“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!”

Hopefully you make your way to some of these great places/events this week…unless you’re a grinch and don’t like having fun!

On Dr. Seuss’s birthday (Wednesday), head to the East Branch of the Dayton Metro Library for the Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash! If you feel like catching a little art, head to the Dayton Art Institute for Folk Art from the Collection of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, Wright State for the Wright State University 2011 Faculty Exhibition, Gallery Saint John for Sea, Earth & Sky, UD’s Rike Center Gallery for God… Steel and a Wasted Dream: Kyle and Kelly Phelps, UD’s ArtStreet for Yasue Sakaoka: Suspended 3-D Paper Sculpture, or the Cannery Art and Design Center for Romancing the Metal. And if you’re one of the Flyer Faithful, be sure to get your tickets to see the UD Flyers as they play Saint Louis…and this time, hopefully they win!

On Thursday, head to the Dayton Convention Center for the Dayton Home and Garden Show. In the evening, listen to the sounds of Mara Rosenbloom at the Dayton Art Institute as part of the Vectren Just Jazz Series. Perfect (or begin) your dancing skills as part of International Folk Dance Lessons at Michael Solomon Pavillion. Over at Jay’s, check out their Troeg Beer Dinner. Afterwards, catch some live music in the Oregon District – Nick Mitchell at the Dublin Pub, The Original Acoustic Revival Open Mic Stage at Trolley Stop, or the Blues Jam at Oregon Express.

On Friday, after you’ve eaten some green eggs and ham for breakfast, be sure to make your way to Chick-Fil-A for their FREE FryDay. It’s one of my favorite restaurants, though I always seem to crave it on Sundays when they’re closed! If you need to do some home improvements, check out the Dayton Home and Garden Show at the Dayton Convention Center. In the evening, bring your bike downtown (I’m hoping it’s good weather!) for the Courteous Mass Ride and for the fabulous First Friday. Be sure to check out the DMM events calendar for a listing of many of the arts events happening as part of this art hop! If you don’t feel like hopping, the Incarnation Fish Fry, the St. Mary Fish Fry, and the Ascension Fish Fry are all excellent options! You will be able to eat some fish, win some silent auction items, play some blackjack, and much more…all for a great cause of course! If you love the 80s like me, wear your sunglasses at night and attend the DJ Skates: Awesome ’80s at RiverScape MetroPark. For a “little” theater action, be sure to get your ticket to see The Wizard of Oz at Clark State Performing Arts Center or Little Women at Wright State University…after all, Dr. Seuss says that “a person’s a person, no matter how small.” And if you want to listen to live music, enable yourself to see The Enablers at Canal Street Tavern, The Story Changes, Segments, Me and Mountains, and the Apprentice at Blind Bob’s, or The Noah Wotherspoon Band at Oregon Express.

AleFeast

On Saturday, if you didn’t get enough information at the Dayton Home and Garden Show on Thursday or Friday, you can head their again or you can go to the 16th Annual Miami Valley Gardening Conference at Sinclair. Although it’s sad that you have to wait until August for Dayton AleFest, you will be able to attend Dayton AleFEAST at the Dayton Masonic Center, also on Saturday. Great food and beer…who can turn that down? All you car lovers should head to Daddy Katz for their Model Car Show & Swap Meet. At Wright State, you will still be able to catch a performance of Little Women. Due to the nature of the show, I’m guessing it would be a good idea to get a seat up front so you will be able to see the actors. At the Dayton Liederkranz Turner German Club, celebrate Fasching – German Mardi Gras. And if you didn’t get your opportunity to eat some fish on Friday night, head to the Mary Queen of Peace Catholic School Fish Fry.

On Sunday, start the day off by attending the Pancake Brunch at Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm. Afterwards, learn the Fundamentals of Skating at RiverScape MetroPark. At Wright State, you will be able to catch Little Women…no dumb jokes this time. At Alex’s on 725, support a great cause with their Spaghetti Dinner Benefit for Deputy Hopper’s Children & Officer Blum. And finally, although it’s not yet St. Patrick’s Day, get some Irish food as part of the Irish Buffet at The Dublin Pub and then later catch some Irish music at the Schuster Center as The Chieftains perform.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

What is the best way to communicate with a fish?
Drop it a line!

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar. There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today! Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE! And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!

Have a great week Dayton!