Downtown Dayton Partnership

Exhibit: Enduring the Seige of Sarajevo – Snapshots of Survival
2025-05-27 | The International Peace Museum, 10 N. Ludlow St., Dayton, OH, 45402

Exhibit: SELFie: The Power Within
2025-05-27 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
The museum’s pop-up exhibit, SELFie: The Power Within, will be in the Main Library’s Opportunity Space @ St. Clair in May. Patrons can let their selfies tell stories of strength, growth, and self-love. The photos that are taken will celebrate the real, unfiltered moments of mental health, with hopes of breaking the stigma surrounding it, thus allowing patrons to explore the power of being their authentic selves.
A reception opening the exhibit will be held on Thursday, May 1, from 6:30-8 pm, in the Main Library’s Atrium. Local advocates and mental health professionals will be present. All ages are welcome to attend the exhibit throughout the month, including the reception.

First Friday at The Arcade
2025-05-27 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | OH
The historic Dayton Arcade is thrilled to announce its inaugural First Friday event, set to take place on Friday, June 6, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the newly revitalized North Arcade.
This exciting event marks a significant milestone in the Arcade’s ongoing transformation into a vibrant hub for community engagement, arts, and commerce. The North Arcade, part of the second phase of the Dayton Arcade’s redevelopment, features 7,500 square feet of retail space under its iconic skylight, providing a picturesque setting for this community celebration. The recently opened 93-room Hilton Garden Inn adds to the Arcade’s appeal as a destination for both locals and visitors.
Event Features:
Vendor Market: The North Arcade first-floor concourse will host 15 local vendors offering a diverse range of products, from handmade crafts and artisanal goods to delicious food and beverages. This event will feature several tenants of the North Arcade’s retail marketplace, set to open later this summer.
Food & Libations: Grab dinner and drinks from the Hilton Garden Inn’s full-service bar and restaurant, The Garden Grille and Bar, located on the second floor of the North Arcade overlooking the concourse. Reservations are not required! Take a beverage in a DORA cup to go to explore the North Arcade and other First Friday experiences downtown.
Live Music: Enjoy live music from BJSR! Ben Rivet’s breathy baritone, eclectic influences and sentimental outlook are the connective tissue behind the self-titled songwriter project “BJSR”. The lively atmosphere will be perfect for individuals of all ages.
Arcade Activation: Other areas of the Arcade complex will be activated during this event, with the 6888 Kitchen Incubator, Table 33, and Gather offering a variety of dining options. The Contemporary Dayton’s free galleries and CoSHOP will be open to browse and shop at 25 W. Fourth St. Please note that during this event, the Arcade’s Rotunda will be closed for a public ticketed Silent Disco – more information can be found at https://www.daytonsilentdisco.com/.
Community Engagement: Attendees will be able to meet and mingle with community members and explore the North Arcade’s recently opened Hilton Garden Inn before checking out the rest of the First Friday events happening downtown, including a free concert at the neighboring Levitt Pavilion featuring Reo Classics Band Ft. Terry Luttrell.
Event Details:
Where: North Arcade, 24 W. Third St. Dayton, OH 45402
When: Friday, June 6, 2025, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Admission: The event is free and open to the public.
Parking and Transportation: Metered street parking around the Arcade complex is free after 6:00 PM. There are nearby paid parking garages such as the Reibold Garage (Fifth Street) and the City of Dayton Municipal Garage (Third Street). The event is easily accessible by public transportation.
Join us for a fun evening celebrating the spirit of Dayton’s community, creativity, and revitalization.
For more event information and vendor list, visit arcadedayton.com or the Dayton Arcade’s social media pages.

A Sanctuary for Peace
2025-05-27 08:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Christ Episcopal Church, 20 W. First St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Join us between 8 am and 8 pm while the NATO General Assembly meets (May 22-26) as we raise our hopes and prayers for continued good will, honest communication, and collaborative support, as we pray for peace. Our worship sanctuary will be available for open prayer with resources provided. Twice each day, at 1 pm and 7 pm will will offered short, structured prayer services (20-30 minutes), supporting the work of peace. All are welcome!

