Downtown Dayton Partnership

Mary Jane
2026-01-30 20:00 (America/New_York) | Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Avenue, Dayton, OH, 45410, USA
As her young son battles chronic illness, Mary Jane holds chaos at bay with stubborn hope, quiet strength, and a shared fragile faith. The devoted mother leans on an unexpected community of women and discovers that even in the darkest nights, the stars are still there to guide her home.
Mary Jane is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
Runtime: 90 minutes (No Intermission)

Dayton Silent Disco – Cosplay Party
2026-01-30 20:00 | The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Silent Disco is hosting our annual Cosplay Party on Jan 30th at The Brightside Music and Event Venue! Tickets and more details are available at daytonsilentdisco.com KimL will be on the green station with EDM, Sexbox on the blue station with 70s, 80s, and 90s, and John Chapel on the Red station with modern hits! HOW TO GO? Friday, Jan 30, 2026 Cover starts at 8:00pm with music starting at 8:30pm on Jan 30th! Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the doors. We’re offering “Group Tickets” – Save 20% when you bring a group of 10! (Pre-sale only) This show is 21+

Shostakovich 5 & Festive
2026-01-30 19:30 | The Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, 1 West Second Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Maestro Harada leads an exuberant program that reflects his own journey from Japan to Russia, where he mastered the art of conducting. Akutagawa’s “Prima Sinfonia” ignites with rhythmic energy, bold brass, and striking contrasts, channeling the spirit of his Russian contemporaries. Shostakovich’s jubilant “Festive Overture” and deeply powerful “Fifth Symphony” bookend the concert, culminating in an unforgettable evening of sweeping emotion and vibrant sound.

Heroes Assemble Skate
2026-01-30 18:00 - 22:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of MetroParks Ice Rink Theme Nights series
Heroes Assemble Skate
6:00pm – 10:00pm
AGE: All ages | $10.00 | Financial Assistance

With great power comes great responsibility… to show off your moves! Assemble your squad and join us at the MetroParks Ice Rink for a night featuring the best music from across the multiverse and beyond. Weather Dependent.
Skaters are welcome to relax in one of several warming areas, including a heated comfort tent containing games and seating. The RiverScape Cafe will also be open, offering a variety of food and drinks (including our delicious hot cocoa!) for purchase. For those 21 and over, a variety of alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase as part of the Downtown Dayton DORA. Admission is $7, Skate Rental is $3, and there are a limited number of skate helpers available for free. Visitors receive a 75% discount – $1.75 admission and $0.75 skate rental – on admission and skate rental by presenting either a SNAP/EBT or Access to Nature card at the Rental Office. This discount is made possible by Five Rivers MetroParks’ Access to Nature financial assistance program, supported by the Five Rivers MetroParks Foundation.

Strengthening the Fabric of Our Community
2026-01-30 17:00 | The International Peace Museum, 10 N. Ludlow St., Dayton, OH, 45402
A Season for Nonviolence starts this Friday and runs through April 4, 2026. Our theme this year is “Strengthening the Fabric of Community (in order to eliminate ‘Other-ness’)”. The museum will be holding a series of events beginning on Friday, January 30th, at 5 pm. We will be joined by Imam Ayman Soliman as our keynote speaker. He was a Chaplain at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, but his Visa was revoked, and then he was held in a detention facility for 73 days. Imam Soliman will share his story of hope and determination.
We will also be joined by our exhibiting artists, George Harb and Mona Gazala, with their exhibit “Ordinary Lives,” which opens January 30. This exhibit imagines Palestinian existence as an unbroken continuum—a lineage of care, memory, and everyday beauty that stretches from ancient ritual to the present moment. Across the gallery, Mona Gazala’s photographic works and George Harb’s intimate family archive come together to affirm that Palestinian life is shaped not solely by survival, but by an enduring inheritance of joy, dignity, and deep interior worlds.

