Dayton937

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

Archives for August 2017

Dining at Dewberry 1850 Inside the Marriott at UD

By

Had a chance to dine at the new restaurant Dewberry 1850 today,  inside the  Marriott at the University of Dayton Hotel. The re-design is beautiful, bright and airy with several different areas conducive to working meeting with power even wired into the tables,  as well as window tables of two and three for more intimate dining.  They feature New American Cuisine with locally sourced ingredients,, a large selection of regional craft beers as well as spirits.  While they’ve just barely opened, they already have scheduled their first beer dinner with Yellow Springs Brewery for Thurs, Sept 28th  from 6-8pm.

 

The name of the eatery is directly tied to the  University history, as explained on their website;

In the middle of a cholera epidemic, the Bishop of Cincinnati sent Father Leo Meyer, S.M., to minister to the sick at Emmanuel parish in Dayton. Here, he met John Stuart, whose little daughter died of cholera the year before. Mr. Stuart wanted to sell his Dayton property and return with his wife to Europe. Father Meyer gave him a medal of St. Joseph and a promise of $12,000 in return for Dewberry Farm — 125 acres of vineyards, orchards, a mansion and farm buildings

On July 1, 1850, St. Mary’s School for Boys, a frame building that not long before had housed farm hands, opened its doors to 14 primary students from Dayton. Known at various times as St. Mary’s School, St. Mary’s Institute and St. Mary’s College, the school assumed its present identity in 1920.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, they bill themselves as the perfect place to Eat, Drink & Gather.

We started with the  Divvy & Split section of the menu, which offered standards like pretzel, wings, tacos  and as well as bruschetta BLT’s, Flying Pigs, and what we ordered: Mac-N-Cheese Croquettes,  -panko crumbs l cheddar l mascarpone l roasted garlic sour cream,  $11 for 3.

On to the Tossed & Assembled portion of the lunch menu, which offers five sandwiches and five salads. I had the M Burger– Angus beef l bacon l cheddar l LTO l toasted brioche   $14

My lunch companion ordered the Brown Street Club – Legrand poblano aioli l carved turkey l smoked bacon l shaved romaine l tomato l raisin bread  $12

Food was good, atmosphere very welcoming and looking forward to going back and trying both lunch and dinner.   If you’ve been, let us know what you think in the comments below:

 

Dewberry 1850 in the Marriott at the University of Dayton

1414 South Patterson Boulevard              937-223-1000
Dayton, OH 45409

HOURS

Monday – Friday: 6:30 am – Midnight

Saturday – Sunday: 7:00 am – Midnight

Get Your Team Together for this Kickball Tournament

By

A kickball tournament fundraiser, Kickin’ it with Luke, will take place September 16, 2017. The tournament will be held at Dayton Area Rugby Club Grounds, 620 Shiloh Rd, Dayton, OH 45415, and benefit Brigid’s Path, a local nonprofit which provides inpatient medical care for drug-exposed newborns, non-judgmental support for mothers, and education services to improve family outcomes.

 

The tournament will be held in memory of 29-year-old Lucas Stoddard, a Dayton native. Luke was always energetic and active, and grew up playing basketball and soccer. When he was a teenager, he suffered a sports injury and was prescribed pain medication that led to a long struggle with addiction. Luke actively and passionately battled the addiction in a struggle to stay drug free, with the support of his family and closest friends.

 

Luke’s death brought an awareness to his friends and family that people all over our city and country are gaining: that there is no one face of addiction. That it does not discriminate, but instead can be your loved one or neighbor just as easily as the person across town.

 

“Addiction was just a tiny part of the life that Luke lived, and doesn’t define him or his legacy,” said Melanie Wagner, tournament organizer. “He always loved kids, and was perpetually the fun cousin, uncle and life of the party. I know he would be proud to support the life-changing work of Brigid’s Path, and the babies and mothers that they assist.”

 

Teams of 10 or more can register at https://kickinitwithluke.com/. Spectators are invited to attend at no cost and participate in backyard games such as cornhole, giant Connect Four, and Kan Jam. A raffle will take place at the tournament. If you are interested in donating a prize, please contact Kimber Altick at (937) 367-4830 or email [email protected]. Individuals not participating in the tournament can make donations in Luke’s memory directly to Brigid’s Path at https://brigidspath.org/donate-new/.

 

Dining Deals For Labor Day Weekend

By

Labor Day is traditionally a holiday weekend filled with grilling out, gobbling down hot dogs and hamburgers and cracking some beer with friends.  But if your cookout gets rained out or you just want to be waited on, check out these restaurant deals around town:

  • Abuelo’s – You can buy one, get one free entree at participating locations.
  • Carrabba’s – order Chicken Bryan, Chicken Marsala or Pollo Rosa Maria and get a FREE* Spaghetti & Meatballs to take home through Sept 4th.
  • Domino’s – Take advantage of these deals:

* 20% off your entire online order.

* Large two-topping pizza with an eight-piece order of Bread Twists for $14.99.

* Two medium one-topping pizzas with a 16-piece order of Parmesan Bread Bites, an eight-piece order of Cinnamon Twists, and a two-liter Coke for $19.99.

