Downtown Dayton Partnership

May First Friday at the Arcade
2026-05-01 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Dayton Arcade, 35 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Join us for May First Friday at the Arcade! The Dayton Arcade’s historic Concourse will be open on Friday, May 1 from 5–8 PM, welcoming visitors to explore the heart of the complex. Shop our Arcade tenants! The Contemporary Dayton The Garden Grille & Bar Luke’s Grab & Go Lucho Maria’s at the Market Pink Moon Goods, Too Road Runner Espresso Bar Smales Pretzel Bakery Table 33 Willow Rust 6888 Kitchen Check out our 10 popup vendors! Full list to be announced. DJ Luke Tandy from Skeleton Dust Records will be spinning in the Concourse from 5-8 PM. Concourse doors will be open 5–8 PM at: 24 W. Third St. Please note that the Rotunda and its Fourth Street entrance will be closed for a private event during May First Friday. Come explore, grab a DORA drink, support local, and kick off your weekend at the Arcade!

High School Baseball Showcase
2026-05-01 17:00, 2026-04-29 19:00 | Day Air Ballpark, 220 North Patterson Blvd., Dayton, OH, 45402
The Dragons High School Baseball Showcase, presented by Bob Ross Auto Group, is back at Day Air Ballpark! Forty-two teams from the greater Miami Valley area will play in twenty-one games at Day Air Ballpark in the heart of the Water Street District.
The showcase provides a fundraising opportunity for high school programs, allowing them to sell Dragons tickets and raise money for their athletic departments.
The High School Baseball Showcase is open to the public and games are scheduled for various dates between April 14 and May 9.

Tuesday, April 14 7:00 PM Troy vs Vandalia Butler

Friday, April 17 5:00 PM Ada vs Lima Perry

Friday, April 17 8:00 PM Williamsburg vs Minster

Saturday, April 18 1:00 PM Arcanum vs Franklin-Monroe

Saturday, April 18 4:00 PM Troy Christian vs Catholic Central

Saturday, April 18 7:00 PM Greenon vs Preble Shawnee

Tuesday, April 28 7:00 PM Hagerstown vs Centerville

Wednesday, April 29 7:00 PM Brookville vs Oakwood

Friday, May 1 5:00 PM Northmont vs Miamisburg

Friday, May 1 8:00 PM Tippecanoe vs Bethel

Saturday, May 2 11:30 AM Botkins vs Newton

Saturday, May 2 4:00 PM Lehman Catholic vs West Liberty-Salem

Saturday, May 2 7:00 PM St. Henry vs Fort Loramie

Sunday, May 3 2:00 PM Alter vs Chaminade-Julienne

Sunday, May 3 6:00 PM St. Xavier vs Moeller

Tuesday, May 5 7:00 PM Dixie vs Twin Valley South

Friday, May 8 5:00 PM Jackson Center vs National Trail

Friday, May 8 8:00 PM Turpin vs Lebanon

Saturday, May 9 1:00 PM Triad vs Xenia

Saturday, May 9 4:00 PM Lima Sr vs Lima Shawnee

Saturday, May 9 7:00 PM Lancaster vs Springboro

Discovery: Forgottonia
2026-05-01 10:00, 2026-04-30 11:30, 2026-04-30 09:30 | PNC Arts Annex, 46 N. Ludlow St., Dayton, OH, 45402
This show is part of our Discovery Series, which presents weekday field trips for area schools to experience carefully selected shows designed to enhance curriculum connections throughout various subject areas. If you are not purchasing tickets for a school or homeschool, please click here to explore our Children’s Theatre programming.
The name “Forgottonia” first came to Western Illinois in 1972 when 16 counties declared the creation of the independent nation of “Forgottonia” in protest of the lack of tax dollars returning to the region. The plan was to secede from the Union, declare war on the United States, immediately surrender, and then apply for foreign aid. It was nothing but political theatre, but the story was picked up by the national media and to everyone’s surprise, it worked! FORGOTTONIA is a musical journey through the people and places of rural Illinois combining storytelling and live music, with the images of award-winning rural photographer Tim Schroll.

Collaboration of Colors
2026-05-01 | OH
View artwork from 4 pairings of artists who have collaborated in their own unique ways but all start with a common theme of color: Susanne Scherette King Megan Fiely Brian Mathus Tami Beale Sir Michael Surber Tom Jordan Joy Johnson Dave Scott Exhibition in collaboration with… the Dayton Collaboratory and is open from May 1 through May 31. Opening Reception on May 7th from 6pm-8pm

