Dayton Most Metro

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Victoria Theatre

Muse Machine presents “In The Heights” with bonus Pre-Show Celebration!

By

One the Dayton’s most valuable assets is its robust arts community, from visual art, music, and all forms of performing arts. We cultivate that talent in our youth, through innovative programs like Muse Machine, which serves over 75,000 students in southwest Ohio.

Every January, Muse Machine presents a musical that features more than 100 young people from across the Miami Valley. I was re-introduced to these musical performances last year, and I was simply blown away by the talent these teenagers display. There is no doubt, several . are bound for Broadway!

This year Muse Machine presents “In the Heights“, a musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda (creator of Hamilton). The story explores three days of the characters’ lives in the NYC Latino neighborhood of Washington Heights. On the brink of change, friends and family bring their hopes and dreams to life. The score features hip-hop, salsa, meringue and soul music.

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… ” You can see it for yourself Thursday January 16th through Sunday January 19th at the Victoria Theatre in Dayton, Ohio, January 16-19, 2020. Tickets available now through Ticket Center Stage.

Of course attending the performance is a fantastic way to support the organization. If you want to go above and beyond, and have some pre-show fun with fabulous people, consider attending Muse Machine’s annual Social & Show from 5:30 – 7:30 on Friday, January 17, 2020.

There you’ll enjoy cocktails & heavy hors d’oeuvres at Table 33. Each ticket will include food and two drink tickets with choice theatre seating.  It’s an evening you won’t want to miss!  Ticket sales for the Social & Show end January 11, 2020, so don’t delay!

HOW TO GO?

Social & Show Pre-Show Party / Fundraiser

Friday, January 17, 2020

5:30 – 7:30pm
Cocktails & heavy hors d’oeuvres
Table 33 (130 W 2nd St, Dayton OH 45402)

Muse Machine presents the hit musical
IN THE HEIGHTS at 8pm
From Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of HAMILTON
Victoria Theatre (138 N Main St, Dayton OH 45402)

Each ticket includes food, two drink tickets and deluxe theatre seating (seats will be assigned on a first come, first served basis). $45 Ticket for Social only / $100 Social & Show

For info and registration: http://musemachine.com/social/

In the Heights performances:

Thursday January 16, 2020 7pm

Friday, January 17, 2020 8pm

Saturday, January 18, 2020 3pm

Saturday, January 18, 2020 8pm

Sunday January 19, 20020 2pm

Tickets start at $27 and can be purchased here:  https://my.ticketcenterstage.com/overview/6144?fbclid=IwAR04TtWvd-b5JrnGUPpTueUuNmU0tlgtFZOS2nboT3JzjTZBIG_wUJYA77w

Join in DCDC’s “In the Spirit of… Abundant Blessings” Holiday Performance

By

Dayton’s own world renowned Dayton Contemporary Dance Company is back for a hometown an unforgettable holiday extravaganza with In the Spirit of… Abundant Blessings, a celebration of the African-American church. Performances take place on Saturday, December 7 at 7:30pm or Sunday, December 8 at 4pm at the Victoria Theatre, located at 138 N. Main St. in Dayton.

This holiday performance is a switch up from recent years. The company has been performing the beloved Littlest Angel production traditionally. Although a tradition, this swap up is sure to excite Dayton audiences. Not only is the dance quality tremendous, there is live music too!

Music is provided by a collection of amazing talent including The Jeremy Winston Chorale, the Frederick Douglass Elementary Children’s Choir, Judah Band, Music Director Deron Bell with a mass community choir, and nationally renowned gospel singer – the legendary Shirley Murdock. This performance transports audiences to a higher plane of joy and belonging. It’s a holiday offering the entire family is sure to enjoy!

DCDC will also be paying tribute to Sheri “Sparkle” Williams’ 46th year with the company, as is DCDC’s and one of the nation’s most recognized contemporary dance artists.

