Downtown Dayton Partnership

Whimsical Windows & Elf Hunt
2025-12-28, 2025-12-27 | Downtown Dayton
Dec. 5-29
Select businesses throughout downtown
This annual contest shows off the creativity of downtown Dayton’s collection of small businesses as they decorate their storefront windows for the holidays in their own unique ways. Enjoy shopping, dining, and exploring downtown Dayton in this fun and festive atmosphere! Vote for your favorite window display online at DaytonDailyNews.com starting Dec. 5. YOU can be the winner in the Elf Hunt contest! Simply find elves hidden among holiday decorations in first-floor storefront windows and text a photo of it to 937-304-4041. Each photo taken of a different elf counts as one entry toward a weekly drawing for $100 in Downtown Dollars! Free.
Sponsored by Dayton Daily News
Whimsical Windows Locations:
Art + Soul Maison, 135 E. Main St. – Blind Bob’s, 430 E. Fifth St. – Clash Dayton, 521 E. Fifth St. – CrossFit Dayton, 150 S. Patterson Blvd. – The Dayton Arcade, 23 & 25 S. Main St. – Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, 8 N. Main St. Ste. 100 – The Dublin Pub, 300 Wayne Avenue – Golden Hour Piercing, 411 E. Fifth St. – Joui Wine, 117 E. Third St. – League of Women Voters, 127 N. Ludlow St. – Lisse Beauty Bar, 21 W. First St. – Rabbit Hole Books, 29 W. First St. – Reduce & Reuse Refillery, 133 E. Fourth St. – Secret Beauty Hats & Boutique, 131 N. Ludlow St. #129 – Space Three, 39 S. St. Clair St. – Val’s Bakery, 25 S. St. Clair St. – Wild Whiskers, 33 S. St. Clair St.
Elf Hunt Locations:
Art + Soul Maison, 135 E. Main St. – Blind Bob’s, 430 E. Fifth St. – Chairapy, 605 E. Fifth St. – Clash Dayton, 521 E. Fifth St. – CrossFit Dayton, 150 S. Patterson Rd. – The Dayton Arcade, 23 & 25 S. Main St. – Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, 8 N. Main St. Ste. 100 – Dayton Church Supply, Inc., 136 E. Third St. – Dayton Live, PNC Arts Annex, 46 W. Second St. – The Dublin Pub, 300 Wayne Avenue – Edward A. Dixon Gallery, 222 N. St. Clair St. – Golden Hour Piercing, 411 E. Fifth St. – Hotel Ardent Dayton Downtown + Bistecca, 137 N. Main St. – Joui Wine, 117 E. Third St. – Lucho, 37 W. Fourth St. – Rabbit Hole Books, 29 W. First St. – Reduce & Reuse Refillery, 133 E. Fourth St. – Secret Beauty Hats & Boutique, 131 N. Ludlow St. #129 – Space Three, 39 S. St. Clair St. – Table 33, 45 W. Fourth St. – Tony & Pete’s, 19 E. Third St. – Val’s Bakery, 25 S. St. – Clair St. – Wild Whiskers, 33 S. St. Clair St. – Winans Coffee & Chocolate, 221 N. Patterson Blvd.

Rike’s Holiday Windows
2025-12-28, 2025-12-27 | The Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, 1 West Second Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
November 28-January 4
Schuster Center Wintergarden, Second & Main sts.;
Hours of operation vary – for the most up-to-date info, visit daytonlive.org/rikes.
Closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day

Experience a reimagining of the Rike’s department store holiday window displays that once stood at this busy downtown corner. Free. (Not accessible during private events. Call 228-7591 to confirm hours.) Presented by Dayton Live

Virginia Kettering’s Holiday Train Display
2025-12-28, 2025-12-27 | Stratacache Tower, 40 N. Main St., Dayton, OH, 45423
November 28-January 1
Stratacache Tower lobby at the corner of Second & Main sts.
View in building lobby Mon-Sat, or through windows anytime.

View this one-of-a-kind model train display given to the community by Mrs. Virginia Kettering. (Use Second St. building entrance.) Free. 224-1518.

Holly Jolly Social: A Christmas Bar Pop-Up
2025-12-28, 2025-12-27 | 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
2025-12-28, 2025-12-27 | 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

Exhibit: The Triumph of Nature: Art Nouveau from the Chrysler Museum of Art
2025-12-28, 2025-12-27 | 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
2025-12-28, 2025-12-27 | 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

Vinyl Vinyl Sundays
2025-12-28 | The Barrel House, 417 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Sunday – Vinyl Vinyl Sunday – bring your records, we’ll play ’em

Deck the Diamond
2025-12-27 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-12-26 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.

Closing Reception: Lori Daugherty
2025-12-27 16:00 - 18:00 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Enjoy this final opportunity to see Dayton-based artist Lori Daugherty’s exhibition, “Bold Whispers.” Light refreshments provided. FREE and Open to all.