2026 Sinclair Community College Graduating Fine Art Students’ Portfolio Exhibition
2026-05-01, 2026-04-30 | 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 the 2026 graduating class. From April 18 through May 7, the Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery and other galleries in Building 13 will exhibit artwork by students graduating from Sinclair with an Associate of Arts, Art degree. The graduates are in charge of both selecting works from their portfolios for exhibition as well as installing the show. Exhibiting artists include Dean Abele, Allison Ander, Nar Byrd, Noah Caballero, Gail Coleman, Kaitlyn Cramer, Madison Dickey, Calista Dillon, Ashlyn Haywood, Arden Jackson, Ja’Shayla Jennings, Marcie Kincaid, Emma LaRocco, Taylor Law, Delaney Manzo, Bonita Mitchell, Melanie Perez-Garcia, Denell Pierce, Hailey Prather, Max Quinn, Charlotte Repasy, Alexia Richardson, Audrey Rickmon, Brendan Riley, Cosmo Steele, Jeremiah Wiggins, and Anna Ziegler. There will be a public reception on April 30 from 4:30pm-6pm in the 4th Floor Atrium of Building 13. The galleries are located at the corner of West Fifth and Perry Street in Building 13 on the 4th Floor. The galleries are free and open to the public from 8am–6pm Monday–Friday and 9am–12pm Saturdays.

Jamea Richmond-Edwards: Leviathan
2026-05-01, 2026-04-30 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Leviathan, a film by interdisciplinary artist Jamea Richmond-Edwards. Known for her monumental paintings and mixed-media collages informed by mythology, Afrofuturist iconography, and magical realism, Richmond-Edwards brings these influences into a cinematic form in this film. Using music and dance, Leviathan traces the artist’s family history and their enduring connection to Detroit. Raised in a family of dancers and musicians, and drawing on her experience as a competitive dancer and marching band member, Richmond-Edwards infuses the film with movement and sound. The film explores Detroit’s layered histories and evolving landscapes, invoking the mythic Leviathan as a metaphor for the powerful, often untold forces of the Great Migration. Richmond-Edwards is an artist from Detroit who holds a BFA from Jackson State University and an MFA from Howard University. Her work has been included in exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, New York; the Frist Art Museum, Nashville, Tennessee; and The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, and more. Her work is held in the collections of the Rubell Museum, Washington, DC; The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; and the US Department of State’s Art in Embassies program, among others. OPENING NIGHT / Friday, March 13 Member & Sponsor Preview: 5-6 pm Public Reception: 6-8 pm Remarks: 6:30 pm CLOSING RECEPTION / Saturday, June 6 4-6p – Light Refreshments and a final chance to view the exhibition. This exhibition is one of three concurrent exhibitions of new and recent work by Detroit-based artists, curated by Heather Jones, and presented to spark dialogue around the art and artists of our time.

Paul Verdell: Tabernacle
2026-05-01, 2026-04-30 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present a new body of work by Paul Verdell. In these gestural paintings, Verdell continues his exploration of loose and instinctive mark making, working with paint and collaged elements. These works become renditions of landscapes both visually and figuratively as the colors and forms subtly echo horizons and map Verdell’s mental terrain. Driven by intuition, his latest body of work delves deep into the realm of abstraction as the artist explores capabilities of medium and mind. Influencing the artist’s conceptual root is both internal discourse—an ongoing attempt to understand himself within a shifting and uncertain world through the act of painting—as well as his Black American heritage. Verdell is a painter based in Detroit. Originally from Long Beach, California, he moved to Ohio as a teenager and received a BFA from Bowling Green State University in 2018. He has been awarded residencies at Black Rock Senegal, Dakar, Senegal, and the Macedonia Institute, Chatham, New York. His work has been included in exhibitions at The Armory Show, New York; Hurst Contemporary, London; and the Dakar Biennale, Dakar, Senegal, among others. Verdell’s work is held in the collections of the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio, among others. OPENING NIGHT / Friday, March 13 Member & Sponsor Preview: 5-6 pm Public Reception: 6-8 pm Remarks: 6:30 pm CLOSING RECEPTION / Saturday, June 6 4-6p – Light Refreshments and a final chance to view the exhibition. This exhibition is one of three concurrent exhibitions of new and recent work by Detroit-based artists, curated by Heather Jones, and presented to spark dialogue around the art and artists of our time

Jason REVOK: Mutually Exclusive
2026-05-01, 2026-04-30 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present new paintings by Jason REVOK. Self-taught, REVOK is known for pushing creative boundaries that began in the street. Although his story begins with graffiti, the artist has spent the last decade focusing on his studio practice and the evolution of process and concept. Refusing to be limited by his early recognition, REVOK allows only certain elements from graffiti culture to transition to his contemporary work—modest materials and industrial tools, ingenuity, his name—but his proclivity towards minimalism and post-painterly abstraction has become the driving force behind his practice. Examining the question of authorship from start to finish, REVOK has developed systematic yet imperfect tools to carry out his vision and has created a number of unmistakable bodies of work. His bold, balanced, geometry is heightened by the personal and imperfect sleight of the human hand. REVOK grew up in Southern California and is based in Detroit. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and the Pasadena Museum of California Art, as well as in galleries and special projects in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Dubai. His work is held in important private collections worldwide. OPENING NIGHT / Friday, March 13 Member & Sponsor Preview: 5-6 pm Public Reception: 6-8 pm Remarks: 6:30 pm CLOSING RECEPTION / Saturday, June 6 4-6p – Light Refreshments and a final chance to view the exhibition. This exhibition is one of three concurrent exhibitions of new and recent work by Detroit-based artists, curated by Heather Jones, and presented to spark dialogue around the art and artists of our time.

