Downtown Dayton Partnership

Bestie Ballads Skate
2026-02-13 18:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of MetroParks Ice Rink Theme Nights series
Bestie Ballads Skate
6:00pm – 10:00pm
AGE: All ages | $10.00 | Financial Assistance

Roses are red, violets are blue, grab your bestie… this skate’s for you! Get ready for a night of love and laughter as you glide along to all the hits that scream “best friends forever!” during this Galentine’s Day skate. Weather Dependent.
Skaters are welcome to relax in one of several warming areas, including a heated comfort tent containing games and seating. The RiverScape Cafe will also be open, offering a variety of food and drinks (including our delicious hot cocoa!) for purchase. For those 21 and over, a variety of alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase as part of the Downtown Dayton DORA. Admission is $7, Skate Rental is $3, and there are a limited number of skate helpers available for free. Visitors receive a 75% discount – $1.75 admission and $0.75 skate rental – on admission and skate rental by presenting either a SNAP/EBT or Access to Nature card at the Rental Office. This discount is made possible by Five Rivers MetroParks’ Access to Nature financial assistance program, supported by the Five Rivers MetroParks Foundation.

In Small Measure
2026-02-13 17:30 - 19:00 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Enter a world of small works and big discoveries. Join the Live Sale Event for $35 or come early to the $135-per-duo Preview Party for first access to a wall-to-wall installation of original 4×6 works created by artists from Dayton and across the country—each available for a flat $100. No labels. No clues. No hierarchy. Just pure instinct, excitement, and the surprise of finding out who you chose after you buy. A fundraiser disguised as a thrill ride—In Small Measure invites you to trust your eye, follow the spark, and support The Contemporary Dayton in the process.

Jimpa
2026-02-13 17:00, 2026-02-13 14:30, 2026-02-13 12:00 | THE NEON, United States
Overview
“As she works on a film about her family, a filmmaker (Olivia Colman) is forced to reckon when her teenager (Aud Mason-Hyde) declares they want to move abroad to live with their gay granfather “Jimpa” (John Lithgow).”
THE WRAP writes, “Incisive and compassionate… earns every emotion and then some, breaking the heart open with such breathtaking truthfulness that you get bowled over just before you land softly in its final frames.”
We’re delighted to bring this new, lovely film from filmmaker Sophie Hyde (director of GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE) – opening Feb. 13.
Director
Sophie Hyde
Producer
Sophie Hyde, Marleen Slot, Liam Heyen, Bryan Mason
Cast
Olivia Colman, John Lithgow, Aud Mason-Hyde

Galentine’s Special
2026-02-13 16:00 - 22:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Galentine’s Special
4:00pm – 10:00pm
AGE: All ages | $5.00 | Financial Assistance
Rock out to a little girl power while you skate with your bestie at the MetroParks Ice Rink! When you purchase the Galentine’s Day Special, you’ll receive 50% off admission and skate rental. The RiverScape Cafe will be open and skaters can also relax in our heated comfort tent. Skate admission is normally priced at $7 and skate rental is $3. Thanks to our Access to Nature Program, residents who receive SNAP/EBT can simply show their card to the rental attendant to receive 75% off admission and skate rental. Weather Dependent.

The Dayton Funk Legacy
2026-02-13 16:00 - 18:00 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
The Dayton Funk Legacy, Friday, February 13, 4-6 pm, Main Library, Eichelberger Forum: Presented by Muse Machine, this interactive performance explores the history of Dayton’s funk music through storytelling, live music, and audience participation. Adults

A Private Life
2026-02-13 14:20 | THE NEON, United States
Overview
Following the death of Paula, one of her long-time patients, psychiatrist Lilian Steiner becomes convinced that her supposed death by suicide is actually an unsolved murder.
Director
Rebecca Zlotowski
Producer
Frédéric Jouve
Cast
Jodie Foster, Daniel Auteuil, Virginie Efira