“This is a wonderful culminating event for our 50th Anniversary. In the Spirit of .. is one of my favorite offerings because it brings the community together. It is a season for giving and sharing. Stepping into our 51st season is no small feat; if not for our dream of our founder, Jeraldyne Blunden, we would not have this wonderful legacy that lives on throughout Dayton, the nation, and the globe. I’m looking forward to celebrating with you the gifts of our abundant blessings.” – Debbie Blunden-Diggs, DCDC Chief Artistic Administrator and Producing Director.

HOW TO GO?

Saturday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. or Sunday, December 8 at 4:00pm

Victoria Theatre, located at 138 N. Main St. in Dayton.

Tickets are $28 are available at ticketcenterstage.com (scroll to pick Sunday performance) or by calling 937-228-3630.

Group Tickets available for groups of 10+. For group tickets contact [email protected] Student, Veteran & Senior discounts are also available.

Street Names of Dayton: Artz Lane

By Leave a Comment

Peter Artz 1792 – 1873

The Artz family made their way from Maryland with Peter Artz arriving in Ohio on horseback. Peter settled on a farm near Fairfield, Ohio but soon moved to Dayton where for years he operated a wholesale grocery business. Peter Artz died in 1873 at the age of 81. He rests peacefully at Woodland Cemetery with his wife Elizabeth who died in 1875 at the age of 77.

Joseph S. Artz 1824 – 1899

Joseph S. Artz was born on a farm in Greene County, Ohio in 1824 and grew up working on the family farm. He made his way to Germantown, Ohio and began working in the lumber and undertaking business. On account of deafness, he was rejected when he offered his services to fight in the Civil War. In 1866, he moved from Germantown to Dayton where he established a lumber business which he conducted for about eleven years. In 1877, he bought out the furniture firm of Chadwick & Beaver and continued in that line of business for a number of years until his sons took over the business. Joseph was married in Germantown to Miss Elizabeth Negley, a daughter of Captain W.H.H. Negley and together they had eight children.  Elizabeth Artz died on February 11, 1882 at the age of 56 and Joseph died on December 26, 1899 at the age of 75. Both are resting peacefully together in Section 103 Lot 2016 at Woodland Cemetery.

William Negley Artz 1862 – 1934

William N. Artz  had a prosperous business as a furniture dealer in Dayton. He was born in Germantown, Ohio in 1862. He was seven years old when his parents moved to Dayton and this is where he remained. William stayed in school until the age of fifteen then left to work for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in the Dayton yards. He spent five years with the railroad rising to the position of conductor and then moved on to the Dayton & Ironton Railroad and served that line as conductor for a year. Soon after, he left the railroad and joined his father in the furniture business at Artz & Ozias. William began delivering furniture for them at a salary of seven dollars per week. He had been receiving one hundred and twenty dollars per month with the railroad but working for the railroad was hard work and often dangerous and he wanted to learn his father’s trade and business. He also knew that  the opportunity for advancement always came to the man who was willing to work for it. He earned the position of shipping clerk, then salesman and eventually became one of the three owners of the store known as Artz Brothers.

Artz Furniture Store at 110 – 112 N. Main St.

In 1904, William purchased the interest of his brother and ran the store under his own name. His store was well stocked with a variety of goods of varying prices in order to meet the demand of his customers. He was well respected for his business practices and enjoyed much success in his new vocation. William married Miss Mary Anna Baile on April 6, 1882. William died on April 1, 1934 and Mary Anna died on June 28, 1932. They are both resting peacefully together in Section 34 Lot 1306 at Woodland Cemetery.

 

Artz Lane in Downtown Dayton

The W. N. Artz Furniture Store was located at 110 and 112 North Main Street in the heart of downtown Dayton. To the north of it’s location were the King Brothers and Company, and the Green, Green and Co. Bakery (Victoria Theatre) and to the south was G. W. Shroyer and Co., Jacobs Business College and P. M. Harman and Co. Currently, 110 North Main Street is the current site of Premiere Health headquarters.

Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the University of Dayton Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm and until 7 pm during Daylight Saving Time. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum website.

Luminaries of Dayton: Jeraldyne Blunden

By

Jeraldyne Blunden was the founder and artistic director of the esteemed Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, the world’s largest repository of reconstructed dance works by African American choreographers. Ms. Blunden also founded Jeraldyne’s School of Dance. The school has given many Miami Valley youth the opportunity to learn about modern dance and pursue a dancing career.