  • Firehouse Subs – Don’t miss these special Offers:

* Free medium sub with purchase of a medium or large sub with chip and drink.

* Free gallon beverage with any platter purchase.

  • Hardee’s – Don’t miss these two special Offers:

* Small strawberry lemonade for $0.99.

* Small double cheeseburger combo for $3.99.

  • Long John Silver’s – You can buy one, get one free platter.
  • P.F. Chang’s – You can access a buy one entree, get one free entree free Offer after filling out this online form.

How About a Little Glamping?

By

 September is still summer so get out and take advantage of the perfect summer Glamping getaway to the Hocking Hills.  There’s nothing like late summer for glamping, so why not grab some friends and make some plans, it’s only a couple hours away. The days are still nice and long, the weather more moderate and the cool, clear nights are perfect for a campfire and star gazing.

 

3 bedrooms & 3 baths in the Bella Luna Cabin

According to Glamping.com, “Recently, a global trend has caught fire that offers outdoor enthusiasts an upgrade on rest and recreation. It’s called glamping, a new word for a new kind of travel, defined as glamorous camping.  When you’re glamping, there’s no tent to pitch, no sleeping bag to unroll, no long journey to find a bathroom. Whether you’re staying in a tent, yurt, airstream, pod, igloo, hut, villa, cabin, cube, teepee or treehouse, glamping is a way to experience the great outdoors without sacrificing luxury.”

Burtonwood Lodging Company has 3 & 4 bedroom cabins

Nowhere in the Midwest is there a better place for Glamping than the Hocking Hills.  Conveniently located in southeast Ohio, just an hour from Columbus, the Hocking Hills are Ohio’s natural crown jewels.

Long known for the multitude of cabins peppered throughout the Hills amongst the region’s famous parks and forests with prehistoric caves, waterfalls, deep ravines and scenic clifftops, the Hocking Hills was a Glamping mecca before it became a global trend.

In addition to the cabins and lodges there are some really unique lodging options.  There’s treehouses, Tipis, Yurts, a Caboose and even castles.  Enjoy hiking, ziplining, canoeing, kayaking, horseback riding, rock climbing and rappelling during the day then retreat to a little Glamping in a truly unique setting.

In addition to the lovely, lingering late summer weather there’s plenty of fun and festival activity in September.  Check out the Ohio Paw-Paw Festival at Lake Snowden in Albany from September 15 to 17, 2017.  Test your endurance at the annual Hocking Hills Indian Run on September 16.  Pick your challenge at this 60k, 40k, 20k, 10k or 5k trail run departing from the Old Man’s Cave Visitor Center.  Ohio’s largest free air show will take to the skies on September 17 at the Vinton County Airport.

The Annual Hocking Hills Artists & Craftsmen Show and Sale will be in a new location this year and will be part of the inaugural Hocking Hills Fall Fest in Historic Downtown Logan on September 23 & 24.  In addition to all the wonderful one-of-a-kind works of art the weekend will include live music, food trucks, kid’s activities and a Chili cook off.  Historic Downtown Logan is coming back to life with new shops, eateries and performance venues, all conveniently located just a short drive from your Glamping headquarters in the Hocking Hills.

How about a little moonlight adventure?  There’s MoonShine Full Moon Zipline Tours, Night Flight Rappelling Adventures and canoeing on the Hocking River under the full moon on September 8 & 9.

 

Have You Been Eating Sushi Wrong?

By 1 Comment

Is this the correct way to eat Eel?

Did you know there is a correct way to eat sushi?

Neither did we, and we have been doing it all wrong for years ! It’s a good thing we have Japanese native, Miko Whigham, in town.  Miko is here to teach us how to eat sushi correctly, like they do in Japan.  This will ensure politeness and manners, if you ever find yourself in an authentic sushi restaurant on a Food Adventure.

How do they eat Salmon sushi rolls in Japan ?

Miko is a sushi expert.  She grew up in Japan, moved to the United States decades ago.  She now owns her second Sushi restaurant called ARIAKE SUSHI BAR  which is near the Dayton Mall, at 59 Fiesta Lane, by the intersection of 741 and 725.

 

THE BIGGEST ERRORS IN SUSHI EATING:
Many of us find ourselves using chopsticks, when actually it is more customary to use your hands. This can save you from fumbling with chopsticks, if you aren’t well versed.  It can also save your sushi from crumbling, which happens to the Food Adventure Crew a lot.  Miko also says mixing the wasabi in the soy sauce is only a sometimes thing.

 

Exotic Sushi rolls at Ariake demand special handling

CORRECT WAY TO EAT SUSHI ROLLS :  VIDEO
(Sushi rolls are the most common sushi, cooked or raw filling inside of rice cut into circles)
1) Fill your little sauce tray up 2/3rd the way with soy sauce.
2) Brush a little wasabi anywhere on your sushi roll pieces using chopsticks.
3) Next, get rid of the chopsticks or forks and use your hands only.
4) Pick up the sushi piece (it is typically a small circle shape) and dip it quickly into the soy sauce
5) Put the whole thing in your mouth.  Yes, the whole thing.  They are made for you to taste it all at once.


