In at least one way, Akron is the center of it all.

The Erie-Ohio Canal, which ran northward to Cleveland and southward to Portsmouth on the Ohio River, measured itself from Akron – Locks 1 and up north through the finish in the Flats area of Cleveland and Locks 1 and up heading south.

Section of restored Erie-Ohio canal.

Lock3Live, a Knight Arts grantee, plans to celebrate another central fact about the city and county. Summit County is the first of four counties in the Erie & Ohio Canalway National Heritage Area to complete the restoration and renovation of the towpath that bordered the canal. Forty-one miles of continuous lane along the former canal and Cuyahoga River are done.

Nowadays I read some 2.5 million people per year are on the towpath – runners and walkers, bikers and hikers, along with cross-country skiers in winter. Count me in that total for about 300 times a year.

Section of hiking/biking/running towpath trail.

That’s reason enough to have a party.

Yet Akron sits as the center of the historical heritage corridor that the old canalway represents, when it helped to transport goods and supplies to the mostly rural area and its residents throughout the 19th century. Downtown Akron was its heartbeat.

Heritage seems to be the key for the beginning of a year-long party starting on Saturday, July 7, when another bit of American legacy – Arlo Guthrie (son of Woody Guthrie, who is recognized as one of the most beloved singers/writers/homespun philosophers  of America’s past) – will come to town with his family to put on a concert in Lock 3 called “The Guthrie Family Reunion Celebrating Woody’s 100th.”

Guthrie Family Reunion Band in concert.

The kick-off celebration will be an evening-long event, beginning with the recognition of the Summit Towpath 2012 partners and officials.

In another tradition, and a fun one at that, there will be a ceremonial toast to mark the occasion, much as they might have done in the 1880s.

Prior to the Guthrie Family Reunion Band, the opening act will be a fairly newly-formed, but highly recognized and popular musical group, Hey Mavis.

Hey Mavis members Ed and Laurie Michelle Caner.

Hey Mavis got its start when co-founders and husband-wife team Laurie Michelle and Ed Caner were in the artists-in-residence program at the Cuyahoga Valley National Partk. Ed Caner, who is by day a full-time physics lecturer at Case Western Reserve University, plays fiddle for the group and Laurie Caner plays banjo, sings and is the songwriter of the group.

The Guthrie clan seems to enjoy taking leave from their otherwise hectic lives and getting together in summers to be together, and as importantly, to sing and perform together. Joining Arlo will be family members Gabe, Kathy, Annie and Sarah Lee Guthrie (and husband of Sarah Johnny Irion).

The Guthrie Family Reunion Celebrating Woody’s 100th, Lock 3, 200 S. Main St., Akron at 9 p.m. Beginning towpath completion ceremony at 6 p.m. and Hey Mavis band at 7 p.m. www.lock3live.com. Admission $10.