Ms. Blunden received significant recognition for her work, including a 1998 Dance Magazine Award, an Individual Artist Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and a MacArthur “Genius” Fellows Award. In 1997, she was named one of five Dance Women: Living Legends, “for keeping dance alive.”

Jeraldyne Blunden died on November 2, 1999. She is located in Section 146 in the Woodland Mausoleum.

 

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.

American Singer, Songwriter and Musician Mary Chapin Carpenter To Play Dayton

By

For nearly thirty years strong, on many albums like Come On Come On, Stones in the Road, Between Here and Gone, and Ashes and Roses, Mary Chapin Carpenter has earned the trust of her audience through her willingness to look deep into herself and share joys and sorrows, good times and bad. That honesty, that quiet fearlessness, reaches a startling new level on The Things That We Are Made Of. These eleven songs communicate with the plain-spokenness of handwritten, heartfelt letters from a confiding friend; this is art without the artifice. The result is music that is likely to be as powerfully moving as any you have ever heard.

Mary will play the Victoria Theatre on Sunday, Oct 15th at 7:30pm Tickets will go on sale Fri, Jun 16th at 10am in the Wintergarden of the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, by phone at 937-228-3630, toll-free at 888-228-3630 and online at www.ticketcenterstage.com. Tickets range in price from $39.50-$59.50 plus fees.

The album is suffused with images of maps and traveling – yearning for stillness when in motion, longing for adventure when in repose. “Do we ever stop dreaming of where we belong?,” Carpenter asks in “Map of My Heart.” That’s just one of many unanswerable questions the album raises. Another song wonders “What Does It Mean To Travel,” and offers a meditation on the complex interweaving of distance and desire. Its interrogative tone is one of the album’s most alluring qualities, and why it stays with you so long even after just one hearing. Those questions invite listeners into a conversation, and implicate them in the emotions the songs display for us. The consequences of our attempts to engage those feelings linger long after the songs themselves have stopped playing. The songs and their questions are now inside us. We are like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the great gospel blues pioneer whom Carpenter conjures in “Oh Rosetta” as she walks alone in New York, baffled by the world’s refusal of its own redemption. “If the world is offered goodness but doesn’t use it,” AND Carpenter asks, “Oh, Rosetta, what is it for?” That pained question rests on one of the modest certainties that growing older brings, as she sings in “The Middle Ages”: “love and kindness are all that matter now.”

 

The first song, “Something Tamed, Something Wild,” opens with the image of “a shoebox full of letters bound up neatly with some twine,” a suggestion of the elements of reflection and remembrance that are so central to the album. Such letters, no doubt, are very much among “The Things That We Are Made Of,” the title song that closes the album. In that aching ballad, Carpenter explores how our lives are comprised of all our experiences – the wonderful and the ravaging, the exalting and the terrifying. We have no choice but to accept the self all those experiences have helped shape and move with hope into the future. “I come on quiet but I’m as fierce as a lion,” Carpenter sings in “Hand On My Back,” and that strength informs all of the album’s unflinching self-examinations. The Things That We Are Made Of was recorded in Nashville and produced by Dave Cobb, best known most recently for his work with Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson. “I was so happy he wanted to work with me,” Carpenter says, laughing. “Finding a producer is a little like looking for a date for the prom – will anybody want to take me? But I couldn’t have felt more embraced and welcomed.” Appropriately, Carpenter’s voice and eloquent acoustic guitar are squarely at the center of these songs, with Cobb’s electric guitar, Mike Webb’s keyboards, Chris Powell’s drums and Annie Clements’ bass filling out the spare arrangements and providing atmosphere and texture. Because of the consistency of its themes, the cool introspection of Carpenter’s voice, and the mid-to slow tempos, the album unfolds like one long, mesmerizing song. Within that rich coherence, Cobb suggested subtle touches that keep every new hearing fresh. “He’s very old school in that he likes hooks and choruses,” Carpenter says, “so he would indicate a riff or something else and say, ‘I’d like to hear that again,’ so the record doesn’t drag. And the way we sequenced it, we take you on a journey.” The Things That We Are Made Of offers listeners a significant gift – an unguarded look into the beating heart of one of the strongest singer-songwriters of our time. In an intriguing way, Carpenter occasionally sounds as if she stands in the same relationship to the album that we do, that having created it, she is still plumbing it for meaning and for sustenance. “I feel as if I’m still trying to come up with a reliable way of talking about what this album is about,” Carpenter says. “I haven’t finished thinking about it. It’s part of an ongoing conversation that I’m having with myself about my life. But if you’re not trying to connect in some way to the world, what else is there? All I can hope for is that people connect to it. That’s the most rewarding part of doing this work – believing that you’re speaking to what we all feel.