CORRECT WAY TO EAT NIGIRI SUSHI: VIDEO
(Ngiri is typically a piece of fish laying on top a small bunch of rice, raw or cooked)
1) Fill your little sauce tray up 2/3rd the way with soy sauce.

What is the customary way to eat Nigiri ?

2) Brush a little wasabi on the fish side of your sushi using chopsticks.
3) Next, get rid of the chopsticks or forks and use your hands only.
4) Pick up the sushi piece with your hand fish side down, rice side up,and dip the fish part into the soy sauce
5) Put the whole thing in your mouth.   Yes, the whole thing.  They are made for you to taste it all at once.
(#4 makes sense, we always dipped the rice side into the soy and it fell apart.. NEVER AGAIN !)

This VIDEO will help you with a little known Wasabi request …

 

Sashimi – Fatty Tuna

CORRECT WAY TO EAT SASHIMI: VIDEO
(Sashimi is raw fish, sliced into bite sized squares)
1) Fill your little sauce tray up 2/3rd the way with soy sauce.
2) Put a little dab of wasabi into the soy sauce, and using chopsticks mix it into the soy sauce until blended.
3) Using chopsticks, pick up a piece of sashimi, dip the fish part into the soy sauce
4) Put the whole thing in your mouth.

 

CORRECT WAY TO EAT A HAND ROLL:

Fold the Hand Roll Bottom closed, pour a few drops of soy on the top

1) Hold the roll like an ice cream cone
2) Using chopsticks, smear a small amount of wasabi across the top opening of the roll.
3) Fold the bottom opening closed and hold it closed with your pinky finger while holding the hand roll like an ice cream cone.
4) Pour a small amount of soy sauce across the top opening of the roll.
5) Take bites out of the roll, like eating an ice cream cone.

 

OPTIONAL WAY TO EAT SUSHI ROLLS AND NIGIRI: (THE GINGER MOP METHOD): VIDEO
There is another way to soak your sushi with soy and wasabi. Food Adventures has named this the “Ginger Mop Method”
1) Fill your little sauce tray up 2/3rd the way with soy sauce.
2) Put a little dab of wasabi into the soy sauce, and using chopsticks mix it into the soy sauce until it disintegrates.
3) Next, using your chopsticks, get a pinch of ginger, and dip it into your soy sauce

Japanese native Miko Whigham, owner of Ariake Sushi

4) Using the ginger like a “mop”, brush the sushi with the wet ginger, spreading soy sauce on the sushi. If you want to break tradition, you can mix wasabi into the soy sauce here.
5) Pick up the sushi piece with your hand, if it is nigiri (fish on a bed of rice) turn it fish side down, rice side up,and dip the fish part into the soy sauce. If it is a roll you can dip it by hand or by chop stick.
6) Put the whole thing in your mouth.   Yes, the whole thing.  They are made for you to taste it all at once.

There you have it, you are now an official Sushi Ninja…

Thank you to Japanese native Miko Whigham for her guidance on “How to eat sushi correctly.” Make sure you visit her restaurant, Ariake Sushi Bar in Miamisburg for Dayton’s most authentic Japanese menu.   When you do, you now know how to mind your sushi manners!

Please browse our sushi photos below, and follow Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Now you can tackle sushi in the “correct manner”

How would you address this roll??

Kani, Tuna and Salmon Nigiri – use the upside down dip method

Spicy Tuna Roll

Shrimp Tempura

Sushi is life

Tell your friends to use their hands !

Sushi Boat at Ariake

How would you tackle this one? With your hands !

Sashimi Plate

Sushi roll

Roll topped with eel

Ariake Feast !

Dreams come true at Ariake Sushi Bar

hello , lover…

Mackrel, tuna and yellow tail

The Kani imitation Krab is good stuff

Some sushi rolls come deep fried

Love the Spicy tuna roll

Hand Rolls – $1 – limit 1

 

Sashimi Plate

Ngiri Plate – Salmon, Tuna, Crab

Tuna Roll

Outside Ariake Sushi near the Dayton Mall

Urinetown Hits the Beavercreek Community Theatre Stage

By

In the not-so-distant future, a terrible water shortage and 20-year drought has led to a government ban on private toilets and a proliferation of paid public toilets, owned and operated by a single megalomaniac company: the Urine Good Company. If the poor don’t obey the strict laws prohibiting free urination, they’ll be sent to the dreaded and mysterious “Urinetown.”

Music, Art & Education-Ladyfest is back!

By

Ladyfest Dayton hopes to bring together and inspire people through music, art, and education. While the festival itself is a celebration of women in the arts, we hope to provide a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of gender identity. On top of enjoying some of the best live music from Dayton and our neighbors, you get to know you’re making a direct contribution to your community. Past Ladyfests have benefited PUSH Dayton, Artemis Center, and Planned Parenthood

‘All My Sons’ Review – Dayton Theatre Guild – Love, Loss and Lies

By

Attempting to move forward while haunted by the past ultimately pushes the Keller household to the breaking point in Arthur Miller’s acclaimed 1947 drama All My Sons, commendably presented by the Dayton Theatre Guild.

David Williamson (Joe Keller) and Heather Atkinson (Lydia Lubey) appear in the Dayton Theatre Guild’s production of All My Sons. (Contributed photo by Craig Roberts).