Tony Foster, Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective
2026-05-01, 2026-04-30 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
Tony Foster, Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective
February 21–May 17, 2026, Gallery 120
Between 2007 and 2025, Tony Foster embarked on his 19th Journey, building it around a profound and layered theme: time. Across this body of work, he investigates how time shapes the land—from the quick shifts of light and weather, to the slow rhythms of seasons, to the immense scales of biological and geological transformation. As Foster explains, his aim is “to draw attention to the unseen forces that create place.”
Exploring Time brings together a remarkable series of watercolor diaries that capture nature in motion. His paintings reveal signs of change on multiple fronts: geological upheavals, biological cycles and the marks left by human activity. With a discerning eye, Foster records not only nature’s strength and resilience but also its vulnerability, even in landscapes once dominated by industry and later reclaimed.
In a world where environmental change is often conveyed through striking images of global warming, Foster offers a different perspective, one that considers Earth’s continual evolution and the visible traces of time’s passage. Organized into four themes: geological, biological, human and the fleeting, this exhibition invites viewers to engage with time at every scale, from the span of a moment to the stretch of millennia, while reflecting on the enduring impact of human presence.

Music Bingo Thursdays
2026-04-30 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!

Open Mic Night
2026-04-30 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.

The Lavender Bans: Author Talk and Q&A
2026-04-30 18:00 - 19:30 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Metro Library will host The Lavender Bans: Author Talk and Q&A on Thursday, April 30, 6-7:30 pm, at the Main Library in The Center for Community Impact & Innovation.

Dorian Rhea Debussy, author of The Lavender Bans: A Century of Anti-LGBTQ+ Policies in the US Military (Columbia University Press, 2026), will discuss how her book uncovers the history of U.S. military policies targeting LGBTQ people. Debussy is the director of external affairs at Equitas Health and a lecturer in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at the Ohio State University.

For more information, visit DaytonMetroLibrary.org or call the Library’s Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665.

Community Workshop – Flourish and Flow: An Oil Painting Journey
2026-04-30 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.

2026 Eichelberger Concert Season Reveal: Carnival on the Lawn
2026-04-30 17:30 | Levitt Pavilion Dayton, 134 S. Main St., Dayton, OH, 45402
We’re Getting Ready to Be Back on the Lawn! On April 30, we’ll gather for the 2026 Eichelberger Concert Season Reveal: Carnival on the Lawn—our official kickoff to a new season of free live music. The night begins at 5:30 PM when the lawn opens, and we invite you to come early and settle in. Bring your chairs or blankets, grab something to eat, and enjoy a little extra fun this year with a carnival-style atmosphere—think face painting, balloon art, lawn games, and moments that bring out that kid-at-heart feeling for all of us. We’re especially excited to partner with A World A’Fair to help bring this spirit of culture, connection, and celebration to the evening. Together, we’re creating a space where everyone feels welcome and where our community can come together in a meaningful way. As the evening unfolds, DJ Kim L will kick things off, leading into a high-energy performance by the Dayton Funk All-Stars—the perfect way to dance into a new season. And while you’re here, don’t forget to grab your 2026 Eichelberger Concert Season calendar. It’s your guide to a summer full of free concerts, shared experiences, and nights on the lawn you won’t want to miss.

April 30
Lawn opens at 5:30 PM
Levitt Pavilion | Downtown Dayton

Get event details + plan your visit: Click Here

Student Success Centers – Reconnect
2026-04-30 15:00 - 18:00 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Metro Library’s new program, Student Success Centers – Reconnect, is offered every Tuesday and Thursday, 3-6 pm, through May 21, in the Main Library’s Tech Lab A.

Reconnect offers support to youth ages 16-21 working toward a GED or high school diploma. Extra help with reading, writing, and math is available, along with life skills coaching, opportunities to build friendships, and connecting with mentors.

Reconnect grew out of a revamp of DML’s Homework Help Centers, now known as Student Success Centers, located within seven Branches. “We expanded to an eighth Center at the Main Library that focuses on serving an overlooked demographic of young people called ‘opportunity youth,’” explains Allison Knight, DML’s Youth Services and Programming Director. “Opportunity youth are young enough to be served by public schools but disengaged from formal school or work.”