DAI Dialogues Tour
2025-12-27 13:00 - 14:00 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
Connect with your community in an enriching way through DAI Dialogues. DAI Dialogues is a tour experience led by a member of the Dayton community where art exploration meets storytelling. Engage in open dialogue and leave feeling more unified. Sponsored by AES Ohio Foundation. Members: Free, Non-members: Included with the price of admission. Register here: https://dai.ticketapp.org/portal/product/66/events

Colleen Kelsey: Light & Shadows
2025-12-27 12:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-26 12:00 - 17:00 | Dayton Society of Artists, 48 High Street, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Colleen Kelsey
Light & Shadows

December 19 – January 17
Artist Opening: Friday, December 19, 6-9 PM
Artist Talk: Friday, January 9th, 6:30 PM

Dayton Society of Artists
48 High St, Dayton, OH 45403

Saturday Art Workshops
2025-12-27 11:00 - 13:00 | K12 Gallery & TEJAS, 341 S. Jefferson St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Saturday Art Workshops for Kindergarten-12th Grade and Adults. Each month explore a different art medium (Clay, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Mosaics, Drawing, Photography, in a different theme/artistic style (K-12th grade). For Adults classes in Mosaics, Stained Glass, and Glassblowing. Saturday Classes run from September 2025-May 2026. 11:00am-1:00pm. Call for Costs.

Members’ Spotlight: Lori Daugherty: Bold Whispers
2025-12-27, 2025-12-26 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
December 3 – 27, 2025 Opening Reception: December 3, 6 – 8 pm Closing Reception: December 27, 2025, 4 – 6 pm Lori Daugherty: Bold Whispers brings together a series of intimate encaustic works in which color, wax, and heat converge to form small but potent moments of energy. In each piece, Dayton-based artist Lori Daugherty coaxes organic bursts of form and pigment into being—gestures that feel alive, expanding, and quietly insistent. These works reward slow looking: what first appears delicate reveals surprising force, and what seems restrained carries a pulse of movement just beneath the surface. Working with encaustic wax and inks, Daugherty builds her compositions through layered translucency, texture, and the dynamic unpredictability of a torch and flame. The resulting surfaces hover between control and spontaneity, abstraction and suggestion. Together, the paintings in Bold Whispers invite viewers to linger in the space where subtlety becomes powerful and small moments open into larger stories. All artworks in this exhibition are available for purchase. Please visit the reception desk or speak to a staff member to purchase. Proceeds support both the artist and The Contemporary Dayton’s mission to connect artists and audiences through accessible, engaging contemporary art experiences.

RTA Holiday Bus
2025-12-27 | Downtown Dayton
Santa is coming to town aboard the Greater Dayton RTA’s holiday bus! This year’s holiday bus will run along Dayton routes through Dec. 31 with holiday music, free candy canes, and appearances by the big man himself – Santa! For the holiday bus route and schedule information, visit iriderta.org.

Ice Skating
2025-12-27 | 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.

Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven
2025-12-27 | 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

Wassail, Wit, and Who Done It? presented by Mayhem & Mystery
2025-12-26 19:00 | Spaghetti Warehouse, 36 W. Fifth St., Dayton, OH, 45402
It’s Christmas time and The Wassail Warblers, a group of long-time friends and semi-committed amateur carolers, are making their annual rounds of holiday cheer. Armed with matching scarves, an curated setlist, and exactly one person who can actually sing, they’re determined to brighten their town with off-key classics and questionable choreography. Midway through “Good King Wenceslas,” one of the carolers slips away. But when they’re still missing by dessert, the group begins to panic. Can you solve the mystery? Join us for holiday fun and see. Join Mayhem & Mystery for their always popular interactive Holiday Who-done-it? Seating begins at 6:45 when salads and bread are served. Dinner (several choices) arrives after Act 1 is finished. Act 2 finishes with a dessert (full-sized, several choices) and a call to write down your thoughts on the crime. Solutions are revealed in Act 3 followed by prizes recognizing the three most correct answers and the three most entertaining (cast choice). Show runs Mondays, November 10, 2025 – January 26, 2026, plus Wednesday, December 10, and Fridays, November 14, December 26, and January 9. Seating begins at 6:45 PM with Act 1 beginning around 7:00 PM. The evening runs through 9:00-9:30 PM, depending on audience size and interaction. Reservations are required and can be. made by calling 937-461-3913. https://www.facebook.com/MayhemMystery $39.95 per person; tax and gratuity not included

Wizarding World Skate
2025-12-26 18:00 - 22:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of MetroParks Ice Rink Theme Nights series
Wizarding World Skate
6:00pm – 10:00pm
AGE: All ages | $10.00 | Financial Assistance

Accio ice skates! Whether you’re a Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw… you won’t want to miss our Harry Potter theme night! Bring your house scarfs to stay warm and enjoy the enchanting music. It’s going to be a spellbinding evening! 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.

Yoga at the Market
2025-12-26 12:00 - 13:00 | 2nd Street Market, 600 E. Second St., Dayton, OH, 45402, USA
Part of Community Fitness series
Yoga at the Market
12:00pm – 1:00pm
AGE: All ages | FREE

Yoga with Aleasha will lead you in an all-levels yoga flow. If you’re a beginner, she will guide you through modifications to ensure you are comfortable to help you to become more familiar with poses. If you’re experienced, she will help grow your current practice. This class is truly for everyone!
Focus on wellness while spending time at the Market. Enjoy a variety of free and effective workouts at the Market, stay for lunch and shopping.