Delicately helmed without a hint of melodrama by Debra Kent, this gripping, three-act tale spanning a period of less than 24 hours concerns betrayal, duty, responsibility, regret, and irreparable father-son dynamics, relatable themes Miller would expand upon two years later in his masterpiece Death of a Salesman. Joe, humble patriarch and longtime businessman, and his dutiful wife Kate, still reeling from and utterly consumed by the absence of their eldest son Larry who disappeared in action, await the arrival of Ann Deever, the girl next door from long ago presently pining for Joe and Kate’s youngest son Chris, a valiant serviceman now operating the family business. The notion of marriage is a refreshing plus for this family in dire need of good news, but an ominous cloud looms over them. After all, Joe knowingly shipped defective airplane parts from his factory to the military during World War II, causing the deaths of 21 pilots. He was exonerated but his business partner Steve Deever, Ann’s father, remains incarcerated. When Ann’s bitter brother George arrives for answers, the Kellers are forced to face the ugly truth and accept the brutal, tragic consequences.

Framed within Chris Harmon’s beautifully inviting backyard set and attractively costumed in period attire by Carol Finley, Kent’s cast brings fine vim and verve to Miller’s fantastically layered dialogue overall despite a crucial inconsistent link. As the terribly flawed Joe, David Williamson shrewdly navigates the tricky balancing act of appearing carefree while forever under suspicion. Although Williamson is pretty much happy-go-lucky for the majority of the play, he greatly unleashes Joe’s hard-nosed grit late in Act 2 when Joe defends his choices, including his love of family, opposite an angered Chris. As the charming, honorable Chris, Jeff Sams delivers one of his most emotional performances, wonderfully erupting in a sea of ferocity, pain, disbelief, and horror as the unimaginable becomes reality. Sams has so much fire in his eyes I truly believed Kate’s depiction of Chris’ duality: “In the war they say he was a killer. Here he was afraid of mice.” As Ann, the good-natured woman caught in the middle of brotherly strife, the luminous Kari Carter, looking runway-ready in Finley’s lovely costumes, supplies a beguiling femininity and a keen mediator sensibility as dysfunction threatens the pursuit of new love. The terrifically nuanced Mike Beerbower, determined to destroy but mindful of cordiality, brings pitch-perfect frustration and childlike awe to George’s prickly, tense reunion with the Kellers. Rick Flynn (Dr. Jim Bayless) and Adee McFarland (Sue Bayless) are credibly partnered. McFarland in particular excellently intimidates to the hilt opposite Carter when Sue scolds Ann about Chris’ behavior and admits she actually can’t stand living next to the Kellers. Who knew Miller laid the groundwork for Desperate Housewives? Todd Rohrer (horoscope-adoring Frank Lubey), Heather Atkinson (Frank’s sunny wife and George’s former flame Lydia), and spunky Noah Rutkowski (precocious neighbor kid Bert) are also enjoyable in featured roles. However, Rachel Oprea, a committed but miscast Kate, is out of her depth and doesn’t really settle into the complex magnitude of her role, which has greater significance here due to Kent’s decision to stage, in prologue and echoing the play’s exhilarating 2016 Stratford Festival production, the fierce storm that strikes the tree Kate planted to keep Larry’s memory alive. Kent tilts the play in Kate’s direction, but Oprea lacks variety, vitality and age-appropriate finesse, a surprising turn of events considering how much I’ve praised her versatility over the years. Regardless, as Kate says, “certain things have to be.”

Even so, accented by gently evocative lighting design by Tony Fende (notice Oprea bathed in blue moonlight in the final moments) and moody sound design by K.L. Storer, All My Sons is impactful theater. Miller places a stark mirror to humanity as he questions the true measure of a man living the American Dream.

 

All My Sons continues through Sept. 3 at the Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Ave., Dayton. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 5 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. Act One: 55 minutes; Act Two/Three: 70 minutes. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $13 for students. For tickets or more information, call (937) 278-5993 or visit daytontheatreguild.org.

 

FOA’s Rally 4 Recovery Shows Support For Those Dealing With Opioid Addiction

By

Lori Erion, Founder of FOA

Dayton has been a good place for me to live and raise a family, but our area has more than its share of problems. Fortunately, Dayton is filled with good people working to address those problems.  The opioid epidemic is one of Dayton’s worst problems and Lori Erion and her organization FOA Familes of Addicts is doing something about it.

“I started FOA when I learned that my daughter was using drugs,” Lori told me. “The goal was to bridge the gulf between addicts and their families. Sharing our experiences gives us strength and hope. We started with a small weekly meeting in Dayton and now it’s grown into a large weekly meeting in Dayton plus weekly meetings in cities in four other counties.”

“The purpose of our grass-roots organization is to reduce the stigma of addiction, to ensure availability of adequate recovery support services and to influence public opinion regarding the value of recovery.   Money is always a problem.  But the need is so great that we must find ways to continue to build FOA.”

FOA had their annual Rally 4 Recovery Sunday at Courthouse Square, and I volunteered to be one of the event’s photographers.  This photo only shows part of the crowd.  Another photographer went up on a lift so that he could get a photo of everyone. 