 

 

Read Between the Lines with DCDC March 4th & 5th

By

Photo by Paul B. Goode

Last year, the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company was awarded the highly-coveted Bessie award for Outstanding Revival, for it’s revival of Donald McKayle’s iconic “Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulder.” The Huffington Post listed it as one of the top 10 dance performances for 2016.

Daytonians have the opportunity to see this work, along with two others, as part of DCDC’s newest production “Vantage Points: A Read Between the Lines,” March 4 & 5 on Dayton’s historic Victoria Theatre stage.

 

 

“It is very interesting that a piece choreographed in 1959 — by a master choreographer — is still very resonant, and unfortunately very relevant, today,” DCDC Artistic Director Blunden-Diggs said. Alastair Macaulay, dance critic for the New York Times wrote “Rainbow evokes how much there was for many African-Americans to transcend. It’s a strong piece of American dance history; I’m grateful to have seen it.”

The concert lineup also includes the world premiere of a new work by Ray Mercer, a longtime cast member of Broadway’s “The Lion King.” Mercer’s new work pulls the viewer into the choreographer’s mind to experience dance from the choreographer’s vantage point.

 

 

The concert doesn’t quite fall in Black History Month, but the audience could extend the celebration into that first March weekend with the show, Blunden-Diggs said. “To be able to put these works on stage that have been created by us, for us, makes a really strong statement,” she said. “Come celebrate black history with us, because DCDC is black history.”

The show is sponsored by the Dayton Power & Light Foundation with media sponsor Synchrony Financial. Catch it at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 4 and 4 p.m. Sunday, March 5. Individual and group tickets are available at ticketcenterstage.com or by calling the box office at 937-228-3630.

For more information on DCDC and our upcoming shows, visit dcdc.org, and connect with us on social media: follow @daytoncontemporarydancecompany on Facebook and Instagram or @DCDCLive on Twitter.

How to Go? Vantage Points: A Read Between the Lines

Saturday, March 4, 2017 | 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 5, 2017 | 4:00 pm
Victoria Theatre, 138 North Main Street, Dayton, Ohio

Tickets start at $24.50 +

‘Elf’ Review – Victoria Theatre Association – Christmas Cheer

By

Highly entertaining and a great big bundle of fun, “Elf the Musical,” based on the popular 2003 Will Ferrell film of the same name, absolutely makes the season bright at the Schuster Center as a Project Unlimited Star Attractions courtesy of the Victoria Theatre Association.

elf-the-musical

The latest national tour of “Elf the Musical” continues through Nov. 27 at the Schuster Center courtesy of the Victoria Theatre Association. (Contributed photo)