Living Legacy: The Permanent Collection of The Dayton Society of Artists
2026-02-13 12:00 - 17:00 | Dayton Society of Artists, 48 High Street, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Founded in 1938, the Dayton Society of Artists (DSA) has been a vital part of the Miami Valley’s cultural landscape for more than eight decades, dedicated to connecting, supporting, and educating artists and the community. The DSA Permanent Collection reflects this enduring legacy, preserving works by past and present members whose practices span generations, media, and artistic approaches. Featuring artists such as Edward Burroughs, Rosalie Lowery, Jane Reese, Gerald Jerry Page, Siegfried Weng, and Robert Koepnick, this exhibition offers a glimpse into the creative voices that have shaped the organization over time. Together, these works function not only as individual expressions, but as a living record of the Dayton Society of Artists’ ongoing commitment to artistic excellence, experimentation, and community engagement.

Tai Chi & Qigong
2026-02-13 12:00 - 13:00 | 2nd Street Market, 600 E. Second St., Dayton, OH, 45402, USA
Offered by Immortal Tree Qigong. Each hour-long Tai Chi & Qigong session will start with breathing exercises, warm up, and gentle stretching. You will then be guided through flowing movements mixed with short standing meditation. We will end with a slightly longer guided standing (or sitting) meditation. This should leave a few minutes to answer questions or discuss any insights. Qigong doesn’t require any special skills (other than breathing) or equipment (other than your body). Find “Immortal Tree Qigong” on Facebook or Instagram for more information.

Exhibition: In Small Measure
2026-02-13 11:00 - 18:00 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to announce In Small Measure, its new fundraising exhibition and sale taking place February 13–14, 2026.
This creative initiative invites artists from across the region and beyond to donate original, postcard-sized artworks—each measuring 4 x 6 inches—to support The Contemporary Dayton’s mission to advance equity, diversity, and access through the presentation of contemporary art and ideas.
Each artwork will be sold anonymously for $100, directly supporting The Contemporary Dayton’s exhibitions and programs.

Gretchen Durst Jacobs: What the Body Carries
2026-02-13, 2026-02-12 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Gretchen Durst Jacobs: What the Body Carries
February 4 – 28, 2026
Opening Reception: February 4, 6 – 8 pm
Closing Reception: February 28, 4 – 6 pm

Gretchen Durst Jacobs: What the Body Carries features new work from the Dayton-based artist. These encaustic monotypes, which merge painting with printmaking, emanate from the body, using gesture, scale, and repetition to explore how experience is physically and emotionally carried. Her abstract compositions balance intuition and structure, with grids often acting as quiet frameworks that hold movement, memory, and sensation in tension. Each encaustic monotype, created through a process that uses hot wax and pigment transferred onto a surface, is unique, and invites viewers to contemplate how feeling takes shape through mark, color, and rhythm.
Artist Statement
My paintings and prints begin with the body. Rooted in somatic experience and attentive to the inner life, the work explores how feeling is carried, processed, and transformed through physical gesture. I often work at a scale that matches my full reach—fingertip to fingertip—so each mark records movement, presence, and intuition. At times a grid enters the work as a quiet stabilizing force, allowing chaos, memory, and motion to coexist within a shared structure.
Although abstract, the work is grounded in more than twenty-five years of painting from direct observation. What has long drawn me to the landscape is how closely it mirrors human experience—its resilience and adaptation, its tenderness, and its moments of tension. Through color, gesture, and layered marks, I move through lived experience as a continuum, allowing feeling to take shape. Each work is an attempt to reconcile emotion with form, to honor what we carry, and to give shape to what cannot always be spoken.
All artworks in this exhibition are available for purchase. Please visit the reception desk or speak to a Staff member to purchase. Proceeds support both the artist and The Contemporary Dayton’s mission to connect artists and audiences through accessible, engaging contemporary art experiences.

