About Acker Night
Sponsored by the J.S. Acker Music Park AssociationAcker Night is Friday • December 7, 2012
The History of “Acker Night”
Mr. Acker first moved to Prescott, Arizona in the early 1900's, originally ran a general store that provided among other things, school and music supplies to children. After a short absence Acker returned to Prescott in the 1930's and operated a real estate company. During that time, he began accumulating parcels of property around the community. When Mr. Acker died in 1955, he left a number of those parcels of land to the City of Prescott, to be used for parks and music programs for children.
In 1988 Prescott resident LaVon Anderson (pictured here), who was a strong advocate of children's music program herself, had a dream to mesh music and Prescott's historic downtown together in a memorable event.
Music and the Christmas holidays was a natural pairing and she used that marriage to spearhead the J.S. Acker Musical Showcase in December 1988. The J.S. Acker Musical Showcase was quick to take off. The December event now features over 100 Prescott downtown businesses with over 100 musicians and performers.
This musical night and Acker on the Plaza are the primary fundraising activities for performing arts scholarships for local youth.
To increase funding for local youth performing arts programs a summer "Acker on the Plaza" has been added to the Acker Musical Showcase.
Donation and volunteering information here.