visit Wayne County. The truck regularly rotates through parks, wineries and community events across Northeast Ohio, so Friday's stop is one of many on its seasonal circuit. If storms threaten the evening, Barberton's Parks and Recreation Department runs an automated rainout hotline that updates cancellation status after 3 p.m. on performance days, per the city's own guidance.
Lake Anna's Place in Barberton's History
The concert unfolds beside a 10-acre spring-fed lake that dates back to the last ice age, one that industrialist Ohio Columbus Barber named in 1891 after his daughter, Anna Laura Barber, according to Discover Barberton Today. Barber bought the surrounding land that year to build his Diamond Match Company plant and laid out the town of Barberton around the water. The 21-acre park today includes two walking loops — a 0.7-mile upper track and a 0.5-mile lower circular path — and sits open daily from dawn to dusk within the streets bounding Park Avenue, Lake Avenue, Third Street and Sixth Street.
The venue functions as Barberton's default gathering spot for major civic events throughout the year, including the Mum Festival, the Labor Day BBQ and Music Festival, the Cherry Blossom Festival and the holiday Christmas Walk, according to the City of Barberton. Friday's reggae show is part of the broader 2026 Lake Anna Summer Concert Series, which runs from late June through early September with free midday shows on Wednesdays and evening performances on Fridays, funded through community donations managed by the parks department, per Fred Martin Superstore.
A Milestone Year for the City
The timing carries extra weight this year, since Barberton is marking its 135th anniversary of incorporation. City Council passed Resolution No. 44-2026 in March, designating March 23 as Founders Day to commemorate the 1891 filing that earned the city its old nickname, “The Magic City,” for its rapid early industrial growth, as detailed in Hoodline's recent piece, Barberton turns 135 with a ballgame. Barberton, home to 25,191 residents across roughly 9 square miles per the 2020 U.S. Census, sits about eight miles from the University of Akron within Summit County's dense suburban footprint. With reggae rhythms set to echo across the water Friday night, the free show adds one more chapter to a park that has anchored the city's public life since O.C. Barber first plotted it more than a century ago.