About the Artist

Gretchen Durst Jacobs creates abstract paintings and prints, often utilizing a grid and bold, gestural marks to explore our relationship with the self and the natural world. She received her MFA from the University of Cincinnati in 2008 and her BFA from Wright State University in 2000. She attended the New York Studio School for Drawing and Painting Marathons and Summer Sessions in 2000 and 2003. In 2024, she received the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District Individual Artist Grant.
Her work has been exhibited extensively throughout the United States and Internationally. Regional exhibitions include the Dayton Museum of Art; Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH; Dana L. Wiley Gallery, Dayton, OH; University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH; the Morgan Conservatory, Cleveland, OH; and Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH. Her international exhibitions include the Lambton Heritage Museum, Ontario, Canada; Alten Feuerwache Loschwitz and Grafikwerkstatt, Dresden, Germany; and the Dayton/Kyoto Print Exchange, Kyoto, Japan. She has permanent public art installations on view at the Dayton Metro Library and the Kettering Government Center.
She is represented by the Dana L. Wiley Gallery. Durst Jacobs works full time in her studio in Dayton, Ohio, and also maintains a studio in Ontario, Canada. Since 2017, she has served as the President of the Dayton Printmakers Cooperative.

Temporary Exhibit: Ordinary Lives
2026-02-13 | The International Peace Museum, 10 N. Ludlow St., Dayton, OH, 45402
“Ordinary Lives imagines Palestinian existence as an unbroken continuum—a lineage of care, memory, and everyday beauty that stretches from ancient ritual to the present moment. Across the gallery, Mona Gazala’s photographic works and George Harb’s intimate family archive come together to affirm that Palestinian life is shaped not solely by survival, but by an enduring inheritance of joy, dignity, and deep interior worlds.

In Gazala’s images, ancestral echoes surface through gestures and objects that bridge archaeology and lived experience. Portraits that invoke ancient forms of veneration and photographs that draw on the quiet symbolism of archaeological fragments work in concert to honor the overlooked, the ordinary, and the deeply rooted. Whether reimagining the visual language of early ancestral practices or elevating humble shards as vessels of story, these works collectively underscore a truth that stretches across millennia: what persists is reverence—reverence for family, land, and the accumulated layers of Palestinian life.

These themes resonate through the collage of George Harb’s archival videos and photographs spanning the diaspora, Ramallah, Jerusalem, and greater Palestine. His extensive family documentation—childhood scenes, celebrations, rites of passage, and landscapes of home—reveals generations living with tenderness, intuition, and grounded connection. It offers a glimpse of Palestinian joy and interiority, sustained independently of external forces and carried forward despite trauma.

Together, Gazala’s contemporary works and Harb’s historical archive form a unified narrative of continuity: a testament to the ancient and ongoing pulse of Palestinian life. Their stories—rooted in ritual, memory, everyday gestures, and deep familial ties—assert that Palestinian presence has never been broken.”

Sandra Aska, Andy Holliday, & Paul Rienzo Exhibits
2026-02-13, 2026-02-12 | Galleries at Sinclair College, 444 W. Third St., Bldg. 13, Dayton, OH, 45402
The Sinclair Community College Art Department is pleased to present works by Sandra Aska, Andy Holliday, and Paul Rienzo in the Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery and Works on Paper Gallery. Capturing moments of perplexity, quirkiness, thoughtfulness, and beauty, Aska gives clay life through her figurative sculptures. Toolmarks and fingerprints left in the works imbue an expressionistic looseness to the forms. She works intuitively by allowing each form to emerge from the clay and invites the viewer to offer their own interpretation. Holliday’s non-representational prints stem from images that are observed, recorded, and repeatedly reprocessed through systems to alter them. Exploring the idea of attention as a measure of value, he gathers an archive of media to process, builds complexity, and subsequently creates the final work through traditional printmaking techniques. Rienzo’s photorealistic still life paintings explore archetypal themes found across cultures and historical periods. The depicted objects are laden with symbolic power and when combined with others from differing cultures and eras, explore the idea of untold myths and interconnectivity. There will be a virtual artist talk via Zoom on February 20, 2026, at 12pm. Visit www.sinclair.edu/artgalleries for details. The exhibitions will be on display from February 10 – March 13, 2026. Galleries are located on the fourth floor of building 13 (located at West Fifth and Perry Streets). The galleries are free and open to the public from 8am–6pm Monday–Friday and 9am–12pm Saturdays. Free and accessible parking is located in Parking Lot K.