Ohayocon
2026-01-30 12:00 | Dayton Convention Center, 22 East 5th Street, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Ohayocon, one of the Midwest’s largest anime, gaming, and pop culture conventions, announces its return to Dayton, Ohio, for the three-day event at the Dayton Convention Center! Attendees can look forward to the return of signature events such as Cosplay Expo, Foam Sword Fighting, Gaming, Ohayocon Fantasy Ball and more! The convention will feature enhanced theater experiences, including an elevated stage and improved lighting to provide better viewing for events such as the Cosplay Expo, Guest D&D game and panels. Ohayocon is thrilled to reveal this year’s lineup of incredible guests, some making rare Midwest appearances! The convention will also host two special show reunions: the cast of “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy” and an “Invader Zim” 25th-anniversary reunion Event Details: When: Jan. 30 – Feb. 1, 2026 Where: Dayton Convention Center: 22 East Fifth Street Dayton, OH 45402 This year’s event promises an unforgettable weekend. It’s the perfect gift for any anime, gaming, or pop culture fan!

Temporary Exhibit: Ordinary Lives
2026-01-30 | The International Peace Museum, 10 N. Ludlow St., Dayton, OH, 45402
“Ordinary Lives imagines Palestinian existence as an unbroken continuum—a lineage of care, memory, and everyday beauty that stretches from ancient ritual to the present moment. Across the gallery, Mona Gazala’s photographic works and George Harb’s intimate family archive come together to affirm that Palestinian life is shaped not solely by survival, but by an enduring inheritance of joy, dignity, and deep interior worlds.

In Gazala’s images, ancestral echoes surface through gestures and objects that bridge archaeology and lived experience. Portraits that invoke ancient forms of veneration and photographs that draw on the quiet symbolism of archaeological fragments work in concert to honor the overlooked, the ordinary, and the deeply rooted. Whether reimagining the visual language of early ancestral practices or elevating humble shards as vessels of story, these works collectively underscore a truth that stretches across millennia: what persists is reverence—reverence for family, land, and the accumulated layers of Palestinian life.

These themes resonate through the collage of George Harb’s archival videos and photographs spanning the diaspora, Ramallah, Jerusalem, and greater Palestine. His extensive family documentation—childhood scenes, celebrations, rites of passage, and landscapes of home—reveals generations living with tenderness, intuition, and grounded connection. It offers a glimpse of Palestinian joy and interiority, sustained independently of external forces and carried forward despite trauma.

Together, Gazala’s contemporary works and Harb’s historical archive form a unified narrative of continuity: a testament to the ancient and ongoing pulse of Palestinian life. Their stories—rooted in ritual, memory, everyday gestures, and deep familial ties—assert that Palestinian presence has never been broken.”

Dan Cleary: Five Views of Ohio
2026-01-30, 2026-01-29, 2026-01-28 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Dan Cleary: Five Views of Ohio January 7-31, 2025 Opening Reception: Jan 7, 2026 Closing Reception: Jan 31, 2026 Dan Cleary: Five Views of Ohio features work from the Dayton-based photographer’s ongoing Ohio Landscape series, in which he turns his lens toward the places that shape daily life across the region. For years, he has traveled throughout Ohio’s cities, rivers, and countryside, capturing scenes that reveal the quiet rhythms of a landscape both familiar and constantly shifting. In these five photographs, Cleary explores his connection to home through light, water, and motion—moving from the still surface of a backwater stream to the rush of a downtown river or streetcar. Cleary is drawn to the moments when nature and the built environment meet: reflections that ripple across moving water, light that bends along a city street, ordinary places that transform for an instant into something newly seen. His images invite viewers to recognize these in-between spaces in their own surroundings, where history, community, and landscape intersect. Through this series, Cleary offers a meditation on the layered beauty of everyday Ohio and the fleeting, sacred moments found along the paths people travel each day.

