Downtown Dayton Partnership

Street Art Jam at Front Street
2024-08-18 11:00 - 16:00 (America/Detroit) | Front Street Galleries, 1001 E. Second St., Dayton, OH, 45402
The 2nd Street Art Jam of the year returns to Front Street on August 18th! Come to Front Street for live Street Art demos, food trucks, DJ in the courtyard, outdoor artisan market, studios, galleries, shops & boutiques!
Brick City Artworks will whitewash the Street Art building at Front Street to create a blank canvas for street artists from across the midwest! Grab something to eat from one of the food vendors and snag a front row seat in the courtyard to watch large scale murals come to life.
Music will be pumping from the DJ booth. Shop the outdoor market and indoor shops, boutiques, galleries, and studios! The Street Art Jam is happening in conjunction with our Third Sunday Art Hop and Outdoor Market so there will be something for everyone! The event is free, family and pet friendly, and offers free parking! Come explore, create, and inspire!

Third Sunday Art Hop and Market
2024-08-18 11:00 - 16:00 | Front Street Galleries, 1001 E. Second St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Explore studios, galleries, shops, boutiques and the outdoor market right in the heart of Dayton’s Arts District! Visit with more than 250+ artists, creatives and curators.
Front Street Gallery proudly presents the 5th Annual “Life in the City” juried exhibition.
Street Art Jam It is that time of the season again where Brick City Artworks whitewashes the street art building and artists from across the midwest come out to create new art! Live demonstrations will be going on during the outdoor market!
Food: Kool Beanz Cafe, Freakin Ricans’ Food Truck
Music: Live DJ booth will be set up in the courtyard spinnin’ tunes for the street artists’ flow and your entertainment!
Gallery, studio, and shop news rotate. Updates can be found in our Front Street Newsletter. Our monthly Newsletter makes an excellent guide when you plan your visit to our art hops! Subscribe at the bottom of our home page.
Front Street is a family and pet friendly community. Arthops at Front Street are free to attend. Our campus offers free parking.

We’re Doing It ALL Wrong® – 4th Annual Art Exhibition
2024-08-15 12:00 - 17:00, 2024-08-16 15:00 - 20:00 | Edward A. Dixon Gallery, 222 N. St. Clair St., Dayton, OH, 45402
This 4th Annual art exhibition kicked off with an Opening Reception on August 2nd and will be open to visitors every week until September 28th.
Artwork chosen by a jury panel of art professionals, including photographer Stacy Kranitz and U.D. Art History Professor Judith Huacuja, are featured in this exhibition that focuses on some of the issues that plague our world. The exhibition features artists from all over the United States who touch on a range topics using various mediums and styles.
Regular exhibitions hours are 12pm-5pm from Thu-Sun except Fridays 3pm-8pm.

Dayton African American Cultural Festival
2024-08-18 12:00 - 18:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
This family event brings the richness of the African American experience to Dayton through culture, education and music. See an African village and a pavilion of paintings. Enjoy live R&B, gospel and jazz performances. Visit the Kids Korner for a variety of activities, community talent show and giveaways. Merchandise and food vendors will be onsite. Don’t miss this citywide event where diverse people gather in celebration. Weather Dependent. All ages. Free.
On Sunday, join the Dayton African American Cultural Festival as they celebrate blessings and ancestors through a series of lectures, a church service, and gospel entertainment. Merchandise and food vendors will be onsite. You don’t want to miss this citywide event where diverse people gather in celebration. Weather Dependent.
Saturday, AUG. 17
12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Riverscape (DOWNTOWN DAYTON)
Sunday, AUG. 18
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Riverscape (Downtown Dayton)

Skinner Pipe Organ Concert
2024-08-18 14:00 - 15:00 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
Hear the museum’s restored Skinner pipe organ and see the beautifully renovated Mimi and Stuart Rose Auditorium. Matt Dierking from the Dayton Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will perform on the 1st & 3rd Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. (unless otherwise noted).
April 7 and 21
May 12 and 19
June 9 and 16
July 7 and 21
August 4 and 18
September 1 and 15
October 6 and 20
November 3 and 17
December 1, 8 and 15

Monday Summer Reading Club
2024-07-29 | Rabbit Hole Books, 27 W. First St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Every Monday from Memorial Day to Labor Day, every person 18 and under can stop in and choose any book of their choice for free. Kids are welcome (and encouraged) to come every week.

