Downtown Dayton Partnership

Gem City Comic Con
2024-07-20 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-07-21 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Detroit) | OH
We are a handful of enthusiasts with a passion for art, fiction and comic books. We value learning, community, and shared experience. With the help of family, friends and great number of attendees the Gem City Comic Con has grown, without sacrificing the core that made it fun.
For all your Comic Con questions please feel free to visit their website to get the most up to date information and stay connected to everything that is going on. https://www.gemcitycomiccon.com/

Exhibit: Katherine Kadish & David Leach: Crossroads
2024-07-20 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
2024-07-20 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
2024-07-20 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.

Exhibit: Part of a Whole: 1/2
2024-07-20 12:00 - 17:00 | Dayton Society of Artists, 48 High Street, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
PART OF A WHOLE: 1/2
DSA’S ANNUAL MEMBERS SHOW
The Dayton Society of Artists (DSA) is thrilled to present PART OF A WHOLE: 1/2, the first 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. We are excited to see the incredible variety and quality of art that will be on display, and make sure to come back on August 2nd for another unique members exhibition!
PART OF A WHOLE: 1/2 runs from Friday, July 5th to Saturday, July 27th. 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).

We Care Arts Pop Up Art Shop
2024-07-20 13:00 | The Barrel House, 417 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Join us as we host the wonderful folks of We Care Arts, selling their unique, inspired art!
“We believe in the healing power of creating and producing art that transforms physical, developmental, and mental challenges into a future rich with possibilities. We’re guided by our vision that creating art compliments medical therapies.
As a 501c3 organization with 38 years of experience, We Care Arts increases confidence and artistic skill in a variety of individuals with varying disabilities and physical challenges. Our founder Terry Schalnat began in 1983, changing disabilities into possibilities in the basement of a recreation center.
Since then, We Care Arts has grown to serve 1200 clients at more than forty off-site locations within the greater Dayton area. Alongside our executive director, our volunteer staff and board contribute more than 28,000 hours annually to our mission.

Draw from the Collection
2024-07-20 13:00 - 15:30 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
Get inspired, get creative, get sketching! Learn about a variety of drawing concepts and techniques with the guidance of a Museum Educator while exploring the artworks of a highlighted collection gallery each month.

Each month is an in-depth study with the objects, ideas, or processes featured in the collection galleries. Each month features a different gallery and a different drawing theme. Guests will create sketch studies of artworks featured in the gallery, then proceed to the studios to do an in-depth examination of the drawing processes and ideas featured for the month. All drawing experience levels welcome!
All materials provided, but guests may bring their own sketchbook. Open to all abilities and interests. Draw from the Collection is best for ages 12 and up. Advanced registration encouraged; drop-ins welcome.

Ages: 16 and up
Cost: $25 members, $30 non-members

JAM Foodie Tour
2024-07-20 15:00 - 18:00 | Sueno, 607 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
JAM Foodie Tours are currently walking, talking, and eating on select Fridays and Saturdays in June and July @3:00p starting at Sueño. Every tour varies slightly, but aims to be wrapping up around 5:30-6:00p. Tickets are $100 per person.

JAM Foodie Tours strives to create a unique, communal culinary experience that feeds your mind and belly. Experience our local community while sharing food, exploring culture, and discovering history. Our goal is to create a business that supports and grows the fantastic food and culinary operations in Dayton, as well as enhance the economic development of the streets where we will walk and eat.

What’s Included

Tour guide
Scenic walking route
6-ish samples of food and/or drinks at various establishments in and around the Oregon District.
Education and history about the places we eat at and some of the places we walk by.