Jason Cytacki, Haley Prestifilippo, and Yoshiko Shimano Exhibit
2026-01-30, 2026-01-29 | Galleries at Sinclair College, 444 W. Third St., Bldg. 13, Dayton, OH, 45402
The Sinclair Community College Art Department is pleased to present “Knickknacks” by Jason Cytacki and Haley Prestifilippo in the Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery along with “Lasting Memories” by Yoshiko Shimano in the Works on Paper Gallery. Cytacki’s work critically examines the American mythological landscape, particularly suburban life, through his paintings. He utilizes tenuous, anxious humor, and unexpected juxtapositions to question the underlying narratives that shape our shared identity, asking the question: “Is this all there is?” Prestifilippo explores the way histories adhere to physical forms, layering and ossifying into material residue of experience. Her detailed drawings of personally precious objects are woven with her hair collected post-partum. Viewers are invited to consider the stories embedded within both her works and outside objects such as a tree’s rings, holding the history of its growth. Shimano utilizes the traditions of her Japanese heritage through printmaking to express the depth of beauty that can come through the complexities of the human experience. “Lasting Memories” aims to keep record of her friends’ life stories as they live to the fullest despite old age, memory loss, and eventually death. There will be a virtual artist talk via Zoom on January 30, 2026, at 12pm. Visit www.sinclair.edu/artgalleries for details. The exhibitions will be on display from January 5 – February 2, 2026. Galleries are located on the fourth floor of building 13 (located at West Fifth and Perry Streets). The galleries are free and open to the public from 8am–6pm Monday–Friday and 9am–12pm Saturdays. Free and accessible parking is located in Parking Lot K.

Exhibit: Being Seen
2026-01-30, 2026-01-29 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Metro Library will host Brian Mathus and his exhibit Being Seen in The 2nd Floor Gallery of the Main Library from Friday, January 2, through Saturday, January 31.

Mathus paints with “emotional clarity” on canvas, wood, and paper. He uses graphite and Conte crayon to “draw interwoven relationships between meaning with composition and color,” according to his artist statement.

“Using acrylic and oil paint, I create an atmosphere that shapes meaning through composition and color,” said Mathus. He builds metaphors layer by layer until a piece reaches the ecstatic and the sublime, integrating Fauvism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, and African art into his unique language.

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

Ice Skating
2026-01-30, 2026-01-29 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Sheltered under the covered pavilion, the MetroParks Ice Rink sets the scene as a perfect winter wonderland in downtown Dayton. While the rink is open, you can enjoy delicious treats from the concession area, including a cup of hot chocolate. Take advantage of fun skating activities, such as lessons, themed skating nights and more. Visit metroparks.org/ice-rink to learn more, find daily open hours, and see a schedule of events. Admission: $7 daily, ice skate rental: $3 daily. Season passes available. Ages 3 and under are free with a paying adult. 278-2607.

Polar Bear Express
2026-01-30, 2026-01-29 | Downtown Dayton
Book a ride on the abominably decorated Pedal Wagon for a 2-hour pedaling adventure through the fest streets of Dayton and to the best bars and restaurants. Reservations required. pedalwagon.com/dayton

Music Bingo Thursdays
2026-01-29 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
2026-01-29 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.