Exhibit: Dayton Around the World
2025-05-27 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Old Court House, 7 N. Main Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
The old Montgomery County Court house is being transformed into a museum ahead of a NATO delegation coming to Dayton on Memorial Day weekend.
Titled “Dayton Around the World,” the exhibit will feature a curated collection of original and replica documents, including the Wright Brothers’ groundbreaking innovations in aviation, historic photographs, and a variety of geologic and fossil specimens discovered in the Miami Valley.
The exhibit will be open throughout the 2025 NATO Parliamentary Assembly Spring Session, and will remain accessible to the public from May 27-29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The courthouse’s first floor will be open for tours and equipped with public restrooms for visitors.
This announcement was made April 24 on the steps of the old courthouse. In attendance were U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton), Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims, Jr., Montgomery County Commissioners Judy Dodge and Mary McDonald, Dayton History President and CEO Brady Kress, and Dayton Society of Natural History President and CEO Tracey Tomme, which runs the Boonshoft Museum.
“The museum started at the library downtown back in the 1800s. So our collections were saved from the flood because they were on the top level,” Tomme said. “It’s nice to bring some of them back downtown.”
Turner sees it as another opportunity to highlight Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and its more than 38,000 military and civilian employees who contribute ational security.
“Their work is important, it strengthens our country and Ohio, and make our nation and our allies stronger every day,” Turner said. “There are businesses throughout Ohio that also contribute to that overall work.”
The courthouse will also house artifacts on loan from the Truman and Clinton Presidential Libraries, historical items from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and images of the Dayton Peace Accords, signed in 1995 to end the Bosnian War.
McDonald said she is excited to show off Dayton’s national and global contributions.
“And for these individuals to come here, and to take part in seeing all the things that the Ketterings have done, NCR, many of these companies that have really touched all over the world — it’s going to be significant for us,” McDonald said.

Mini Resource Fair: Connect to Support & Stability
2025-05-27 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Every Tuesday, except for the second one of the month, DML hosts a Mini Resource Fair: Connect to Support & Stability in the Main Library’s Opportunity Center, from 12-2 pm. Several vendors are always present, offering support and services for various needs, including housing, employment, crisis recovery, mental health, legal aid, and child care.

Exhibit: Think Freedom
2025-05-27 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Dayton Arcade, 35 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402
We’re thrilled to announce a series of public programs surrounding the Think Freedom art installation, on display in the historic Dayton Arcade’s Rotunda during the 2025 NATO Parliamentary Assembly. This marks the installation’s first appearance in the United States.​
Created by Sarajevo-based artist Edina Seleskovic, Think Freedom is a multidisciplinary project that combines sculpture, light, text, and technology to convey messages of peace and unity. Having traveled to 22 cities worldwide, its presence in Dayton commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords.
Join Culture Works at the Dayton Arcade for a chance to view and interact with Think Freedom, accompanied by performances from a variety of local musicians.
Tuesday, May 27 through Friday, May 30 5:00 – 8:00 PM each evening Dayton Arcade, 35 W. Fourth St. Learn More: https://cultureworks.org/think-freedom-dayton/ Project Sponsor: Dayton Arcade

Empowered Voices: Story Sharing with LORE
2025-05-27 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
In partnership with LORE, the Gem City Selfie Museum will host a storytelling session where participants can share personal experiences relating to mental health in Empowered Voices: Story Sharing with LORE, in the Main Library’s Opportunity Center, on Tuesday, May 27, from 6-8 pm. All ages are invited to attend. This program is in conjunction with the museum’s pop-up exhibit, SELFie: The Power Within, on display in the Main Library’s Opportunity Space @ St. Clair until the end of May.

Trivia Tuesday
2025-05-27 19:00 (America/Detroit) | OH
Trivia Tuesdays are fun for everyone at The Dayton Beer Company! Get $3.50 DBC Pints every Tuesday with trivia starting at 7:00 p.m. Cheers!