Breezily directed by Sam Scalamoni and equipped with exuberantly crisp choreography by Connor Gallagher, this family-friendly tale concerns Buddy, an orphan inadvertently taken to the North Pole as a baby having tumbled into Santa’s bag of toys. Now an adult, Buddy has difficulty fitting in among the elves due to his huge size and poor toy-making skills. Upon realizing he’s actually human, Buddy is given permission by Santa to journey to New York City to find his long-lost father, a prominent publishing executive. As Buddy takes the Big Apple by storm in search of his true identity, he rejuvenates the city with his deep admiration for the joys of the season and falls in love in the process. This endearing tale, cleverly adapted by Tony Award-winning librettists Thomas Meehan (“Annie,” “The Producers,” “Hairspray) and Bob Martin (“The Drowsy Chaperone”), is bolstered by a tuneful, lively and poignant score by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (“The Wedding Singer”). Standout selections include peppy trio “Happy All The Time,” “Sparklejollytwinklejingley,” and “The Story of Buddy the Elf” as well as heartwarming ballad “A Christmas Song.”
As the tall, outgoing Buddy, Spenser Micetich brings wonderful earnestness, sensitivity and humor to the role without venturing into Ferrell’s overly animated psyche. The delightful Daisy Carnelia is a fittingly cynical Jovie, a department store worker eventually wooed by Buddy’s charm and innocence. Carnelia’s rendition of the scorned “Never Fall in Love” is a particular knockout. Mark A. Harmon brings rigid authority and pleasant bewilderment to his portrayal of Walter Hobbs, Buddy’s snippy, overworked father. Rachel Bahler and Wyatt Rogers shine as Walter’s wife Emily and son Michael, illuminating astonishment to the hilt in the upbeat duet “There Is A Santa Claus.” Firm featured performances extend to Mark Fishback (an enjoyably relatable Santa), Morgan Billings Smith (kooky secretary Deb), Darius J. Manuel (an appealing Store Manager), and Randy Charleville (Walter’s stern boss Mr. Greenway). The nifty ensemble supplies terrific characterizations from spirited elves to jaded New Yorkers.

 
Additionally, Christine Peters’ splendid storybook sets, Gregg Barnes’ colorfully character-specific costumes, Paul Miller’s expert lighting, Shannon Slaton’s fine sound design, and conductor Shane Parus’ first-rate orchestra accent this Broadway-caliber production perfectly timed to the start of the holiday season.
“Elf the Musical” continues through Nov. 27 at the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 pm. Act One: 65 minutes; Act Two: 45 minutes. Tickets are $30-$97. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or visit ticketcenterstage.com.

 

 

Won’t You Be Our Neighbor? … Again?

By

Downtown Housing Tour takes place 1-5 p.m. Saturday, May 7.

Downtown Housing Tour takes place 1-5 p.m. Saturday, May 7.

It’s the start of the downtown event season! This week includes the kickoff for The Square Is Where as well as First Friday and the first in the DP&L Summer in the City signature series. In preparation for the May 7 Downtown Housing Tour, the Downtown Dayton Partnership is pleased to present two more resident profiles. The “typical” downtown resident is anything but — with ages spanning from young professionals to families to empty nesters, people are turning to downtown living not as a rite of passage but as a lifestyle choice. Residents choose urban living for its density and proximity of amenities, entertainment, and vibrant scene. Here are the profiles of two types of downtown residents, one at the beginning of his career, and a couple heading into their golden years. One rents an apartment in the bustling Oregon District, and the other is one of the first buyers of the new Monument Walk high-end townhomes nestled next to downtown’s performing arts district. You can see both locations on the free housing tour on May 7. Download the map and brochure online, or pick up a copy at participating tour locations and downtown businesses.

“There Comes a Time,” by Burt (and Alice) Saidel

Alice and I are Daytonians. We love Dayton and have made a great life raising our children, contributing professionally and civically, and relishing the rich arts life that surrounds us.

Burt and Alice SaidelI am a Dayton native. I left after graduating Fairview High School to attend Haverford College, graduate school at Western Reserve University, and military service in the Air Force in Turkey and Italy. I returned to practice dentistry for 50 years, much of that as a partner with my father, Dr. Jack Saidel. That was always my intention and I have fulfilled it happily.

Along the way, I met my beautiful wife as a Smith College co-ed and convinced her to marry me. We did just that in Athens, Greece. After Turkey, we spent an idyllic year in northern Italy. These experiences have carried us since those halcyon days.

We designed and built our home on Nottingham Road in Oakwood. It is, to us and to many, a truly beautiful creation. We embodied much of the architectural beauty we loved in Europe and our French country-style home has been an inspiration to us.

MonumentWalk_Elevation_RevNow, we have entered the age when down-sizing is becoming a cogent decision. Both of us have dealt with the concept of a smaller residence. We realized that Dayton’s arts are the center of our life’s activities. This made downtown Dayton a major choice for us. Our move downtown puts us at the epicenter of the arts, music, dining and friends.