The rally also had speakers, including Ohio’s Attorney General Mike DeWine.  And there was music, information booths, face painting for the kids and a balloon launch.  The balloons came in four colors – YELLOW to represent those in long-term recovery, RED for those still struggling, WHITE for those who are gone but not forgotten and GREEN for anyone touched with mental illness.   There was also a big media presence.  I saw several people from local TV stations, one person from the NBC Nightly News, and two people working on a documentary film.  

This is the kind of organization that I love to support.  All of the workers are volunteers – no one gets a salary.  When you donate money it goes directly to programs.  You can support FOA by donating at http://www.foafamilies.org/donations.

 

Courthouse Square was packed for the Rally.

Mystery Monday Aug 28th

By

If you’re a fan of craft beer, this was probably an easy one for you as this photo was taken in the beer garden at The Dayton Beer Company located at 41 Madison Street.

Owner and Brew Master Peter Hilgeman, an Alter High School graduate, opened the first locally owned brewery in Dayton in 2012.  In April of 2015 they added this downtown location, which allowed them to adda canning line and a 15 barrel steam brew house.

We had lots of correct answers on this and we randomly picked Alex Duncan of Dayton was our winner- watch  your mail for your free pizza coupon.

 

 

So for this week we do a totally different direction with our photo- 

If you know the location of this photo enter it here:  http://goo.gl/forms/dyU55fzc48.

One lucky winner each week will win a free pizza from Rapid Fired Pizza. 

We’ll let you know next Monday if you got it right!  Good Luck!

 

Up For a Job That Includes Drinking Whiskey & Traveling the World?

By

Grant’s is recruiting a new Global Brand Ambassador. They are looking for a charismatic, talented and passionate figurehead to continue our brand’s journey from its creation in 1887 to a whisky now enjoyed by millions across 183 countries. 

In 1909, Charles Grant Gordon embarked on a journey to take Grant’s Whisky to the world. In 2018, their new Global Brand Ambassador will recreate this journey.

 

STAGE #1: APPLY NOW!

Grant’s believes it’s the journey that shapes our character, none of us have made it this far on our own. So in the first stage they’d like you to suggest a drink for all the friends you’ve not yet met. The only catch, it must include three ingredients that reveal something about your personality? Why three? Maybe it’s the three sides of their triangular bottle, or the three different woods their whisky is aged in, but threes have long been important to them.

Simply post your drink on Instagram (or Facebook) using #GrantsInterview. Alternatively, submit your entry via our online form.

They are looking for someone who can embody their approach and personality in a drink containing three ingredients (including Grant’s whisky). They will be assessing entries against the following three criteria:-

Distinctiveness: Is the drink intriguingly different? Does it align with the core brand values ie celebrating collective achievement?

Creativity: Does the drink have an interesting name? Is the copy engaging? Does the accompanying picture exhibit an ability to capture the attention of others?

Intrigue: Does the drink tease the imagination and make the audience want to learn more about you and how you might excite a wide range of new and existing audiences across the world? Can you demonstrate that you can charm people with whom you have no existing relationship?

Avoid silly spelling mistakes. Make sure your privacy settings mean we can see your entry. And most importantly for Instagram / Facebook entries, include the hashtag #GrantsInterview.   

Max entries per person: 3

Deadline: 30 August 2017

From all of the entries in Stage #1, they will select 250 and send a short application form to these people asking for more information. From completed entries, they will then work with theirr three global influencers and internal team to narrow the field to 20 who will be invited to ‘The Mixer’ event in Scotland… 

5 Labor Day Festivals You’ll Want to Attend!

By

There’s no doubt the Miami Valley likes a festival and September is jam packed with them! It can truly be overwhelming trying to keep up with them, heck there are 5 Oktoberfests in Sept that we know of, not to mention celebrations of Greek, Italian and  Egyptian culture. (Check out DMM’s Calendar and filter to festival to see them all.)  But let’s just take this one week at a time and look ahead to next weekend:

Kettering Holiday at Home: Saddle Up

Lincoln Park Commons

September 2- 4 

Holiday at Home is an annual celebration in Kettering, Ohio. It is held the Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend. Activities include a 5K, Arts & Craft and Auto Shows, Children’s Activities, Parade, Entertainment and more!

Annual Gala: Saturday, Sept 2, 6:00 PM to 11:00 PMArts & Crafts: Sunday, Sept 3, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Monday, Sept 4, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PMAuto Show: Sunday, Sept 3, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Monday, Sept 4, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PMChildren’s Zone: Sunday, Sept 3, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Monday, Sept 4, 11:00AM to 5:00 PM5K Race: Monday, Sept 4, 8:00 AMParade: Monday, Sept 4, 9:55 AM to 12:00 PM

Kettering Holiday at Home Parade

The Fair at New Boston

George Rogers Clark Park

September 2 & 3  @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm     $8 – $10

Step 200 years back in time at the Annual Fair at New Boston! All of those that exhibit at the fair, including vendors and artisans will be in character, meaning they will interact with you as if you were an 18th Century visitor. They may even question that cell phone, or newfangled camera you might be carrying wondering exactly what it might do.

Enjoy music and period entertainments, sample hearty foods of the past and shop juried artisans and craftspeople.