RESILIENCE
2026-02-13, 2026-02-12 | Edward A. Dixon Gallery, 222 N. St. Clair St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Resilience opens at the Edward A. Dixon Gallery on February 5th featuring several local artists ranging from a University Student to 30 year career artists. This exhibition is the gallery’s response to Black History month and features images that are powerful, regal and positive. Please, mark your calendars for the Opening Reception on Thursday, February 5th from 5pm-8pm. The exhibition dates are February 5th through March 15th.

Ice Skating
2026-02-13, 2026-02-12 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Sheltered under the covered pavilion, the MetroParks Ice Rink sets the scene as a perfect winter wonderland in downtown Dayton. While the rink is open, you can enjoy delicious treats from the concession area, including a cup of hot chocolate. Take advantage of fun skating activities, such as lessons, themed skating nights and more. Visit metroparks.org/ice-rink to learn more, find daily open hours, and see a schedule of events. Admission: $7 daily, ice skate rental: $3 daily. Season passes available. Ages 3 and under are free with a paying adult. 278-2607.

Polar Bear Express
2026-02-13 | Downtown Dayton
Book a ride on the abominably decorated Pedal Wagon for a 2-hour pedaling adventure through the fest streets of Dayton and to the best bars and restaurants. Reservations required. pedalwagon.com/dayton

Music Bingo Thursdays
2026-02-12 20:00 | The Trolley Stop, 530 E. Fifth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, USA
We have music bingo every Thursday! It’s free to play, lots of fun, hosted by KG, and there are prizes galore. Come check it out!

The Choral
2026-02-12 19:45 | THE NEON, United States
Overview
As World War I rages on, Dr. Henry Guthrie takes over a British choral society that’s lost most of its men to the army. The community soon discovers that the best response to the chaos of war is to make beautiful music together.
All screenings on Mondays will be presented with Open Captions (captions presented on screen).
Director
Nicholas Hytner
Producer
Nicholas Hytner, Kevin Loader, Damian Jones
Cast
Ralph Fiennes, Roger Allam, Mark Addy

Open Mic Night
2026-02-12 19:30 - 22:30 | The Barrel House, 417 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Open Mic Night – sign up online, then show up and show out.

Dayton Battle of the Bands – Week 5 (Pop / Rock)
2026-02-12 19:00 - 22:00 | The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
DAYTON BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2026 – WEEK 5! POP / ROCK NIGHT Thursday, February 12, 2026 | The Brightside Week 5 brings a vibrant mix of Pop & Rock — catchy hooks, big melodies, and dynamic local talent! Featuring: Matt St. George Novel Vibrations The Reverie Yuppie Whether you follow these artists or you’re hearing them for the first time, DBOTB is all about discovering new music in Dayton’s thriving original scene. Every in-person ticket buyer gets one vote to help select the Week 5 winner! The winning band secures their place in the Dayton Battle of the Bands Finale — plus additional prizes! Event Details The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton) Doors: 6:30pm Show: 7:15pm – 9:45pm Winner Announced: approx. 10:15pm Arrive early to catch every performance! Tickets: $10 advance / $15 at the door Advance tickets strongly encouraged. Ticket link: https://tickets.venuepilot.com/e/dayton-battle-of-the-bands-week-5-pop-rock-2026-02-12-the-brightside-music-event-venue-dayton-4091f5 Series Passes available — buy all 6 weeks & get Finale admission FREE! Your ticket purchase helps cover production costs & prizes — thank you for supporting original Dayton music! Important Notes: Ticket email missing? Check Spam/Junk. If your card was charged, you’re on the list. All ages welcome! Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Free parking on both sides of the building. No backpacks, outside beverages, or weapons. No food truck is currently planned, but outside food is allowed (within reason). We highly recommend ordering from Tony & Pete’s, down the street on 3rd St. General Admission. Seating not guaranteed, but we do our best. Bar available with alcoholic & NA options. No outside drinks allowed. Tickets are non-refundable. If you can’t attend, feel free to transfer your ticket or consider it a donation to the team supporting new, original music in Dayton. Weather Notice: If roads are unsafe, a reschedule date will be announced. See you at Week 5 as the Pop/Rock energy lights up the DBOTB stage!

