Downtown Dayton Partnership

Live Music from Marianne Kesler
2024-07-30 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Detroit) | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of Tuesday Nights in the Park series
Live Music from Marianne Kesler
7:00pm – 9:00pm
AGE: All ages | FREE
Join us at RiverScape on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from June-October for live music, food, drinks and fun! Come support local musicians, try some delicious food from the Cafe, and challenge your friends to some giant lawn games. As part of the Downtown Dayton DORA, the RiverScape Cafe will also be offering a variety of cocktails, wine, beer and more for those 21 and over. Marianne Kesler, local musician, performs amazing acoustic covers ranging from pop, rock and more. You can catch Marianne on June 25th and July 30th at RiverScape from 7 to 9 PM. Admission is free! Weather Dependent.

The Quiet World of Edward Hopper
2024-07-31, 2024-08-01, 2024-08-02 | 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
2024-07-31, 2024-08-01, 2024-08-02 | 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.

Exhibit: Katherine Kadish & David Leach: Crossroads
2024-07-31 11:00 - 18:00, 2024-08-01 11:00 - 18:00, 2024-08-02 11:00 - 18:00 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present new and recent work by two of the area’s most esteemed artists, each and together exploring recent “crossroads” in their lives. The exhibition will feature Kadish’s evocative monotype and painted colorscapes paired with Leach’s abstracted landscape, architecture, and interior drawings and prints; as well as two new monotypes the artists created collaboratively for the exhibition.
Both artists have exhibited widely and are featured in prominent public and private collections all over the world. Kadish is based in Yellow Springs and often collaborates with Lisa Mackie, Master Prints, NY. Leach is based in Dayton, is Emeritus Professor, Wright State University, and an active member of the Dayton Printmakers Co-op.
In conjunction with the exhibition, a selection of monotypes and prints by the artists will be available for purchase in The CoSHOP Pop-up Print Shop.

Exhibit: Andy Snow: Time Mends, Space Blends
2024-07-31 11:00 - 18:00, 2024-08-01 11:00 - 18:00, 2024-08-02 11:00 - 18:00 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton presents a series of blended photographs from the Flood of 1913 and present day Dayton, Ohio by Dayton-based artist, Andy Snow.
Exhibit on display through August 10.

Exhibit: Tess Cortés: Vanishing Point
2024-07-31 11:00 - 18:00, 2024-08-01 11:00 - 18:00 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Using digitized family movies, photographs, and computer-generated 3D models of heirloom objects, Cortés invites viewers to contemplate the intersection of memory, perception, and the passage of time. Both recollection and imagination, Vanishing Point’s never-ending scroll along the screen symbolizes the convergence of past and present.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the artist has also produced a limited edition video print available for purchase in The CoSHOP Pop-up Print Shop.
Tess Cortés is an award-winning Dayton-based digital media artist and Instructor of Motion Design at the Modern College of Design, Kettering.
Work on display through August 10, 2024.

CURIO Lunch Box
2024-07-31 12:00 - 14:00, 2024-08-01 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/

Nature Adventures Family Program
2024-07-31 14:30 - 15:30 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space: Participate in arts and crafts, activities, and experiments that focus on the diversity of the natural world. Every session has a different theme.

June 5: Camping
June 12: Gardening with The Ohio State University Extension Office
June 26: Get up close with encounters of Brukner Nature Center animals.
July 10: Nature scavenger hunt
July 17: Meet local author Christina Dendy who will share her book The Wall and the Wild and lead a garden themed art project.
July 31: Summer weather

Nature Adventures Family Program
2024-07-31 14:30 - 15:30 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Families will participate in art and craft projects, activities, and experiments centered around the theme of “Summer Weather.”
• Wednesday, July 31, 2:30-3:30 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space

CURIO Midweek Mix
2024-07-31 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/

Stay Fit with DCDC
2024-07-31 18:00 - 19:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of RiverScape Community Fitness series
Stay Fit with DCDC
6:00pm – 7:00pm
AGE: All ages | FREE
Get fit the DCDC way. You’ve seen the dancers, and their phenomenal displays of strength and endurance. Now you can benefit from the fitness training these artist/athletes receive. Based on Tabata, classes are suitable for all levels of experience, body type and facility. Classes are conducted by members of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. Weather Dependent.