AlterFest: Alter’s Family Fun Festival

Alter High School
Friday, Sept 01, 2017   7:00 PM – 11:00 PM 
Saturday, Sept 02, 2017   12:00 PM – 11:00 PM 
Sunday, Sept 03, 2017   1:00 PM – 11:00 PM 
Monday, Sept 04, 2017   12:00 PM – 5:00 PM 
AlterFest features fun for the whole family, rides and games for the kids, Blackjack, Texas Hold’em, Big 6 & Showdown for the adults, lots of great food and of course, a full line-up of the best bands in Dayton entertaining the masses.

River Blast

Riverfront Park
Saturday, Sept 2 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm  Fireworks 9:05pm

Enjoy an evening of fun for the whole family in Miamisburg. Enjoy entertainment, live music, FIREWORKS and more. Children’s entertainment includes giant inflatable play zone, face painting, crafts, caricature artists, puppet shows and games.

Luminaries of Dayton: John W. Harries

By

John Harries, one of the pioneer inhabitants of the city of Dayton, was born in 1783 in the town of Gebledewyll, in Carmarthenshire, Wales. In 1810, John married Mary Williams, and soon afterward settled on a farm near his birthplace. In the fall of 1823, they immigrated to the United States, landing in New York, where Mr. Harries embarked in the wholesale and retail grocery business, and there his wife died.

In 1826, he married Mary Elizabeth Conklin, of Huntington, Long Island, daughter of Elkanah R. and Rebecca (Smith) Conklin, both of whom were natives of Huntington and had roots in England. To his second marriage the children born in New York City were Charles and Caroline and in Dayton, Ohio, Mary, Rosetta and Emma.

In the spring of 1829, Mr. Harries, with his family, came to Ohio, arriving in Dayton on July 5th of that year, on the canal boat “Experiment,” having made the journey from Cincinnati by canal. The eldest son, Thomas, remained in New York, continuing his education, and the family that arrived in Dayton consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Harries and six children. Shortly after reaching Dayton, Mr. Harries engaged in the brewing business. He had little money and little knowledge of brewing beer, but by means of perseverance and considerable natural ability he made a success of the business, and continued to follow it actively until the last year of his life.

John bought the Dayton Brewery in 1831. He was the largest dealer of grain and his ale was the best made. It had a great reputation. John stored charcoal he used for making malt in a house made from a pirogue. The pirogue was a long narrow boat pointed at each end with boards on each side of which the men walked while pushing the boat upstream. After arriving at their destination, the pirogue was carefully taken apart piece by piece and rebuilt on dry land, becoming his first house in Dayton. John lived in it for many years and it was also used for hiding slaves who were trying to make their way to Canada.

The great secret of John’s prosperity was that while others reasoned and argue and weighed the probabilities of a case, he promptly resolved and acted. Mr. Harries had great power of concentration and self-control. He was a man of many virtues. With a heart tender and warm, his hand were ever open, ready and willing to lend aid to charitable causes.

The following words were said at the time of his death:
“John W. Harries is dead, and the places which knew him so long and so well shall know him no more forever. His friendly face, his familiar form, his cordial greetings, will never be seen or heard on earth again. On the 22d of February, at 1:10 P. M., he breathed his last. For several days he seemed on the point of dissolution, but such were his amazing tenacity of life and strength of will that he appeared to set death itself at defiance. Long and hard as the struggle was, however, he fell asleep at last, and a strong man passed away as peacefully as a tired infant goes to rest in its mother’s lap; Mr. Harries was a self-made man. Born in Wales, he came to this country in early manhood in quest of fortune, relying upon his character, his energy and his brains. His career strongly illustrates all the virtues, while it was far from most of the faults which characterize that remarkable class of brave men who rise by the inherent force of their own native and unaided powers. He earned his money by the sweat of his brow, and yet did not unduly estimate its value, nor pride himself upon its possession. In its use he was as liberal as a prince. Poverty could not depress; fortune did not spoil him. Wealth made him neither ambitious of the countenance or acquaintance of the rich or great, nor forgetful of the rights and feelings of the poor. In all his relations or dealings with men he was singularly just. He never forgot old friends or past favors. He had no false pride and never turned his back on a poor man. He was in many particulars a very remarkable person. Fixed in his convictions, he was in no wise intolerant of the opinions of other people. With few advantages of early education, native shrewdness, fine common sense, and close observation supplied the place of scholastic attainment. He was a reader of men, not of books. Without public position of any sort he was the best known, the most popular and influential man in the community in which he so long resided.”

John W. Harries died on February 22, 1873 at the age of 90. He is located in section 78 Lot 73.

Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. 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 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.

Miami County HomeGrown Stories: Fulton Farms

By

High school sweethearts, Joe and Kelsey Fulton, are part of a three generation farm operation at Fulton Farms. Joe was born and raised on the farm. Kelsey was born in North Carolina but moved back to her family’s roots in Miami County when she was ten years old. Both started working on the farm in their teens. This year Kelsey is coordinating the Sweet Corn Festival at Fulton Farms. They help Joe’s mom, Bev Fulton, manage the market at Fulton Farms.