We had requirements to match our new lifestyle. I am a major woodworker contributing many works of my art as donations to synagogues, churches, schools, symphony orchestras. I need a workroom, a wood shop.

Monument Walk sitting roomWe also need space for our relatives and children. We regularly fill our big home with their presence for family events. We also host many artists performing here for the opera, Vanguard concerts, etc.  We knew a two- or even three-bedroom apartment would be too confining. Many visits to condominium-type dwellings yielded nothing that came close to our needs. We came upon an interesting concept, vertical rather than horizontal, that was advanced by Charles Simms in his design for Monument Walk.

The multi-floor aspect made a workroom, adjacent to the garage, an answer to the work space. Some rooms are possibly multi-purpose for visiting sleep-over guests. An elevator, planning for our inevitable infirmities of age, answered another forecasted need.

Monument Walk kitchenWe know the Simms family well. Charlie, as the younger member, and his father Charles are experienced builders and good friends. And we know with Ann Simms looking over their shoulders, everything will be perfect.

Many of our friends now living downtown have rushed to greet and pre-welcome us. All are enthusiastic about the joys of central urban living. More amenities are needed and will be coming downtown. More fine dining options are a definite addition.

We hope we both live longer, love-filled and healthy lives in the core of our beloved city. Come and see us — but not for a while yet!

 

 

 

Making the Most of Live-Work-Play: Jon White

Jon WhiteCincinnati native Jon White wasn’t happy stuck behind the wheel of his car. When the 31-year-old landed a job in Dayton, he initially tried to commute from his new job in Dayton back to his home in Cincinnati. But spending hours on the road took its toll on Jon, and he decided to find a new home that offered more freedom and flexibility. “I didn’t feel healthy commuting like that every day. I wanted to live close to work and close to entertainment,” Jon said. The location at Dayton Towers apartment complex Access to entertainmentchecked off Jon’s requirements for proximity for 9-to-5 and 5-to-9 activities. “I bike to work just about every day,” he said. “and I still have easy access to the highway if I need to travel somewhere, and it’s a quick trip to access the bike trails for recreation.”

Jon said he doesn’t miss yard work and home maintenance his Cincinnati residence required. The city planner for the City of Dayton also enjoys a more sustainable, eco-friendly way of life. “I have about a mile-radius carbon footprint,” Jon said. “I bike to work, I walk to bars and restaurants, my grocery store is just a mile away; you could live downtown without owning a car. I’ll go for a while without getting in my car. I fill my gas tank maybe once a month. It’s a simpler lifestyle for sure.”

Jon said one of the initial surprises he experienced upon his move to Dayton Towers and the downtown environment was the volume and diversity of people he met, both in his own apartment complex and his new downtown neighborhood. “It’s a change of pace if you’re used to a suburban environment where you drive everywhere, pull into your garage, and call it a night,” he said. “Here where the IMG_0739-HDRpopulation is more dense, you’ll see more people, and when you walk or bike instead of drive, you have more interactions.” Within his own apartment building, Jon said he has met a wide range of ages and backgrounds of people who choose the convenience and excitement of downtown living. “There are families with kids, senior citizens, University of Dayton and Sinclair College students, young professionals like myself — people from all walks of life live here,” he said. “There’s a real sense of community.”

Link bikes provide transportationMingling with other Dayton Towers residents is how Jon met his group of friends, who enjoy Dayton Towers’ proximity to Oregon District businesses as well as theaters, art galleries, recreational activities, and other amenities within easy walking or leisurely bike riding distance. Of course hanging out on the patio or balconies is a popular choice with the amazing city views. Regardless of how he now spends his additional free time as a downtown resident, Jon said he’s happy with his choice to ditch the commute and dive into the live-work-play environment his downtown address provides. “It’s a lifestyle I prefer to have.”

