Downtown Dayton Partnership

JD Simo & Luther Dickinson
2026-05-17 19:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Two of the most electrifying forces in modern roots music—Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars, The Black Crowes) and JD Simo (Chris Isaak, Jack White, Beyoncé, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis)—join together for a soul-shaking trio with powerhouse drummer Adam Abrashoff. Their chemistry is deep, their grooves are dirty, and their shows are a masterclass in high-octane, roots-infused blues. Luther, a four-time Grammy nominee, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of North Mississippi Allstars and a brand-new album—proving his commitment to pushing Hill Country blues forward. JD, meanwhile, has built a career on fearless reinvention. In addition to touring with Chris Isaak, he’s a key creative on the upcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic Deliver Me from Nowhere (directed by Crazy Heart’s Scott Cooper), where he worked closely with both Bruce and Scott, supervised the music script, coached lead actor Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), and contributed heavily to the film’s score and soundtrack. Their collaborative album Do The Rump! Has been making waves, with lead single “Come On” hitting #1 on SiriusXM Bluesville. The sound is raw, hypnotic, and thrillingly alive—equal parts Hill Country trance, psych-soul, and electrified jam. These trio shows are rare. The music is greasy. And this is your chance to feel it live. Special local guests Strange Ranger will kick off this show at The Brightside in Dayton, OH. HOW TO GO? Sunday, May 17, 2026 The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton) Doors 6pm / Show 7pm $20 general admission advance – https://tickets.venuepilot.com/e/jd-simo-luther-dickinson-2026-05-17-the-brightside-music-event-venue-dayton-d36fb4 $25 day of show Please note – this is a standing show, seating is not guaranteed Limited qty reserved tables available! All ages welcome

Rebel with a Clause
2026-05-17 15:00 | THE NEON, United States
Overview
“One fall day, Ellen Jovin set up a folding table on a Manhattan sidewalk with a homemade sign that said ‘Grammar Table.’ Right away, passersby began excitedly asking questions, telling stories, and filing complaints. What happened next is the stuff of grammar legend. Ellen and her filmmaker husband, Brandt Johnson, took the table on the road, visiting all 50 states as Brandt shot the grammar action. But this story transcends grammar. It’s the story of an epic quest in a divided time to bring us all closer together.”
Sunday, May 17 at 3:00. Tickets are $20 each.
Starting an hour before the film, come hang out with Ellen at the Grammar Table! She will answer grammar questions, resolve family grammar disputes, and take complaints. After each screening, please stick around for a Q&A with Brandt and Ellen, followed by a book signing of Ellen’s national bestseller.
Director
Brandt Johnson
Producer
Brandt Johnson
Cast
Ellen Jovin, Brandt Johnson

Dayton Dragons vs. Lake County Captains
2026-05-17 13:05, 2026-05-16 19:05, 2026-05-15 19:05, 2026-05-14 19:05, 2026-05-13 19:05 | Day Air Ballpark, 220 North Patterson Blvd., Dayton, OH, 45402
Catch one of the hottest tickets in sports – see the Dayton Dragons play baseball at Day Air Ballpark! For tickets and more information, visit www.daytondragons.com or call 228-2287.

Tony Foster, Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective
2026-05-17, 2026-05-16, 2026-05-15, 2026-05-14 | The Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, 45405, United States
Tony Foster, Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective
February 21–May 17, 2026, Gallery 120
Between 2007 and 2025, Tony Foster embarked on his 19th Journey, building it around a profound and layered theme: time. Across this body of work, he investigates how time shapes the land—from the quick shifts of light and weather, to the slow rhythms of seasons, to the immense scales of biological and geological transformation. As Foster explains, his aim is “to draw attention to the unseen forces that create place.”
Exploring Time brings together a remarkable series of watercolor diaries that capture nature in motion. His paintings reveal signs of change on multiple fronts: geological upheavals, biological cycles and the marks left by human activity. With a discerning eye, Foster records not only nature’s strength and resilience but also its vulnerability, even in landscapes once dominated by industry and later reclaimed.
In a world where environmental change is often conveyed through striking images of global warming, Foster offers a different perspective, one that considers Earth’s continual evolution and the visible traces of time’s passage. Organized into four themes: geological, biological, human and the fleeting, this exhibition invites viewers to engage with time at every scale, from the span of a moment to the stretch of millennia, while reflecting on the enduring impact of human presence.

Vinyl Vinyl Sundays
2026-05-17 | The Barrel House, 417 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Sunday – Vinyl Vinyl Sunday – bring your records, we’ll play ’em

Pride Rocks!
2026-05-16 11:00 - 16:00 | Levitt Pavilion Dayton, 134 S. Main St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Join us for Pride Rocks!- a free, family-friendly celebration where community comes together to raise awareness and share resources for mental health and suicide prevention in the LGBTQ+ community. All are welcome! What to Expect: Join us in painting colorful, Pride-themed rocks with messages of hope and support. All materials will be provided! Fuel up with delicious eats from a variety of local food trucks, connect with local mental health providers and learn more about available mental health resources, browse unique crafts & products from local vendors, and enjoy live music from LGBTQ+ musicians. When: Saturday, May 16th, 2026 from 11:00am – 4:00pm Where: Levitt Pavilion Dayton 134 S Main St, Dayton, OH 45402 Learn More: nccjoh.org/priderocks Together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive community—one that champions connection and prioritizes mental well-being. We have sponsorship opportunities available, please reach out to us directly at 937-222-6225 ext. 101 to discuss! We look forward to seeing you!

Saturday Art Workshops
2026-05-16 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.