 

On their connection to Miami County:
Joe – I was born on the farm and raised here. My father passed away when I was very young, about three months old. I was raised by my mother and my grandparents here. I was always involved with the farm as it was growing and changing. I started working at a young age on the farm, about ten or twelve years old. I didn’t get very involved with the market until I got back from college. When I got back my brothers and I started running different parts of the farm.

Kelsey – I was born in Wilmington, North Carolina and lived there until I was ten. My family is from Miami County, which I didn’t know when I was younger. My grandparents actually lived one country block away from Fulton Farms. Joe and I both went to Miami East. I’m glad that we came back, even though we moved away I got to move back to all my family history.

Joe – We’re high school sweethearts. It’s been fun because we grew up together.

Kelsey – For both of us, this was our first job. I started working here when I was fifteen or sixteen. I worked in the greenhouse with Joe’s mom, now my mother-in-law, Bev. [laughs] We’d be out in the greenhouse every spring and summer. Over the last ten years working here I’ve fallen in love with the farm.

On the history of Fulton Farms:
Joe – My grandparents bought the first 60 acres of the farm in 1958. By 1977 they had expanded the farm to 2000 acres. They started an outdoor market about a mile down the road. Later they purchased this barn and the south part of the farm. They turned into the barn into Fulton Farms Market. They started growing strawberries in the late 60s, early 70s. It was one of the best things to happen at the farm in years. My grandpa and Steve Hamilton started the Strawberry Festival in Troy. My grandparents were on the board for the festival for years. That was one of the things that lifted us up and got our name out there. We became very well known for it.

They started growing sweet corn pretty early on. Initially, it was extra income. In the beginning, they would pull the corn wagons in the barn. People would line up around the wagon with bags and get their corn. I can’t tell you how many people have told me that we have the best sweet corn. People will travel from out of state, from West Virginia and Michigan to buy their sweet corn. They come from all over.

About Fulton Farms today:
Joe – We’ve been farming this land for three generations. My grandparents, my mom and uncle, myself and my two brothers, along with my cousin Levi. It’s neat to work with your whole family all day. My brother Josh does a lot of the planting and harvesting. He also does a lot of our wholesaling to Kroger and Meijer. Our cousin Levi does a lot of our small crop production. His wife, Christie, works here too. They manage the farm workers and keep on schedule out in the field and bringing in the crops. We have farm workers that have been here for twenty and thirty years. They’re like family to us and that’s how we treat them. That’s how they deserve to be treated. They’ve dedicated their whole lives to the farm. It’s hard to find people like that. We appreciate them so much.

About the Market at Fulton Farms:
Joe – We meet a lot of people at the market. People who we would never have a chance to talk to otherwise. We hear amazing stories. That’s one of the neat things about the market. People are happy when they come here. We want to give them an experience. We don’t want to be some grocery store where they stop at, get their corn and leave. We want parents to take their kids to see all the animals out back. We have a big 700-pound pig, Charlotte. She eats like six times a day. We want them to come out to the farm and make a day of it. Have some lunch and ice cream.

Joe – Kelsey and I are in charge of the cafe now. We’re trying to modernize and bring in new revenue.

Kelsey – We’ve been sprucing it up and making some changes. We started the new shake and sundaes menu. The popular one right now is the blackberry one. Peach is another popular one.

Joe – We focus on items that were grown here on the farm. It’s also seasonal, the blackberry shake is a summer shake. We’ll do a strawberry shake in the spring and a pumpkin spice one this fall. My dream is to open a field to fork or farm to table restaurant out here.

Kelsey – Using our own ingredients adds so much extra flavor. There’s nothing like having a homegrown tomato on your sandwich – it makes such a difference.

How visitors can enjoy Fulton Farms:
Joe – One of the things I love seeing families do is come here to pick strawberries. It’s an experience. We always joke that we should weigh the little kids when they come out of the fields. There are some people that are just covered in strawberries – and we don’t care – that’s why they’re here.

Kelsey – That’s me when I pick. I’ll have half a quart in my belly [laughs].

Joe – We have people who tell us that their mom brought them here to pick strawberries when they were little. So they’ve brought their kids and grandkids to pick strawberries. It’s neat to see a community that has been raised with Fulton Farms and how appreciative they are.

In the fall we have hayrides and u-pick pumpkins. People will walk all the way across the field to get that perfect pumpkin. I always tell people there are a lot of good pumpkins right up front because everybody goes way out [laughs]. The fall is one of my favorite times at the farm. We have the hay maze and a petting zoo with lots of baby goats.

About the Sweet Corn Festival:
Joe –  The community has loved this festival and this is our first year doing the event ourselves. The past three years were a collaboration and the event was held here.

Kelsey – I’ve become the event coordinator. The feedback that we’ve gotten from everybody so far has been amazing. We will have a classic rock band play on Saturday. On Sunday, a local country band, ReFlektion will play. They’re an awesome band from Piqua.

We’ll have jumpies for kids out here. Free face painting and games for the kids. We’ll have a corn shucking contest. There will be four age categories, age 4-7, age 8-12, age13-17 and age 18-up. There will be prizes for the winners of each of the brackets.