Dayton Battle of the Bands – Week 3 (Hip Hop / Rap)
2026-01-29 19:00 - 22:00 | The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
DAYTON BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2026 – WEEK 3! HIP HOP / RAP NIGHT Thursday, January 29, 2026 | The Brightside Week 3 brings the heat with an incredible lineup of Hip Hop & Rap artists showcasing original music, high-energy performances, and Dayton talent on the rise! Catch these artists on stage: Damac The Eco Tronee Threat TYBEE & THE BUZZ Not familiar with the performers? That’s the whole point! DBOTB is designed to introduce you to fresh, original artists making waves in our region. Every in-person ticket buyer gets one vote to help choose the Week 3 winner. The winning artist advances to the Dayton Battle of the Bands Finale — plus additional prizes! Event Details: Thursday, January 29, 2026 The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton) Doors: 6:30pm Show: 7:15pm – 9:45pm Winner Announced: approx. 10:15pm Arrive early to catch every performance! Tickets: $10 advance / $15 at the door https://tickets.venuepilot.com/e/dayton-battle-of-the-bands-week-3-hip-hop-rap-2026-01-29-the-brightside-music-event-venue-dayton-2f6429 Advance tickets strongly recommended. Your ticket purchase helps support production costs and prizes — thank you for supporting original music in Dayton! Important Notes: Ticket email missing? Check Spam/Junk. If your card was charged, you’re on the list. All ages welcome! Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Free parking on both sides of the building. No backpacks, outside beverages, or weapons. No food truck is currently planned, but outside food is allowed (within reason). We highly recommend ordering from Tony & Pete’s, down the street on 3rd St. General Admission. Seating not guaranteed, but we do our best. Bar available with alcoholic & NA options. No outside drinks allowed. Tickets are non-refundable. If you can’t attend, feel free to transfer your ticket or consider it a donation to the team supporting new, original music in Dayton. Weather Notice: If roads are unsafe, a reschedule date will be announced. Join us for Week 3 as Dayton’s Hip Hop & Rap community takes the stage!

Community Workshop – Flourish and Flow: An Oil Painting Journey
2026-01-29 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.

Singalong Broadway
2026-01-28 20:00 | Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Calling all musical theatre lovers, shower singers, and showtune fanatics! This is your chance to belt out your favorite Broadway tunes with a theatre full of old and new friends!
SINGALONG BROADWAY is a high-octane love letter to Broadway musicals that will have you singing along to Broadway’s greatest tracks at an all-out Broadway themed party.
This isn’t just a singalong — it’s a Broadway takeover! You CAN belt out songs like “Defying Gravity,” “Seasons Of Love,” “One Day More,” and “You Can’t Stop The Beat” with a theatre full of fans just like you. SINGALONG BROADWAY is a chance for people who unapologetically love musicals to belt out their favorite tunes and most importantly, be themselves.
So, grab your friends, dress up as your favorite Broadway characters, and get ready for an unforgettable night of music, laughter, and maybe even some surprises.

Wu-Tang Wednesdays
2026-01-28 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
2026-01-28 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
2026-01-28 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-01-28 14:00 - 16:00, 2026-01-28 13:00 - 15:00 | 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.

Artist in Training (AIT) Program
2026-01-28 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.

Interviewing 101 with Clothes That Work
2026-01-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Metro Library, through its Workforce Education Program Initiative, continues its partnership with Clothes That Work to provide valuable career development opportunities.
Resume Rescue with Clothes That Work

Wednesday, January 21, 10-11 am, Main Library, Opportunity Center
Wednesday, February 18, 10-11 am, Main Library, Opportunity Center

Learn to create a standout resume by crafting strong summaries, highlighting key skills, optimizing for applicant tracking systems, and marketing effectively. Registration required.
Interviewing 101 with Clothes That Work:

Wednesday, January 28, 10-11 am, Main Library, Opportunity Center
Thursday, February 12, 12-1 pm, Electra C. Doren Branch
Wednesday, February 25, 10-11 am, Main Library, Opportunity Center

Gain confidence in answering questions, develop a winning elevator pitch, and master online interviews. Registration required.
How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market

Wednesday, February 18, 2-4 pm, West Branch

Learn how to showcase skills, optimize resumes and cover letters, ace interviews, and leverage networking opportunities. Registration required.
Clothes that Work is a grassroots nonprofit organization that provides professional workplace clothing, confidence-building resources, and soft skills training for job seekers in the Miami Valley. Its Workforce Education Initiative curriculum was designed by area professionals specializing in workforce development and education. For additional information about this organization, visit clothesthatwork.org.
For more information about these programs and to register, visit DaytonMetroLibrary.org or call the Library’s Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665.
