Downtown Dayton Partnership

Karaoke
2025-11-27 18:30 - 21:30 (America/Detroit) | OH
Join us for Karaoke Thursdays at The Dayton Beer Company, hosted by Limelight Entertainment from 6:30 p.m.-9:30p.m. Cheers!

Deck the Diamond
2025-11-27 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Day Air Ballpark, 220 North Patterson Blvd., Dayton, OH, 45402
Step into a winter wonderland at Day Air Ballpark, where the magic of the season shines bright! Experience the enchantment of over 1.1 million dazzling lights and enjoy a festive lineup of holiday activities perfect for the whole family. Make unforgettable memories together at this one-of-a-kind holiday celebration. Enjoy festive displays, a themed light show, live performances and entertainment, family fun, holiday shopping, delicious treats, photos with Santa, ornament decorating, rides on the North Pole Express, fire pits and s’mores, carnival games, photo opportunities, letters to Santa, the grand tree, and so much more! For tickets and more information, visit dragonsdeckthediamond.com.

Community Workshop – Flourish and Flow: An Oil Painting Journey
2025-11-27 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | 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.

Thanksgiving Meal
2025-11-27 14:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | The Foundry, 124 Madison St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Foundry at the AC Dayton Hotel is offering a special Thanksgiving menu to diners for the holiday on Thursday, November 27th! Dayton’s top all-season rooftop bar has a menu that includes a traditional Thanksgiving turkey plate with all the trimmings, Thanksgiving assorted pies, as well as Foundry favorites like avocado deviled eggs and nutty mushroom pizza. Reservations are recommended.

Holiday Greenery Crafting
2025-11-27 11:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Now and Zen DIY Studio, 121 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Stop in for a jolly good time with whimsical holiday plant projects, including terrarium snowmen, air plant ornaments, and more!

Feast of Giving
2025-11-27 11:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Dayton Convention Center, 22 East 5th Street, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Feast of Giving is a cherished Thanksgiving Day event that brings the community together for a day of gratitude and sharing. Providing free meals, entertainment and more, we invite everyone to join us on November 27, 2025 to celebrate the spirit of giving and strengthen the bonds of community.

The CoSHOP Holiday Shopping
2025-11-27 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton’s CoSHOP gets a holiday refresh of new handmade ornaments, cards, decor, and all sorts of giftables from a selection of local artists and artisans.

Holly Jolly Social: A Christmas Bar Pop-Up
2025-11-27 | Two Social, 123 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
A festive Christmas pop-up where holiday cocktails, sparkling decor, and cozy seasonal vibes transform the space into a winter wonderland. 2socialdayton.com
Nov. 7-Jan. 15

Polar Bear Express
2025-11-27 | 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

Member’s Spotlight Exhibition: Amy Deal: Impressions of Stillness
2025-11-27 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Member’s Spotlight Exhibition: Amy Deal: Impressions of Stillness

Featuring the current body of work by Dayton-based artist, Amy Deal.
Amy Deal, born in 1966 in Cranberry Prairie, OH, grew up in a rural setting as the daughter of a German potato farmer and a homemaker. In a community where traditional roles for women prevailed, her parents made it clear that they would support her pursuit of higher education. Amy spent her youth exploring the outdoors, collecting wildflowers to create pigments for her paintings and using her creativity to adorn her surroundings with her art.
She went on to earn a BFA in Visual Communications from Kent State University, driven by a desire for a fiscally responsible career in the arts. Her early career saw her working as a creative director, collaborating with public relations firms on annual reports and contributing to corporate branding and advertising campaigns. However, her path took a turn when she became a mother and found it impossible to leave her child in anyone else’s care. During these early parenting years, she returned to her passion for painting.
As her children grew, Amy dedicated more time to her painting, earning recognition and awards for her work, which now resides in both public and private collections across the United States. Her current series of paintings reflects her deep connection to nature, emphasizing themes of growth, dirt, and plant life.
Amy and her husband, Kevin, sold their family home and transformed a commercial building in downtown Dayton, OH, into a unique living space that includes her studio and his workshop. This move allowed them to stay close to the vibrant energy of the city while pursuing their creative passions.
For Amy, painting has been a source of contentment, providing her with a fulfilling outlet for her artistic expression and a profound connection to the natural world she holds dear.

On view inside The Jonathan Hale & T. Chase Gallery, also known as The CoSHOP.
OPENING RECEPTION: Nov. 5, 2025; 6-8 pm
CLOSING RECEPTION: Nov. 29; 4-6 pm
FREE and Open to All.

Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven
2025-11-27 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven

NOVEMBER 14, 2025 – JANUARY 24, 2026

THE DR. ROBERT L. BRANDT, JR. GALLERY
THE IRA & SUSAN THOMSEN FAMILY GALLERY
THE JACK W. & SALLY EICHELBERGER VIDEO GALLERY

The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven, a major solo exhibition bringing together recent works in photography, painting, video, and the world premiere of a new body of bronze sculptures by one of the most bold and visionary artists of our time.