Ferguson Voices: Disrupting the Frame
2024-08-15 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Metro Library is pleased to host Ferguson Voices: Disrupting the Frame, a profound exhibit produced by the University of Dayton Human Rights Center that will be on display through Friday, August 30, in the Opportunity Space @ St. Clair at the Main Library.

In 2014, after Michael Brown was shot and killed by police, a 100-day uprising followed in Ferguson, Missouri. Ferguson Voices features interviews and photographs of twelve individuals who responded to Brown’s death by showing contributions to their community during the protest – acting, teaching, repairing, and advancing the cause of justice.

Initially created in 2016, after nine University of Dayton students traveled to Missouri to interview people who were affected by the unrest of 2014, Ferguson Voices seeks to humanize the individuals who witnessed and shaped the uprising and to show visitors that when communities are faced with difficult moments, we all have a role to play.

A companion program hosted by the University of Dayton Human Rights Center will be held in the Opportunity Space @ St. Clair at 6 pm, on Tuesday, August 27. It will involve a panel discussion and provide a space for community members to come together and process the recent killing of 16-year-old Brian Moody by Dayton City Police.

This discussion will utilize the exhibit to focus attention on police violence and community response and will re-ignite questions about the use of lethal force, public trust and accountability, and over-policing and radical discrimination. The announcement of panel guests in attendance will be forthcoming.

This is the second time DML has had the honor of hosting Ferguson Voices; it first appeared at the Northwest Branch in 2017.

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

Monday Summer Reading Club
2024-07-29 12:00 - 19:00 | Rabbit Hole Books, 27 W. First St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Every Monday from Memorial Day to Labor Day, every person 18 and under who comes by the store is welcome to take home any book in the store for free! Come every week!

CURIO Lunch Box
2024-07-23 12:00 - 14:00 | Courthouse Square, Third & Main Streets, Dayton, OH, 45422, USA
Throughout the summer months, fun, out-of-the-box entertainment can be found on Courthouse Square, with CURIO serving as the hub of community, connection, and collaboration!
CURIO at Courthouse Square is the next evolution of programming formerly known as “The Square Is Where.”
Big ideas can come in small packages, and CURIO is the first step in a larger, longer-term plan to revitalize Courthouse Square. This shipping container transformed into an event hub has been combined with new outdoor seating and other touches to create downtown’s newest summer hotspot!
CURIO Lunch Box provides free lunchtime entertainment Tuesdays-Thursdays from noon to 2 p.m., including Trivia Tuesdays, Workout Wednesdays, and Unplugged Thursdays.
Bring your friends and coworkers for a midday break outside!
Similar to the former “The Square Is Where” programming, CURIO Lunch Box features free lunchtime entertainment from noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays each week during the summer months.
Food vendors also set up on Courthouse Square each weekday, allowing downtown workers and others to grab lunch from a vendor or a downtown restaurant and take in the entertainment while enjoying the outdoors downtown.
Find a full schedule of upcoming entertainment at https://downtowndayton.org/things-to-do/curio/