Downtown Businesses Here To Rescue You From Lame Valentine’s Day

By

10557332_1042909072389755_751175629293854363_n

Skate with your sweetie and pick up a Parker plush. Photo courtesy Five Rivers MetroParks

Whether you truly “heart” Valentine’s Day, shun the celebration, or are simply ambivalent to arrow-slinging amoretti, if you’re looking for heartfelt gifts, awesome dinner specials, or great local music, downtown Dayton has you covered. Choose your own adventure in today’s post to create the best weekend experience plopped in the middle of a frigid February.

Date Night

Find out why Amazon.com rated Dayton in its top 20 list of most romantic U.S. cities. If you need gifts and activities for you and your sweetie, here are a few suggestions to squeeze every last drop of romance out of your city:

  • Sweetheart Skate, Feb 13-14, MetroParks Ice Rink: Spend Valentine’s weekend at RiverScape MetroParks Ice Rink! During regular ice rink hours Friday through Sunday, you can purchase the “Sweetheart Deal” and get two rink admissions, two ice skate rentals, two cups of hot chocolate and a Parker the Penguin plush for only $20.
  • February Fantasy, Feb 13-14, Victoria Theatre: The Dayton Ballet presents a powerful ballet program with four diverse works, including two world-premiere ballets. A pre-performance talk will take place 45 minutes prior to each performance. Visit com for details. Don’t forget to bring your receipt from your recent purchase at a downtown Dayton business for discount tickets to this performance!
  • Valentine’s Day Gift-Making, Feb 13-14, Proto BuildBar: Nothing says “love” like 3D printing your own customized Proto Heart and filling it with gifts. Proto also offers pre-stuffed hearts, full of sweets and a piece of locally made, handcrafted jewelry by Brooke Medlin!
  • Super Saturday Family Days, Feb 13, Dayton Art Institute: Maybe your special someone is a little on the short side. Take the kids to create your own beautiful valentines using classic and vintage valentines as your inspiration. Enjoy a gallery hunt featuring some of the most romantic paintings at The Dayton Art Institute.
  • Salsa Saturday Valentine’s Celebration, Feb 13, Therapy Café: DJ Danny D plays a mixture of Latin dance music consisting of salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia, dembow, line dance, reggaeton, soca, punta, and vallenato, music that will definitely heat up the dance floor. Learn the basics of this sexy, sultry dance with a free lesson at 9:45pm.
  • Annual Valentine’s Show with Touch, Feb 13, Gilly’s Jazz: Dayton-based Touch, a five-member, “old school” rhythm-and-blues band, covers baby-makin’ hits by the Temptations, the Stylistics, the Delfonics, and more at Gilly’s during the annual Valentine Party Saturday night.
12687777_967573179990685_112932302902924065_n

A night of hilarious improv beats a box of those chalky candy hearts any day!

Who Needs Cupid?

Does that chubby cherub even have a license for his amorous arrows? If you’d rather avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous corporate holidays, here are a few ways you can still have a great time without a heart-shaped box.

 

maxresdefault-7

A romantic dinner is a great way to begin your Valentine’s experience. (Actual view at downtown Dayton restaurants may vary.)

Eat Your Heart Out

Coupled or not, everyone’s gotta eat! Here are a few drool-worthy dining specials this weekend:

 

This is Our Time…. To See Footloose

By

16212858751549812525One of the most explosive movie musicals in recent memory bursts onto the live stage with exhilarating results. When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, Ren is prepared for the inevitable adjustment period at his new high school. What he isn’t prepared for are the rigorous local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, determined to exercise the control over the town’s youth that he cannot command in his own home.

When the reverend’s rebellious daughter sets her sights on Ren, her roughneck boyfriend tries to sabotage Ren’s reputation, with many of the locals eager to believe the worst about the new kid. The heartfelt story that emerges is of a father longing for the son he lost and of a young man aching for the father who walked out on him.

To the rockin’ rhythm of its Oscar and Tony-nominated top 40 score (the soundtrack album reached number one on the Billboard charts and has sold over 15 million copies!) and augmented with dynamic new songs for the stage musical, FOOTLOOSE celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people, guiding them with a warm heart and an open mind.

Presented at the Victoria Theatre 11/27/2015 at 8 PM and 11/28/2015 at 2 PM and 8 PM, you can reserve your tickets online.