Bootcamp with The Unit
2024-07-31 18:00 - 19:30 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of RiverScape Community Fitness series
Bootcamp with The Unit
6:00pm – 7:30pm
AGE: All ages | FREE
Join The Unit for an exciting boot camp workout that will take you through RiverScape in a whole new way. Whether you’re running the stairs, doing push ups near the reflecting pools, or stretching along the levee, this effective workout will keep you moving. Combined with the uplifting support of the community members that make up The Unit, this is a workout you will want to make part of your weekly routine. All fitness levels welcome and encouraged! Weather Dependent.

Summer Writing Challenge
2024-08-01 14:30 - 15:30 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Summer Writing Challenge, Thursday, July 18, and August 1, 2:30-3:30 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space:
Kids can explore storytelling and creative expression to write their own stories, with inspiration from the Summer Challenge. Work with fun prompts and new ways to spark imagination. For Tweens, grades 5-6

Kayak Rentals at RiverScape with Taiter’s Kayak Solutions
2024-08-01 16:00 - 20:00 | 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
4:00pm – 8:00pm
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.

Thirsty Thursday at Corner Kitchen with Tori Lee
2024-08-01 16:00 - 22:00 | Corner Kitchen, 613 E. Fifth St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Thirsty Thursdays with fantastic Tori Lee! Enjoy curated drinks, plates, and tracks from Tori and the CK team every Thursday starting March 14th! Specials include 9 Artisanal fat washed martinis, $5 off Prime Cuts, $9 small plates at the bar, $5 wine pours and $3 drafts.

Athletics and Activisms – The Journey of a 1968 Olympic Medalist
2024-08-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Just in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Dayton Metro Library will host Athletics and Activisms – The Journey of a 1968 Olympic Medalist (with John Carlos) as part of its Social Justice Speaker Series. Athletics and Activisms will be held on Thursday, August 1, in the Main Library’s Eichelberger Forum, from 6-7:30 pm.

During the 1968 Olympic Trials, John Carols beat Tommie Smith’s world record in the 200-meter final by .03 seconds. However, due to Carlos’s spike formation on his shoes, the record was never ratified. Carlos would still go on to win a bronze medal in the Mexico City Olympic games. During the ceremony, Carlos stood beside Smith, a black-gloved fist raised in the air and shoes removed, proclaiming his support for racial equality during the Civil Rights Movement.

Join John Carlos as he reflects on how standing up for equal rights has shaped him as an athlete and an activist. Adults and teens are welcome. This free event is sponsored by Friends of the Dayton Metro Library. Seating is first come, first serve, but additional seating will be available in an overflow room set up with live streaming.