Kayak Rentals at RiverScape with Taiter’s Kayak Solutions
2024-08-20 14:00 - 18:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of RiverScape Kayak Rentals series
Kayak Rentals at RiverScape with Taiter’s Kayak Solutions
2:00pm – 6:00pm
AGE: 14 and up | $12.00
Paddle under the fountains with Taiter’s Kayak Solutions all summer long at RiverScape MetroPark! Regular walk-up rental hours will take place Tuesdays from 2-6pm and Thursdays from 4-8pm, June-October. Launch from under the Riverside Bridge along the Great Miami Recreational Trail. The cost to participate is $12 per person per hour. Taiter’s Kayak Solutions staff will provide visitors with brief instructions prior to entering the water, which will include a safety tutorial, and help visitors get into their vessels. All visitors will be required to wear a properly fitted life jacket. Swimming is prohibited in the Great Miami River, but visitors should come prepared to get wet. Those renting will not be permitted to go through the RiverScape River Run whitewater feature. No lifeguards are on duty, and paddling is at all visitors’ own risk. All visitors must sign a waiver to participate. Visit Facebook.com/TaitersKayakSolutions for more information. Weather Dependent.

Gerrymandering in Ohio and the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment with Retired Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor
2024-08-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Metro Library is hosting a program to bring awareness to an amendment on the November ballot that could change the landscape of how voter voices are heard.

Gerrymandering in Ohio and the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment with Retired Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, Main Library, Eichelberger Forum, Tuesday, August 20, 6:30-8 pm: Join retired Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor as she discusses Ohio’s decades-long fight for fair voting maps, in addition to how the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment came to be, how it would work, and how it could impact Ohio.

It is with hope that the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment “initiative will eliminate the state’s politician-dominated commission for drawing state and federal legislative districts and would create a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission (OCRC), with members selected by citizens, not politicians. The OCRC would be made up of Democrats, Republicans, and Independent Ohio Voters,” according to citiznesnotpoliticians.org.

This program is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area. Registration is required.

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

Float Shows at RiverScape with Taiter’s Kayak Solutions
2024-08-20 18:30 - 20:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Float Shows at RiverScape with Taiter’s Kayak Solutions
6:30pm – 8:00pm
AGE: All ages | $30.00, $150.00
Taiter’s Kayak Solutions is taking over the riverfront in Downtown Dayton to host Float Shows this season! Their giant paddleboards make the perfect floating stage, and they invite you to join their paddle party. They will have some of the region’s finest and most adventurous musicians taking the stage. Enjoy live music from your vessel, paddle under the fountains and make friends! The cost to participate is $30 for a standard kayak rental, or $150 for a giant paddleboard rental (for up to 5 people, but you must reserve and pay in advance). All participants will be required to wear a properly fitted life jacket. Swimming is prohibited in the Great Miami River, but participants should come prepared to get wet. Those renting will not be permitted to go through the RiverScape River Run whitewater feature. No lifeguards are on duty, and paddling is at all visitors’ own risk. All visitors must sign a waiver to participate. Visit Facebook.com/TaitersKayakSolutions for more information. Weather Dependent.

Music Bingo!
2024-08-20 19:00 - 21:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of Tuesday Nights in the Park series
Music Bingo!
7:00pm – 9:00pm
AGE: All ages | FREE
Join us at RiverScape near the Cafe on the third Tuesday of each month from June through October for an exciting night of food, drinks, and Music Bingo! In this exciting twist on the classic game, you will mark your bingo cards as a live DJ from Liftoff Entertainment plays a variety of hits, from pop to rock and so much more. Be one of the first to mark five in a row and you can win some neat prizes! Music Bingo is free to participate, but we recommend coming early as bingo sheets are limited! The RiverScape Cafe will have a variety of appetizers, refreshments and desserts available for purchase. For those 21 and over, cocktails, wine and beer will also be available for purchase as part of the Downtown Dayton DORA. Weather Dependent.

Dayton Dragons vs. Cedar Rapids Kernels
2024-08-20 19:05 | Day Air Ballpark, 220 North Patterson Blvd., Dayton, OH, 45402
Catch one of the hottest tickets in sports – see the Dayton Dragons play baseball at Day Air Ballpark! For tickets and more information, visit www.daytondragons.com or call 228-2287.

