The Akron Art Museum will celebrate the opening of the Bud and Susie Rogers Garden with a free community celebration on Saturday, July 16, the museum announced.

The event, from 2 to 9 p.m., will feature programs for kids and families, and a series of performances. The day also will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a private, ticketed event.

The 1-acre space adjacent to the museum was made possible by a lead gift from Rick and Alita Rogers, and is named in honor of Rick Rogers’ parents, Bruce “Bud” Rogers and Suzanne “Susie” Rogers, longtime community volunteers and museum supporters.

“We are pleased to honor the Rogers family for their generous lead gift and for their history of giving back to the community,” said Akron Art Museum executive director and CEO Mark Masuoka in a prepared statement. “The Bud and Susie Rogers Garden will transform the quality of life in downtown Akron and allow the museum to create endless opportunities for meaningful art experiences for everyone who visits.”

Afternoon programs at the free celebration include a garden-themed interactive area, hands-on activities and tours by Akron Garden Club members and museum docents. At 2 p.m., Verb Ballets will perform the children’s program “Shape Imagination.” Starting at 6 p.m., the garden will host a series of acts, including the Del Rios, Shivering Timbers and Wesley Bright.

Construction on the $5 million garden, designed by Philadelphia landscape architecture firm Olin Partners, began in 2015. At the time, the museum said the space would be "a new civic commons in the heart of downtown.” The space will host a wide range of activities, from permanent and temporary art installations, to arts events, according to the museum.