Jamea Richmond-Edwards: Leviathan
2026-05-16, 2026-05-15, 2026-05-14 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present Leviathan, a film by interdisciplinary artist Jamea Richmond-Edwards. Known for her monumental paintings and mixed-media collages informed by mythology, Afrofuturist iconography, and magical realism, Richmond-Edwards brings these influences into a cinematic form in this film. Using music and dance, Leviathan traces the artist’s family history and their enduring connection to Detroit. Raised in a family of dancers and musicians, and drawing on her experience as a competitive dancer and marching band member, Richmond-Edwards infuses the film with movement and sound. The film explores Detroit’s layered histories and evolving landscapes, invoking the mythic Leviathan as a metaphor for the powerful, often untold forces of the Great Migration. Richmond-Edwards is an artist from Detroit who holds a BFA from Jackson State University and an MFA from Howard University. Her work has been included in exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, New York; the Frist Art Museum, Nashville, Tennessee; and The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, and more. Her work is held in the collections of the Rubell Museum, Washington, DC; The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; and the US Department of State’s Art in Embassies program, among others. OPENING NIGHT / Friday, March 13 Member & Sponsor Preview: 5-6 pm Public Reception: 6-8 pm Remarks: 6:30 pm CLOSING RECEPTION / Saturday, June 6 4-6p – Light Refreshments and a final chance to view the exhibition. This exhibition is one of three concurrent exhibitions of new and recent work by Detroit-based artists, curated by Heather Jones, and presented to spark dialogue around the art and artists of our time.

Paul Verdell: Tabernacle
2026-05-16, 2026-05-15, 2026-05-14 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present a new body of work by Paul Verdell. In these gestural paintings, Verdell continues his exploration of loose and instinctive mark making, working with paint and collaged elements. These works become renditions of landscapes both visually and figuratively as the colors and forms subtly echo horizons and map Verdell’s mental terrain. Driven by intuition, his latest body of work delves deep into the realm of abstraction as the artist explores capabilities of medium and mind. Influencing the artist’s conceptual root is both internal discourse—an ongoing attempt to understand himself within a shifting and uncertain world through the act of painting—as well as his Black American heritage. Verdell is a painter based in Detroit. Originally from Long Beach, California, he moved to Ohio as a teenager and received a BFA from Bowling Green State University in 2018. He has been awarded residencies at Black Rock Senegal, Dakar, Senegal, and the Macedonia Institute, Chatham, New York. His work has been included in exhibitions at The Armory Show, New York; Hurst Contemporary, London; and the Dakar Biennale, Dakar, Senegal, among others. Verdell’s work is held in the collections of the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio, among others. OPENING NIGHT / Friday, March 13 Member & Sponsor Preview: 5-6 pm Public Reception: 6-8 pm Remarks: 6:30 pm CLOSING RECEPTION / Saturday, June 6 4-6p – Light Refreshments and a final chance to view the exhibition. This exhibition is one of three concurrent exhibitions of new and recent work by Detroit-based artists, curated by Heather Jones, and presented to spark dialogue around the art and artists of our time

Jason REVOK: Mutually Exclusive
2026-05-16, 2026-05-15, 2026-05-14 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
The Contemporary Dayton is proud to present new paintings by Jason REVOK. Self-taught, REVOK is known for pushing creative boundaries that began in the street. Although his story begins with graffiti, the artist has spent the last decade focusing on his studio practice and the evolution of process and concept. Refusing to be limited by his early recognition, REVOK allows only certain elements from graffiti culture to transition to his contemporary work—modest materials and industrial tools, ingenuity, his name—but his proclivity towards minimalism and post-painterly abstraction has become the driving force behind his practice. Examining the question of authorship from start to finish, REVOK has developed systematic yet imperfect tools to carry out his vision and has created a number of unmistakable bodies of work. His bold, balanced, geometry is heightened by the personal and imperfect sleight of the human hand. REVOK grew up in Southern California and is based in Detroit. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and the Pasadena Museum of California Art, as well as in galleries and special projects in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Dubai. His work is held in important private collections worldwide. OPENING NIGHT / Friday, March 13 Member & Sponsor Preview: 5-6 pm Public Reception: 6-8 pm Remarks: 6:30 pm CLOSING RECEPTION / Saturday, June 6 4-6p – Light Refreshments and a final chance to view the exhibition. This exhibition is one of three concurrent exhibitions of new and recent work by Detroit-based artists, curated by Heather Jones, and presented to spark dialogue around the art and artists of our time.

Rise and Shine Freedom Breakfast Fundraiser
2026-05-15 07:30 - 11:00 | The Dayton Woman’s Club, 225 N Ludlow St, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Spring Freedom Breakfast Fundraiser Join us at the Dayton Woman’s Club on May 15, 2026, for a morning of awareness and advocacy against human trafficking. Enjoy a delicious and hearty breakfast that will leave your taste buds satisfied, served in a warm and inviting atmosphere. The open house runs from 7:30 AM to 11:00 AM — come anytime and stay as long as you like! The event features inspiring survivor speakers, educational programs, silent auctions, and raffles. Proceeds support Sidewalk Soldiers’ efforts to combat trafficking locally. Together, we can make a lasting impact in our community by empowering survivors and raising vital awareness.
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/annual-freedom-breakfast

Music Bingo Thursdays
2026-05-14 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
2026-05-14 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.

Guided Tours
2026-05-14 18:30 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Join us for a closer look at the exhibition, with fresh insights into the artists and their work. Led by Curator, Heather Jones. FREE and open to all.

Wu-Tang Wednesdays
2026-05-13 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
2026-05-13 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
2026-05-13 18:00 - 20:00 | 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.