Levitt UpClose
2026-02-12 19:00 | Downtown Dayton
Three Artists. One Secret Location. A Night You Won’t Forget.

Levitt UpClose is our intimate concert series that brings the surprise back to live music. When you buy a ticket, you’ll know the zip code and the date. The exact venue is revealed the day before the show, and the artists are announced live as they take the stage.

Join us on Thursday, February 12th for a one-of-a-kind concert experience designed to bring our community together in a whole new way.

Seating will be provided.

The venue is accessible and located on the ground floor.

Beverage service is TBD – final details will be provided to all attendees before the show.

Tickets are limited, and these shows often sell out.

When: February 12, 2026
Showtime: 7:00 PM
Tickets: $45
Location: 45402 zip code

Community Workshop – Flourish and Flow: An Oil Painting Journey
2026-02-12 17:30 - 19:30 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
Our artist-led workshops are designed to make community connections between our guests, local artists, and The Dayton Art Institute through conversation and artmaking. Flourish and Flow: An Oil Painting Journey Date: Thursdays, April 10, 17 and 24, and May 1 and 8 – 5:30–7:30 p.m Cost: $100 for museum members; $125 for non-members Ages: 18+ In this multi-session workshop series, local artist Jamaal Durr leads participants through an exploration of the fundamentals of oil painting. Sessions will focus on layering, blending, and texture while developing skills through the creation of personalized artwork featuring birth flowers. Jamaal Durr, a Contemporary Artist, is recognized for his figurative works that intimately blend reality and the surreal. Using materials like oil paint, charcoal, and graphite, he explores themes of identity and self-reflection through his timely narratives. Jamaal has expanded his capacity within the realm of Art, having also gained experience as a Curator, Teacher, and Muralist. Jamaal is primarily self-taught, having only received a couple of years of formal training at Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton, OH and a brief stint studying architecture at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.

Be My Neighbor Day
2026-02-12 17:00 - 18:00 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Be My Neighbor Days will feature stories, songs, clips from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and hands-on activities. PreK-Kindergartener children will explore themes of kindness, sharing, and being a good neighbor. Registration is not required. The program is offered in partnership with ThinkTV/PBS. For more information, visit DaytonMetroLibrary.org or call the Library’s Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665.

February sessions:

Monday, February 2, 11 am-12 pm, Miami Township Branch
Thursday, February 5, 5-6 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space
Tuesday, February 10, 1-2 pm, Kettering-Moraine Branch
Thursday, February 12, 5-6 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space
Thursday, February 18, 11 am-12 pm, Huber Heights Branch
Thursday, February 19, 5-6 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space
Monday, February 23, 11 am-12 pm, Vandalia Branch
Thursday, February 26, 5-6 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space

No Other Choice
2026-02-12 15:15 | OH
Overview
“After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.” One of the most critically-acclaimed films of the year is coming soon to THE NEON!
Director
Park Chan-wook
Producer
Park Chan-wook, Back Ji-sun, Michèle Ray-Gavras, Oh Hyeon-am, Alexandre Gavras
Cast
Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon

The Testament of Ann Lee
2026-02-12 15:00 | THE NEON, United States
Overview
The extraordinary true legend of Ann Lee, founder of the devotional sect known as the Shakers.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL writes, “Delivered in a style that evokes its historical moment while also cutting across time to the present, it lands with the enthralling, incantatory force of urgent prayer.”
Director
Mona Fastvold
Producer
Brady Corbet, Klaudia Śmieja-Rostworowska, Mona Fastvold, Andrew Morrison, Viktória Petrányi, Joshua Horsfield, Mark Lampert, Lillian LaSalle, Gregory Jankilevitsch
Cast
Amanda Seyfried, Lewis Pullman, Thomasin McKenzie
