Downtown Dayton Partnership

Jurassic Park In Concert
2026-01-17 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | The Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, 1 West Second Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Member & Subscriber presale November 17–20
General sale begins November 21
January 17, 2026 at the Schuster Center
The action-packed adventure pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, this epic film is sheer movie magic 65 million years in the making.
Now audiences can experience Jurassic Park as never before: projected in HD with a full symphony orchestra performing John Williams’ iconic score live to picture.
Welcome … to Jurassic Park!

Jurassic Park In Concert
2026-01-17 19:30 | The Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, 1 West Second Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
The action-packed adventure pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. Featuring visually stunning imagery and groundbreaking special effects, this epic film is sheer movie magic 65 million years in the making. Now audiences can experience Jurassic Park as never before: projected in HD with a full symphony orchestra performing John Williams’ iconic score live to picture. Welcome… to Jurassic Park!

Muse Machine Presents Disney’s Frozen
2026-01-17 19:30, 2026-01-17 14:30, 2026-01-16 19:30, 2026-01-15 19:00 | Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Jan 15 – Jan 18, 2026
When Queen Elsa’s hidden powers plunge Arendelle into an eternal winter, her sister Anna sets out with several new friends to save the kingdom. This is the story you know and love in a production which brings the magic and music of the hit movie to life on stage!
One of the largest musical productions in the state stars an enormous cast of young people from across the Miami Valley. The Muse Machine musical has been praised by The Dayton Daily News as “a performing arts all-star effort,” while The Oakwood Register has called it “an evening of true theatrical joy…”

Jazz Night with George Balog
2026-01-17 19:00 - 23:00 | The Barrel House, 417 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
George is back behind the decks with an evening of jazz tunes and maximum vibes.
No cover. Just jazz.

Colleen Kelsey: Light & Shadows
2026-01-17 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-01-16 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

Zen Pathways
2026-01-17 12:00 - 15:00 | Now and Zen DIY Studio, 121 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Create a serene miniature garden that symbolizes transition, intention, and new beginnings. In this mindful workshop, each guest designs a Zen-inspired landscape featuring a wooden bridge; representing the path from where you’ve been to where you’re headed. Choose from a curated selection of plants, stones, moss, and natural embellishments to craft a personal guide that reflects your wishes and intentions for the year ahead. A calming, creative experience meant to ground you as you step thoughtfully into 2026. Workshop Includes all necessary materials to create your one-of-a-kind dish garden; 10″-12″ ceramic vessel, succulent plants, mosses and embellishments, 1 wooden bridge, take home boxing and care information. Our experienced studio guides are always there to guide and assist with your project building.

Saturday Art Workshops
2026-01-17 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.

Dan Cleary: Five Views of Ohio
2026-01-17, 2026-01-16 | 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
2026-01-17, 2026-01-16 | 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
2026-01-17, 2026-01-16 | 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
2026-01-17, 2026-01-16 | 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
2026-01-17, 2026-01-16 | 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

Xaviera Simmons: Figure Eleven
2026-01-17, 2026-01-16 | 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

Rock the Rink Skate
2026-01-16 18:00 - 22:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of MetroParks Ice Rink Theme Nights series
Rock the Rink Skate
6:00pm – 10:00pm
AGE: All ages | $10.00 | Financial Assistance

Turn down for what? We’re turning UP the volume as we get ready to rock you like a hurricane at the MetroParks Ice Rink. Featuring the biggest rock anthems of all time, we’re going to make some noise! 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.

Driver’s License Reinstatement Clinic
2026-01-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Metro Library will host a Driver’s License Reinstatement Clinic on Friday, January 16, 1-3 pm, in the Main Library’s Community Room on the 2nd floor. Attorneys from the Montgomery County Office of the Public Defender will meet with patrons to discuss barriers to obtaining a driver’s license and strategies for reinstatement. This is a walk-in event, with sign-ups beginning at noon. For more information, visit DaytonMetroLibrary.org or call the Library’s Ask Me Line at 937.463.2665.

Music Bingo Thursdays
2026-01-15 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
2026-01-15 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.

Community Workshop – Flourish and Flow: An Oil Painting Journey
2026-01-15 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.

Be My Neighbor Day
2026-01-15 17:00 - 18:00 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Metro Library will host a series of Be My Neighbor Day programs taking place at several Branches.

In partnership with ThinkTV/PBS, Be My Neighbor Days will feature stories, songs, clips from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and hands-on activities. PreK-Kindergarteners will explore themes of kindness, sharing, and being a good neighbor. Registration is not required.

January sessions:

Monday, January 12, 11 am-12 pm, West Carrollton Branch
Thursday, January 15, 5-6 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space
Tuesday, January 20, 11 am-12 pm, Northmont Branch
Thursday, January 22, 5-6 pm, Main Library, Children’s Creativity Space.

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

Ask the Advocate: Meet Your County Ombudsman
2026-01-15 16:00 - 17:00 | Dayton Metro Library – Main Library, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH, 45402
Dayton Metro Library is partnering with the Dayton and Montgomery County Ombudsman’s Office to host Ask the Advocate: Meet Your County Ombudsman in January. Ask the Advocate will take place in the Eichelberger Forum of the Main Library on Thursday, January 15, 4-5 pm. All ages are welcome. Registration is not required. The Ombudsman’s Office provides impartial assistance to ensure residents receive fair treatment from government agencies and long-term care providers. Services include investigating problems, finding solutions, assisting with public service issues, advocating for individuals in long-term care, and more. The office’s services are free and available to Montgomery County residents.