Blues Amplified ft. Anthony Rosano & the Conqueroos | Eric Jerardi | Westside Players
2024-07-20 17:30 | Levitt Pavilion Dayton, 134 S. Main St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Join us this year as we celebrate the new Blues Amplified night sponsored by the City of Dayton (formerly known as the City of Dayton Blues Festival). Now the team at Levitt Dayton has taken over the programming and curation of these events, adding them to their summer concert season. The three Amplified concerts will be held on three Saturdays and begin at 5:30 p.m. instead of the normal 7 p.m. concert start time and feature a DJ, two openers and a headliner, amplifying blues, funk and Reggae genres of music.
Blues Amplified Lineup:

DJ Oscar
Eric Jerardi
The Westside Players
Headliner: Anthony Rosano & the Conqueroos

Projects Unlimited Gem Series Opener: Eric Jerardi
Eric Jerardi, a Dayton, Ohio native, is a seasoned musician known for his dynamic blend of blues, rock, and soul. With multiple albums under his belt, including the critically acclaimed “Occupied,” and a track record of sharing stages with legends like Little Feat and Robin Trower, Jerardi’s musical prowess continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Projects Unlimited Gem Series Opener: Westside Players
The Westside Players featuring Gary Guitar Williams are a “So Help The Boogie” Blues act. Founder & leader Gary Guitar Williams has been playing guitar and performing for over four decades. Gary started out playing with bands in his teens and hasn’t slowed down yet. He has played and performed with many local and national blues acts. He spent a decade with Snapper Mitchum playing and touring, as well as playing with The Ohio Players, Malcolm

Anthony Rosano & the Conqueroos
Singer, guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader, Anthony Rosano, has always been drawn to grit, gravitas and the connection that comes from making music. Although his music roots are implanted in the firmament of the blues, he takes his cue from any number of archival influences.
While some have compared the Conqueroos’ sound to that of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble or Rory Gallagher, Anthony has always followed his own muse. A native New Yorker who now resides in Norfolk Virginia, he won instant acclaim with “Cheat the Devil” which made its debut at number 3 on the Billboard blues chart and has been recived positively by fans and critics.

The Quiet World of Edward Hopper
2024-07-21 | 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
2024-07-21 | 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.

Brunch at the Brightside, a Food Truck Rally
2024-07-21 10:00 - 15:00 | The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
The Brightside Music & Event Venue, located on 3rd St. in Downtown Dayton, is hosting their new concept, “Brunch at the Brightside, a Food Truck Rally,” for the second time this Sunday, July 21st with a “Down on the Farm” theme.

“We’re really excited to be hosting our second brunch food truck rally at The Brightside this Sunday because, in addition to some incredible brunch food trucks, they’re investing in a bunch of special programing onsite including a petting zoo, goat yoga, and fresh produce vendors for everyone to enjoy,” Brian Johnson, event organizer said. “Enjoying our local food trucks is always a great time and to add on this special ‘Down on the Farm’ theme just makes it all that much better. I even heard there’s going to be a Lil’ Sebastian look alike pony, ” Johnson said.

Brunch at the Brightside is hosting 10 trucks this Sunday from 11am to 3pm; Home Cooked Vibes, Cruisin Cuisine, Let’s Eat Food Truck, The Food Pitt, Rennys Hennys, Delish, El Bueno Taco, Nourishing Souls Mobile Juice Bar, Jars by Jas, Kerry’s Café alongside cocktails and non alcoholic options from The Brightside. There will also be fresh produce from Regenerate Garden Co and Foxhole Farm. Additionally, The Brightside is hosting Goat Yoga by Goat Country from 10am to 11am with an additional ticket and then a free petting zoo for all attendees to enjoy during the food truck rally.

“We’re excited to add these special details that develop the event in a memorable way for our attendees,” Johnson said. “This Sunday is a perfect opportunity to get together with your friends and family to enjoy some delicious food and beverages, oh, and don’t forget to pet the goats!”

Attendees can get more information at thebrightsidedayton.com

Church of Funk
2024-07-21 11:00 - 14:00 | Oregon Express, 336 E. 5th Street, Dayton, OH, 45402, USA
Cooley the Curator, *Aka Pastor Cooley,* will be presiding over the wheels of steel between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Entry is free! He’ll be offering up the finest Funk, Soul, & Reggae during our Sunday lunch service! Join us for the Funk but stick around for special themed drinks and food specials.

Carriage Hill Steam Engine at the 2nd Street Market
2024-07-21 11:00 - 15:00 | 2nd Street Market, 600 E. Second St., Dayton, OH, 45402, USA
Visit the 2nd Street Market and watch an 1896 Steam Engine from Carriage Hill, a Five Rivers MetroPark location, steam free corn on the cob for your enjoyment. Butter and salt are provided, of course.

