Downtown Dayton Partnership

Ice Skating
2026-01-24, 2026-01-23, 2026-01-22 | 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
2026-01-24, 2026-01-23, 2026-01-22 | 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
2026-01-24, 2026-01-23, 2026-01-22 | 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

The Mystery Of Edwin Drood
2026-01-23 20:00, 2026-01-22 19:30 (America/New_York) | PNC Arts Annex, 46 N. Ludlow St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Join TheatreLab Dayton for the hilarious whodunit musical, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD! This madcap romp through Victorian England invites the audience to decide how the story ends, meaning no two performances are ever the same. A comic adventure full of wild characters, catchy tunes, and a mystery only you can solve! Based on the unfinished novel by Charles Dickens and featuring incredible local artists.

Story Swap: Show & Tell
2026-01-23 19:00 - 21:30 | The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
Story Swap presents a special Show & Tell storytelling event, featuring professional storytellers sharing true-life stories inspired by a meaningful object they’ve brought with them. Each teller uses a personal artifact as a doorway into a lived experience—stories of love, loss, humor, resilience, and unexpected turns. After the featured stories, audience members are invited to participate. Guests are encouraged to bring an object of their own and share a one-minute true story connected to it. Participation is always optional, and all stories are told live, without notes, in a welcoming and supportive space. Whether you come to listen, to share, or both, Story Swap creates a night of genuine connection—where everyday objects become vessels for extraordinary human experience. Real people. Real stories. Real connection. HOW TO GO? Friday, January 23, 2026 Doors 6 pm Event 7 pm – 9:30 pm at The Brightside, 905 E 3rd St, Dayton, OH Advance Tickets: $21 ($22.97 w processing fee) Day of Show: $25 This is a seated event. Buying tickets beforehand ensures we have enough chairs and that you have a reserved seat! All ages welcome There is free parking available at the venue About Story Swap: Our mission is to link storytellers with stages and stages with audiences, fostering a vibrant storytelling culture throughout the Midwest.Founded in 2025, Story Swap is dedicated to promoting true-life stories told live on stage. We believe in the power of storytelling to connect people, inspire change, and build community. We collaborate with existing storytelling groups to support live events and provide platforms for storytellers to share their experiences. By strengthening these connections, we help bring authentic, engaging narratives to wider audiences.

Cosmic Skate
2026-01-23 18:00 - 22:00 | RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Part of MetroParks Ice Rink Theme Nights series
Cosmic Skate
6:00pm – 10:00pm
AGE: All ages | $10.00 | Financial Assistance

We’ll bring a galaxy far, far away to the MetroParks Ice Rink for this Cosmic theme night! Get ready to hit the ice with your favorite Star Wars characters as we blast off with some classic space inspired music. 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.

Discovery: Billy Goats Gruff And Other Tales
2026-01-23 11:30, 2026-01-23 09:30 | Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
This show is part of our Discovery Series, which presents weekday field trips for area schools to experience carefully selected shows designed to enhance curriculum connections throughout various subject areas. If you are not purchasing tickets for a school or homeschool, please click here to explore our Children’s Theatre programming.
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s newest production, BILLY GOATS GRUFF AND OTHER TALES, presents a fresh and engaging reimagining of three cherished children’s stories – “Goldilocks And The Three Bears,” “The Three Little Pigs,” and “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.” Filled with adventure, humor, and heroism, the story follows a brave raccoon and clever mouse who are on a journey to collect treasure. Along the way, they unknowingly help the goats, bears, and pigs, preventing disaster – without any of the animals ever encountering a true villain. This imaginative retelling seamlessly interweaves three classic tales into a heartwarming adventure that celebrates friendship and courage.
Created and produced by Mermaid Theatre Of Nova Scotia.

Dan Cleary: Five Views of Ohio
2026-01-23, 2026-01-22 | 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
2026-01-23, 2026-01-22 | 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
2026-01-23, 2026-01-22 | 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.

Music Bingo Thursdays
2026-01-22 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
2026-01-22 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 2 (Americana / Country / Folk)
2026-01-22 19:00 - 22:00 | The Brightside, 905 E. Third St., Dayton, OH, 45402
DAYTON BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2026 CONTINUES! Week 2: Americana / Country / Folk Thursday, January 22, 2026 | The Brightside We’re back for Week 2 of the 2026 Dayton Battle of the Bands — this week featuring an exciting mix of AMERICANA / COUNTRY / FOLK artists: Amie Rulay Catsteel Dak Janiels & The Holy Smokes Open Sky Revival Wakelight Not familiar with the artists? That’s the fun! DBOTB is your chance to discover brand new, original local music. Every in-person ticket buyer gets one vote to help choose the winning band. The winner of this round earns a spot in the Dayton Battle of the Bands Finale — plus additional prizes! Event Details: The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton) Doors: 6:30pm Show: 7:15pm – 9:45pm Winner Announced: approx. 10:15pm Arrive early so you don’t miss any of the performances! Tickets: $10 advance / $15 at the door Advance tickets strongly recommended! Ticket link: https://tickets.venuepilot.com/e/dayton-battle-of-the-bands-week-2-americana-country-folk-2026-01-22-the-brightside-music-event-venue–4e0500 Your ticket purchase helps support production costs and prizes — thank you for fueling Dayton’s original music scene! 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. See you at Week 2 as the competition continues!

Book Launch: Aimee Noel: Slag
2026-01-22 18:30 - 20:00 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Celebrate the release of Slag by Dayton-based author and poet Aimee Noel. Noel is a two-time recipient of the Ohio Art Council’s Individual Excellence Award for poetry and was an OAC Fellow at the Fine Arts Works Center. She will read a selection of poems from her book, which will be available for purchase in the CoSHOP. Free and open to all.

Guided Tours
2026-01-22 18:30 | The Contemporary Dayton, 25 W. Fourth St., Dayton, OH, 45402, United States
Join us for an inside look at the exhibition, with fresh insights into the artist and her work. Led by Heather Jones, Curator and Director of Programs and Engagement. FREE and open to all.

Community Workshop – Flourish and Flow: An Oil Painting Journey
2026-01-22 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
2026-01-22 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.

Wu-Tang Wednesdays
2026-01-21 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
2026-01-21 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!