I can’t wait to sample all the food vendors. We have thirteen different food vendors. We have Thai food, Cajun food… there’s so much variety this year. They’re all local too. Some of the vendors have restaurants in the area so it’s a way for them to show off their items. I don’t know if I’ll be able to get through all of them! We’re having a competition for the food vendors too. Everybody will have tickets. You can vote for your favorite food and favorite beverage. Whichever vendors win will get a gift basket from the farm – and bragging rights [laughs].

Joe – Everybody has something different. That’s what we wanted. We didn’t want one kind of food, we want food from different cultures.

Kelsey – One of the new things for this year is a surprise that Joe’s brother did for the event. He planted a huge sunflower patch. He showed it to me last week – I didn’t even know it was out there – and my jaw dropped. It goes on and on, all the way back to the tree line.

Joe – We’ll have hayrides out to the sunflower patch and sunflower u-picks. People can go out and see it, and take pictures.

We feel the need to give back and the need to show our community that we appreciate them. Anytime somebody approaches us we definitely want to help them and do anything we can. We want to help out when people need help. Having the Sweet Corn Festival is our way to give back. People can bring their family out here and learn about the farm.

Kelsey – That’s one of the reasons we wanted to keep the Sweet Corn Festival free. A lot of people were telling us that we could start charging tickets and make a lot of money. We don’t want to do that. We want to keep it free and have something fun for the kids and families. Our sponsors have helped us keep it as a free event. We’ve had a really good response from our sponsors.

It’s so important to expose kids to where their food comes from. Families can come to our u-pick and pick their own tomatoes or peppers and get back in touch with their food. So many folks grow up only going to the grocery store and not seeing where their food comes from.

Joe – A lot of our sponsors are friends and family but we’ve had people we don’t know reach out and say they want to help. It’s cool to see how interested people are. These are people that we don’t know and they want to get involved because they love the experience and want to help. My mom always told me to be a blessing when you can.

Kelsey – Be a blessing, not a burden is what she’d say. I remember the first time you went camping with my family, we were seventeen. Your mom sent you to the campground with three boxes full of produce and food – we were only there for the weekend. There was no way we could eat all that food [laughs] but you were like “Mom said,  be a blessing, not a burden.” It was so cute [laughs].

Fulton Farms
2393 OH-202, Troy, Ohio
Monday – Thursday: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Friday – Sunday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Facebook: @Fulton-Farms-106214867550
Instagram: @fulton_farms_market
Twitter: @fultonfarms

Fulton Farms Sweet Corn Festival, (free to attend)
Saturday, August 26 – Sunday, August 27
Facebook: facebook.com/events/292144477913190
Instagram: @fultonfarms_sweetcorn_fest

This story first appeared on the Miami County Convention and Visitors Bureau website.  Follow author,  storyteller and interviewer, Courtney Denning, at ThisOhioLife.com.

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Levitt Pavilion Dayton Names Executive Director

By

The Board of Ttrustees of the Friends of Levitt Pavilion Dayton welcome Lisa Wagner as their Executive Director. Jeff Ireland, Board chair, said, “We are delighted to have Lisa as the first Executive Director, to lead Levitt Pavilion Dayton as an important asset in the community. Lisa brings extensive experience in programming and audience experience and development.”

 

Lisa has spent the past 14 years of her career working for the Victoria Theatre Association, most recently as the Vice President of Ticketing and Hospitality. Lisa was part of the team that opened the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center in 2003. She has been part of the senior leadership team for the past 10 years with responsibility over Ticket Center Stage, Citilites Restaurant and Catering, and audience services. She has also been part of the programming team that presented many successful series. “I am honored and excited to be joining Levitt Pavilion Dayton as Executive Director. I have been fortunate to have learned so much at the Victoria Theatre Association, thanks to the leadership that allowed me that growth” Lisa comments. “Now I am looking forward to working alongside the Board to advance the mission of Levitt Pavilion Dayton. It will be great to lead the team that will create a space to bring our community together with the power of free, live music, to enjoy at least 50 concerts annually. Levitt Pavilion Dayton will be an integral element to invigorating our inner core.”

 

About Levitt Pavilion Dayton

When completed in 2018, Levitt Pavilion Dayton will be located on Dave Hall Plaza and will become the eighth signature Levitt Pavilion, joining Denver, Pasadena, Arlington, Memphis, Bethlehem, and Los Angeles. Central to the Levitt Pavilion’s mission is the creation and the development of gathering spaces that will result in stronger, healthier, and interconnected neighborhoods. Levitt Pavilion Dayton will provide 50 free concerts to the community, featuring local, regional national and international musicians, with an emphasis on creative and diverse programming.

 

Construction of Levitt Pavilion Dayton will begin in the Fall of 2017 with the venue opening in June 2018.

 

Dine For Crayons To Classrooms at Old Scratch Pizza

By

Old Scratch Pizza is ending their month of fundraising for Dayton Crayons to Classrooms with a DC2C Takeover! From 6pm to close, 10% of all profits at Old Scratch will go to DC2C’s mission of providing essential school supplies to the teachers of students in need. Come in for drinks and pizza to support local teachers and students!

While you’re there, don’t forget to grab a soft serve cone free of charge! Old Scratch Pizza only asks for a monetary donation to Crayons to Classrooms in return. School supply donations are also welcome — a donation bin will be in Old Scratch!