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

John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band (J2B2)
2024-08-01 19:00 | Levitt Pavilion Dayton, 134 S. Main St., Dayton, OH, 45402
J2B2 is an all-star bluegrass supergroup featuring four legendary, award-winning musicians – John Jorgenson on acoustic guitar, mandolin and vocals; Herb Pedersen on banjo, acoustic guitar and vocals; Mark Fain on bass; and Patrick Sauber on acoustic guitar and vocals – delivering bluegrass like no one has ever heard it before. The band’s undeniable live shows have received stellar reviews and have the bluegrass world buzzing. The four combine forces to form a spot-on union of impeccable musicianship, incomparable songwriting, incredible harmony vocals (a fresh twist combining bluegrass with elements of West Coast folk rock) and seasoned showmanship. This is the “high lonesome sound” of American roots music at its finest.
Jorgenson and Pedersen are founders (with Chris Hillman) of the formative country rock group Desert Rose Band. After working as a freelance musician in Southern California, Jorgenson met Hillman and soon formed the Desert Rose Band. In 1990, Jorgenson went on to found the Hellecasters and toured with Elton John’s band for six years. Artists ranging from Barbra Streisand to Bonnie Raitt to Earl Scruggs have sought out Jorgenson’s guitar work. Jorgenson portrayed Django Reinhardt in the Hollywood feature film Head in the Clouds. In 2008, Jorgenson won a Grammy for Best Country Instrumental with Brad Paisley and was nominated for Best Bluegrass Album with Earl Scruggs.
Herb Pedersen was a member of legendary bluegrass band The Dillards as well as bluegrass super-group Old and In the Way. A sought-after singer and musician, he has worked with such music legends as Chris Hillman, Earl Scruggs, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Tony Rice, Dan Fogelberg, Stephen Stills, Linda Ronstadt, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, Jackson Browne and John Denver.
Mark Fain toured and recorded as bass player for Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for 13 years. He’s toured and recorded with the Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Dwight Yoakam, Allison Krauss and Dolly Parton, as well as producing many artists in jazz, country, bluegrass and gospel genres.
Patrick Sauber is a multi-instrumentalist who has quickly made a name for himself in the world of bluegrass and old time music. Equally adept on guitar, mandolin and banjo, Sauber has toured with Peter Rowan and Laurie Lewis and appeared on screen in “The Mighty Wind.”
J2B2’s debut album, From The Crow’s Nest, was recorded in Sheryl Crow’s home barn studio in Nashville, Tennessee. The album was recently released as part of a John Jorgenson limited edition, 3-CD box set called DIVERTUOSO (Cleopatra Records), which has received vast critical acclaim. DIVERTUOSO includes three new distinct albums by Jorgenson: J2B2 – From The Crow’s Nest; John Jorgenson Quintet – Returning (gypsy jazz); and John Jorgenson – Gifts From The Flood(instrumental electric guitar).
In addition to recording their first album as a group, J2B2 has played several major tour dates over the course of the past two and a half years, including tours of Norway and the UK, performances at the annual RockyGrass Festival in Lyons, Colorado; the Joe Val Festival in Framingham, Massachusetts; and headlining the Guitar Town Festival in Copper Mountain, Colorado, three years in a row. J2B2 made its Grand Ole Opry debut in October 2013 and has returned several times to the Opry since. J2B2 has created quite a buzz, and The International Bluegrass Music Association is among the many giving the newly formed band’s live performance high marks. In a review, the IBMA noted, “There was warmth, and storytelling, and lots of laughter as this fresh band of legends made their debut…but with their expertise combined, you would think they had been playing in this configuration for years.”
Yes! Weekly in Greensboro, NC has noted of J2B2: “Expect fireworks and amazing playing from some of the best string players in the world.”

Six Foot Blonde “And Then Some!” Tour
2024-08-01 19:30 | The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
We are excited to bring back Six Foot Blonde for their “And Then Some” national tour with exceptional local guests crabswithoutlegs & Eastwood. This will be an extraordinary evening of live music featuring three amazing up-and-coming bands! If you love these bands, local record store Skeleton Dust Records will be on-site selling vinyl too. $10 EARLY BIRD SPECIAL (limited qty available). General admission $15 advance here: https://www.venuepilot.co/events/101382/orders/new $20 at the door. All ages welcome.

Exhibit: Part of a Whole: 2/2
2024-08-02 | Dayton Society of Artists, 48 High Street, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of a whole: 2/2
Dsa’s annual members show
The Dayton Society of Artists (DSA) is thrilled to present PART OF A WHOLE: 2/2, the second segment of our annual members’ exhibition. This unique two-part event showcases the diverse and vibrant talents of our member artists, encompassing a wide range of mediums, techniques, and styles.
We are honored to have Marsha Pippenger, past president of the DSA, as our juror for this exhibition and this year, DSA has divided the annual members’ exhibition into two parts to ensure all members have the opportunity to present their best work.
PART OF A WHOLE: 2/2 runs from Friday, August 2nd to Saturday, August 24th. Our gallery is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with additional viewing times available by appointment (email info@daytondsa.org to schedule).

Art in the City Juried Art Show
2024-08-02 | Downtown Dayton
August 2-16- Art in the City Juried Art Show
Multiple locations throughout downtown Dayton; call for individual businesses’ hours
YOU decide the best artist in the Art in the City juried show! This juried art show, organized by the Dayton Society of Artists, features pop-up galleries by local artists placed in downtown businesses. Visit participating businesses to see works by local artists, then go to DowntownDayton.org or Dayton.com to vote for your favorite artwork. The winning artist will be announced after voting ends and will receive a cash prize. Voting opens at 5 p.m. on August 2, and ends at noon on August 16. Find a map of all the Juried Art Show locations here. For more information, visit Dayton.com or DowntownDayton.org.