The Quiet World of Edward Hopper
2024-07-24 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
June 15–September 8, 2024

Few artists have been able to convey a distinct vision of the world as directly as Edward Hopper (American, 1882–1967). With great clarity, Hopper expressed a deeply personal response to modern life with his enigmatic depictions of urban and rural environments. The everyday, even mundane slices of life and ordinary subjects regularly indicate a psychological state of mind, most often suggesting a sense of isolation or loneliness. He rejected the influences of European modernism to work in a realistic, representational style, and create a uniquely American point of view that expresses his response to living in the twentieth century.
The Quiet World of Edward Hopper, an exclusive exhibition to the DAI, will feature the holdings from the DAI collection, which include a drawing, etchings, watercolor figure studies from his early years as an illustrator visiting Europe, along with the celebrated painting High Noon, 1949. The exhibition will also have key loans from other museums and private collections.

Riveting: Women Artists from the Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Collection
2024-07-24 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
June 22–September 8, 2024

Riveting presents extraordinary art by contemporary women artists drawn from the major, private collection of Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell. This bold exhibition expresses the collector’s personal interest in finding emergent artistic voices and powerful artistic statements that speak to prominent social issues of the day, including those relating to LGBTQ+ communities and reproductive rights. All major media are included: paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photographs and textiles, and themes range from humorous and irreverent to thought-provoking.
Internationally recognized artists include Cindy Sherman, Kiki Smith, Ana Mendieta and many others, featured alongside under-recognized and local artists. One of the highlights will be Carolee Shneemann’s Interior Scroll (1974/75), a groundbreaking achievement of feminist art that remains relevant and controversial to this day.

Lunch & Learn: All About Agatha Christie
2024-08-21 11:00 - 13:00 | The Dayton Woman’s Club, 225 N Ludlow St, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
LUNCH & LEARN:
All About Agatha Christie
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Enjoy lunch with us and hear Katherine Watson from the Washington-Centerville Public Library give a presentation on Agatha Christie, the best-selling novelist of all time with 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections.
$25 DWC members, $30 non-members
(lunch included)
Members may call 937-228-1124 to pay by check

Back to School Hangout
2024-08-21 16:00 - 17:00 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Unwind from the first week or so of the new school year with coloring and relaxing to music. Participants can design their own pencil case to show off in their new class. Families

Wednesday, August 21, 4-5 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space

CURIO Midweek Mix
2024-07-24 16:00 - 18:00 | Courthouse Square, Third & Main Streets, Dayton, OH, 45422, USA
Throughout the summer months, fun, out-of-the-box entertainment can be found on Courthouse Square, with CURIO serving as the hub of community, connection, and collaboration!
CURIO at Courthouse Square is the next evolution of programming formerly known as “The Square Is Where.”
Big ideas can come in small packages, and CURIO is the first step in a larger, longer-term plan to revitalize Courthouse Square. This shipping container transformed into an event hub has been combined with new outdoor seating and other touches to create downtown’s newest summer hotspot!
CURIO Midweek Mix provides weekly social hours featuring adult beverages and a mix of events at the end of the workday, including markets, CURIOKE, arts, cash bingo and pets, spotlight performances, and more.
Unwind after work – Meet up at the Midweek Mix!
The CURIO Midweek Mix brings fun, themed social hours on Wednesdays from 4 to 6 p.m. each week.
Grab a DORA beverage, socialize, and take part in this week’s themed activities while gathering with old friends and meeting new ones.

Find a full schedule of upcoming entertainment at https://downtowndayton.org/things-to-do/curio/

SWERK with MVP Dance Fit
2024-08-21 18:00 - 19:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of RiverScape Community Fitness series
SWERK with MVP Dance Fit
6:00pm – 7:00pm
AGE: All ages | FREE
SWERK (Sweat, Work, Twerk) combines current HipHop style dance moves with lower body toning exercises to bring you one Booty-licious bod. A true “lift your booty, love your body” experience. Beyonce’s welcome. No previous dance experience necessary, just come MOVE and have FUN. We can’t wait to SWERK with you! Weather Dependent.