Icons Drag Brunch
2024-07-21 11:00 - 15:00 | Yellow Cab Tavern, 700 E 4th St, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Brunch, Glitter, Fabulous Drinks! Count us in. Grab your friends for Icons Drag Brunch at Yellow Cab Tavern!
PLEASE NOTE: Seating is NOT ASSIGNED!!!!!! So you need to come with your party all together!!SEATING IS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE !!ALSO if you cant make room sit with someone new make a friend we are here to have fun!!THIS IS INDOOR ONLY NO PATIO SEATING AVAILABLE!!Doors will open at 11am for the 12pm show that ends at 3pm!A Gratuity WILL be added If not tipping accordingly to waitstaff Food available for purchase from Pizza Bandit Food Truck Wheelchair accessibleFabulous Drinks Drag show performance provided by Scarlett Moon and her entertainers!$15 Tickets, (INCLUDE: General Admission, Photo Op with entertainers) NO DRINKS and NO FOOD INCLUDED $3 from every ticket is being donated toNO REFUNDS!!21 and up ONLY (ADULT HUMOR AND WORDS WILL BE HEARD)ABSOLUTELY NO glitter, confetti, silly string, or any other celebratory confetti like items or a $200 clean up fee will be charged to your bill!!The Audience game money is all put back into the brunch to make the better but the winner does receive a gift!Once you buy a ticket you’ll be automatically added to our newsletter and receive emails about future events.

Skinner Pipe Organ Concert
2024-07-21 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

Game Night
2024-07-21 17:00 - 20:00 | The Dayton Woman’s Club, 225 N Ludlow St, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Game Night
Sunday, July 21, 2024
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Light snacks and drinks included
Pay at the door: $10 per person
To RSVP, call 937-228-1124 and leave a message. Walk-ins welcome!
Bring your table games and friends for our Family-Friendly Game Night – snacks and drinks included.

Leila Bordreuil, Apologist, lovae, & Evan Miller
2024-07-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Skeleton Dust Records, 133 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Skeleton Dust presents
LEILA BORDREUIL (NYC/France)
APOLOGIST (Philadelphia)
IOVAE (Cincinnati)
EVAN MILLER (Dayton)
Sunday July 21st 2024133 E. 3rd St. Dayton OH7pm $10

Monday Summer Reading Club
2024-07-22 | 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.

Monday Summer Reading Club
2024-07-22 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!

BootyMix Fitness
2024-07-22 18:00 - 19:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
AGE: All ages | FREE
BootyMix is a mixture of booty-centric experiences that make you feel alive and give you the confidence to take back your life through community, movement, and music. You’ll leave class with a better sense of self worth and honor your body for what it can do. Your mind will be refreshed so you can walk out into the world with a new perspective and confidence to chase those big dreams. Weather Dependent.

Bootcamp with The Unit
2024-07-22 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.

Crime Scene Crack-Up presented by Mayhem & Mystery
2024-07-22 19:00 | Spaghetti Warehouse, 36 W. Fifth St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Sara Bounasera and Mick Tailor lead a crackpot team of crime scene technicians that investigate details and hunt down perpetrators. Do they always play by the rules? When a crime hits close to home will they be able put aside their emotions and solve it? Or will you be able to solve it for them?
Performances are Monday evenings plus one Friday each month at the Spaghetti Warehouse in Downtown Dayton, Ohio. Three course dinner and interactive mystery show costs $39.95 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required. Please call the Spaghetti Warehouse at 937.461.3913 to make reservations.

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
2024-07-23 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.

Tai Chi & Qigong at the River
2024-07-23 18:00 - 19:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of RiverScape Community Fitness series
Tai Chi & Qigong at the River
6:00pm – 7:00pm
AGE: All ages | FREE
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 meditations. 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! Weather Dependent.

Live Music from Danny Voris
2024-07-23 19:00 - 21:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of Tuesday Nights in the Park series
Live Music from Danny Voris
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. You can catch Danny Voris, local guitarist at RiverScape on July 23rd, September 24th, and October 22nd from 7 to 9 PM. Admission is free! Weather Dependent.