Simmons’ practice is deeply rooted in art history, both through deliberate assertion and continuous engagement, drawing on references that span from antiquity and the American landscape to contemporary media. Her work unfolds through a cinematic sensibility, where narrative, movement, and stillness intersect. This is evident in her photographic series such as American Book Covers and Sundown, in her monumental text paintings, and now in this new body of bronze sculptures.
Performance, choreography, and the sensual are integral to Simmons’ artistic language. In this recent sculptural work, these elements coalesce into forms that feel both classical and contemporary. As with much of her practice, Figure Eleven situates art history within an ongoing continuum, like a film that resists final resolution.
The sculptures recall the Venus of Willendorf and Venus de Milo while simultaneously reflecting the multiplicity of contemporary bodies and motifs. Their power lies in their capacity to collapse and reconcile distinct historical and cultural narratives. The figures embody a poised stillness that resonates with the language of movement and performance. Figure Eleven, both the exhibition’s title and the newest figurative sculpture, appears as if drawn from a film still, a moment suspended between gesture and permanence.
OPENING NIGHT / NOV 14
Member & Sponsor Preview: 5-6 pm
Public Reception: 6-8 pm
Remarks: 6:30 pm

An Afternoon with Xaviera Simmons: Artist Talk & Panel Discussion / NOV 15
2 – 4p
Join us for an afternoon with Xaviera Simmons, featuring an introduction of the exhibition from curator Heather Jones, an overview of the artist’s work and its place in art history from gallerist David Castillo, and a presentation by Simmons. The talks will be followed by a dynamic panel discussion with the speakers and Dr. Judith Huacuja, professor emeritus, University of Dayton.
This event will take place at The Tank, in the lower level of The Dayton Arcade.

RSVP for Artist Talk

Exhibit: Appropriate Everything
2025-11-27 | Galleries at Sinclair College, 444 W. Third St., Bldg. 13, Dayton, OH, 45402
The Sinclair Community College Art Department is pleased to present “Appropriate Everything” by Darren Haper and John Sousa in the Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery and Works on Paper Gallery. “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal.” -T.S. Eliot The large paintings featuring white backgrounds and a knocked-together magazine collage vibe in “Appropriate Everything” takes the “great artists steal” adage and looks at it from several angles. Using a shared set of imagery “appropriated” from the Internet, both Haper and Sousa create their own body of work by “stealing” materials and techniques from the other. Despite covering common visual ground, the work lays bare the stylistic distance between both artists. There will be a virtual artist talk via Zoom on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 12pm. Visit www.sinclair.edu/artgalleries for details. The exhibitions will be on display from November 10–December 13, 2025. 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: The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art
2025-11-27 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
October 18, 2025–January 11, 2026
The Triumph of Nature presents the refined, ever-popular and elegant curvilinear designs and nature-based motifs of Art Nouveau. From the rich holdings of the Chrysler Museum of Art, more than 120 turn-of-the-20th century treasures are included, with works by Tiffany, Mucha, Gallé, Beardsley and many others. Furniture, paintings, sculpture, mosaics, books, posters, prints, lamps, glass art and more highlight the innovative ways artists made harmonious visual arrangements. The DAI is the exclusive Ohio venue for this major traveling exhibition.

Water Street District Pint Path
2025-11-27 | Water Street District
Sip your way through local brews, grab a bite at buzzworthy spots and discover why Water Street District is where Dayton comes to play. Pick up a free Water Street District Pint Path passport from any participating business. Once a passport has been picked up, purchase a menu item of choice at each stop to receive a stamp on the passport. Once you’ve sipped and stamped at all 14 locations, turn in your passport to Water Street District’s leasing office (115 Madison Street) to claim your prize. Pint Path Passport stops can be completed at the leisure of each participant. Cheers! Please remember to drink responsibly. Find a list of participating businesses and more details here: https://www.waterstreetdayton.com/wsdpintpath

Thanksgiving Dayton Silent Disco
2025-11-26 20:30 (America/New_York) | The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Plan to join us with your friends and family on the day before Thanksgiving as we host our very own “Friendsgiving Silent Disco!” It’s the busiest night of the year for many bars and restaurants and you will not want to miss this party at The Brightside on Nov 26th! Get all of the details and your discounted advanced tickets and group passes at daytonsilentdisco.com We’ll be celebrating with tons of surprises and of course a full evening of getting down to all of your favorite Red, Green, and Blue station dance party action! Kim L 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 Hip Hop, you will not want to miss this classic Dayton event! HOW TO GO? November 26, 2025 The Brightside, 905 E. 3rd St.. Dayton, OH 45402 Cover starts at 8:00pm with music starting at 8:30pm on Nov 26th *Tickets are $15 presale and $20 at the doors This show is 21+ We’re offering “Group Tickets” – Save 20% when you bring a group of 10! (Pre-sale only) Tickets available at daytonsilentdisco.com *Discounted presale tickets end at Midnight on Nov 25th.

Such A Night: The Last Waltz Live
2025-11-26 20:00 (America/New_York) | Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Join with us as more than 25 of Dayton’s most talented musicians gather on the Victoria Theatre stage to celebrate the music of The Band. For over a decade, SUCH A NIGHT: THE LAST WALTZ LIVE continues to be a Dayton Thanksgiving tradition and one of the must see concerts of the season. Proceeds from the performance support the greater community and will benefit WYSO Public Radio and other local organizations.
On November 25, 1976, one of rock and roll’s most influential groups, The Band, held their final concert. This event was documented by director Martin Scorsese and made into the film The Last Waltz. Considered one of the best concert films ever, The Last Waltz also featured performances by Dr. John, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, Emmylou Harris, Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan. This seminal moment in music history will be recreated by our own local musicians.
Presented with support from Stifel – The GWR group and additional support from Brixey & Meyer, Jimmie’s Ladder 11 and Piccolo Orsetto.

Wu-Tang Wednesdays
2025-11-26 19:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York) | 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.