Sinclair’s Fast Forward Re-Engagement Center has been an advocate for the gap in community services to opportunity youth. After speaking with their Project Director and researching the need, DML staff used existing plans for the Student Success Centers expansion to address it.

Renaming the Student Success Centers allows DML to designate Student Success Centers – K12 for its mainstream students and Student Success Centers – Reconnect for opportunity youth. With the noted distinction between the Centers and Reconnect, DML can train staff accordingly and specialize the services offered at each location.

Registration is not required for Reconnect. Patrons may drop in any time during the posted hours. For more information, visit DaytonMetroLibrary.org or call the Library’s Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665.

A Matter of Balance
2026-04-30 10:00 - 12:00 | YMCA of Greater Dayton – Downtown, 316 N. Wilkinson St., Dayton, OH, 45402
We invite you to join A Matter of Balance, an evidence-based, national fall prevention program offered to the community by Sinclair Community College’s PTA faculty and students.
Classes will be held weekly on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., March 19 through May 7, at the YMCA of Greater Dayton. The program is designed to help participants build confidence, improve balance and strength, and reduce the risk of falls.
This program is free of charge.
Please see the attached flyer for additional details and registration information.

Discover Dayton Scavenger Hunt
2026-04-30 | Downtown Dayton
Explore downtown like never before during the Discover Downtown Dayton Scavenger Hunt! Throughout the month of April, participants will visit local businesses, complete fun challenges, and learn interesting facts about downtown Dayton. Each participating location will feature a unique challenge such as taking a photo, trying a signature item, answering trivia, or discovering something new about the space. Participants who complete challenges will be entered into prize drawings while supporting local businesses and exploring everything downtown has to offer. Grab your friends, family, or coworkers and see how many locations you can discover! This is a month-long interactive scavenger hunt taking place April 1–30, 2026. Participants may complete challenges anytime during regular business hours at participating downtown locations. https://linktr.ee/livedowntown

Wu-Tang Wednesdays
2026-04-29 19:00 - 23:00 | The Barrel House, 417 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Dayton’s legendary Ike B spins old school hip hop and whateva else he wants.

Live Trivia
2026-04-29 18:30 - 20:30 | Yellow Cab Tavern, 700 E 4th St, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
We are excited to host live trivia every Wednesday at The Yellow Cab Tavern! Since there are a limited number of indoor tables, so please reserve as soon as possible.
Pepper Sprout Productions will be doing 3 rounds of general trivia from 6:30 – 8:30! Win prizes and gift cards! Watch their page on the day of for a clue about the bonus round theme!
You can enjoy pizza from The Pizza Bandit and beverages from The Yellow Cab Tavern!Pizza Bandit’s standard carryout, delivery, and onsite dining will be available from 4-9pm!

Adult Weekday Classes
2026-04-29 18:00 - 20:00 | K12 Gallery & TEJAS, 341 S. Jefferson St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Tuesday and Wednesday weekday classes: Tuesdays (September-May) Stained Glass Classes: 1:00pm-3:00pm Ceramics/Clay Classes: 3:00pm-5:00pm Glassblowing Classes: 3:30pm-5:30pm Wednesdays (September-May) Still Life Oil Painting Classes: 1:00pm-3:00pm Glassblowing Classes: 2:00pm-4:00pm or 6:00pm-8:00pm. Call for Costs.

Sinclair Pop-Up Bakery
2026-04-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Sinclair College, 444 W. Third St., Dayton, OH
For one night each week, Tartan Terrace transforms into a lively full-run bakery. Sinclair College culinary students in their final baking course spend eight weeks refining, rotating through four production stations, practicing, and perfecting every item before opening night. The result? Fresh, small-batch laminated pastries: blueberry cream cheese puff pastry, ham and cheese puff pastry, chai caramel puff pastry, doughnuts, challah, cakes, cookies, mousse domes, chocolate confections, and more — all sold à la carte in a retail-style, grab-and-go format.
There are no reservations. Guests line up, choose their favorites, and students step out from the kitchen to sell and total each order themselves. This is their capstone — and their final step before graduation. The Bakery Cafe is produced by the Baking & Pastry Capstone students under the direction of Chef Darcia Nunes Puglia.

Open: 6-7:30 pm Wednesdays
March 18 , April 1 , April 15th, & April 29

230 W. Fifth St.
Building 13, 4 Floor Room 406
937-512-2014

Artist in Training (AIT) Program
2026-04-29 15:00 - 18:00 | K12 Gallery & TEJAS, 341 S. Jefferson St., Dayton, OH, 45402
After school Artist in Training program geared for grades 3rd-12th grades. Classes are Monday-Wednesdays from 3:00pm-6:00pm. Open Studio time to explore different types of mediums such as Drawing, Painting, Clay, Digital Art. 20.00 per session for Members/40.00 per session for Non-Members.
