Dayton Ohio

Mystery Monday – July 18, 2016

July 18, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 25 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 24’s Mystery Photo is: The MeadWestvaco Treehouse at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. I took this photo on July 4, 2016 during the Red, White & Boonshoft event.

From boonshoftmuseum.org:

A remarkable permanent exhibit space, the MeadWestvaco Treehouse is just that: a fully-enclosed treehouse that extends beyond the traditional walls of the Museum to grant better access to the natural world. While inside, learn about environmental preservation, encounter live Honey Bees in their hive, see images of local flying squirrels captured on night-vision cameras, and of course do some bird watching!

Wow, over 50 of you got this one right! Congratulations to our randomly drawn winner Emmalee Daniels of Vandalia! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

We challenge you to tell us where in the Dayton area this photo was taken by filling out the form below. We’ll do a random drawing from all those with a correct answer and the winner will get 2 pizzas from Rapid Fired Pizza.

Enter here:

http://goo.gl/forms/dyU55fzc48

We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 25:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – July 11, 2016

July 11, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 24 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 23’s Mystery Photo is: The Band Stand at the Dayton VA Medical Center. I took this photo on May 28, 2016 during the American Veterans Heritage Center‘s annual Patriot Freedom Festival.

From americanveteransheritage.org:

The bandstand or gazebo, built in 1871, was initially lighted with gas lamps for evening concerts. The old soldiers’ band started in 1870 and by 1909 was ranked second to the Marine Corp Band as the best in the country. From April to November, there were band concerts nightly. Other well-known bands played here including John Phillip Sousa. The Home Band was disbanded in 1933.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Kate of Dayton! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 24:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – July 4, 2016

July 4, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 23 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 22’s Mystery Photo is: The Dayton Masonic Center, located in Downtown Dayton’s Steele’s Hill-Grafton Hill Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The original name for this building, designed in the Greek architectural style, was the Dayton Masonic Temple. Ground was broken on July 20, 1925 and the building opened on April 1, 1928. Total cost of construction was 2.5 million dollars. I took this photo on June 24, 2016.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Harvey of Huber Heights! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 23:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Dive Bar Tuesday – Mack’s Tavern

June 28, 2016 By Brian Petro

Welcome to Mack’s Tavern!

Scouting locations for Dive Bar Tuesday is usually pretty straight forward. We listen to the readers, make lists, and visit the sites as time allows. More often than not when we arrive, there is no doubt we are going to a dive bar. The location is small and usually hidden, there is not lots of light, and the people we see know each other. The first one we attended, Miami Valley Sports Bar, was the only venue we visited where we started to question if it had jumped to the next level. There was good food, plenty of room, and they were in the process of expanding and making the place better. Is there an upper ceiling to what can be considered a dive bar? Where does “dive bar” end and “nice place to go for a night out” begin? This conversation continued even as we walked into Mack’s Tavern, ready to get some drinks and have some of their delicious pizza.

Mack’s Tavern (381 Miamisburg Centerville Rd, Washington Township, OH 45459, (937) 813-7217) failed the first test of what we have come to expect from a dive bar: difficult to find. It is just sitting there next to Big Lots on Miamisburg Centerville Rd., begging for you to pull up and visit. The place is well lit too. Not too bright, because no one wants that in a bar, but just enough light to see the vintage décor on the walls and the games that are lined up and waiting for you to play. There are still some nooks and crannies you can scurry off to for a private discussion or a first date, but the floor is set up, so it is easy to meet people. That is not by accident. MacKenzie Manley, the owner of Mack’s, wants people to come in as strangers and leave as friends. If that is something I have written before, there is a reason. It is one of the charms of the dive bar. Or, if you want to be politer with the naming, the neighborhood bar. It is working. Everyone was chatting and having fun. And MacKenzie knew every regular.

We could not even fit the food into the frame.

If you have not heard of MacKenzie, it is possible you have not been near a computer for a very long time. MacKenzie won the first annual Bloody Mary Showdown with a Barbecue Burger Bloody Mary. Media monolith BuzzFeed picked up a story about the tavern leaving coupons on cars left overnight for responsible drivers. She was a bartender at the Pour Haus for years and was voted one of the top dive bars in the city in her first year of operation. She understands both sides of the bar business: making great drinks and providing a comfortable environment for the patrons who show up. She was inspired by the venerable Cubby Hole and the Pour Haus from years gone by. Does your company need a place to have a lunch meeting? Call Mack’s. Do you want to throw that big party for the holidays, or maybe a small class get-together? Call Mack’s. Did your plans at a different bar in the city fall through? Call Mack’s. Talking with her, exploring the space, you start to wonder if you can call this a dive bar, or are we in a whole different place? This is a dive bar. MacKenzie was emphatic about it.

Their menu is filled with food and drink delicious options. Just recently she added ten more specialty pizzas and wings to go with the sandwiches and meal-sized plates of Mack and Cheese. There are many beers on tap and bottles she offers, and all of them at a reasonable price. Good luck finding any beer over $4 (but they do pop up from time to time). They offer cocktails as well, which they are happy to create to your taste. They do have some standards that they will pour for you, but for the most part that menu is a bespoke one. And after a meal and some drinks here, your wallet will not feel that much lighter. The philosophy that drives the atmosphere at Mack’s is that she wants you to have a good time without breaking the bank. The inexpensive menu and the really friendly workers there ensure that the experience will be a pleasant one. They have thought it out right down to the restrooms, which may be the cleanest, most attractive ones I have seen in a while.

When you head into Mack’s Tavern, you are heading into one of the best dive bars Dayton has to offer. From their mascots Chewy the Boar and MacKenzie’s pit bull Haze to the one-of-a-kind signs on the wall, you are going to have a unique experience. They offer pool and darts for entertainment on a daily basis with Monday being reserved for karaoke and Thursday being a trivia night. And come football season, have no doubt, this bar cheers for the Steelers. It is a dive bar by design, and the lead architect has done an excellent job. Head into the easy to find, spacious bar and spend the night enjoying the food, the beverages, and the fact you are likely to leave with more friends than you had heading in. And leave your car if you had a little too much to drink. They will take care of that, too.

Mystery Monday – June 27, 2016

June 27, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 22 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 21’s Mystery Photo is: The Grant-Deneau Tower, Dayton’s first modern skyscraper, built in 1969-1970, on the corner of 4th & Ludlow Streets in Downtown Dayton. I took this photo on October 28, 2015.

Designed by prominent 1960’s Dayton architect Paul Deneau, the Grant-Deneau Tower is a fine example of mid-century modern architecture and was recently placed on the National Register of Historic Places, a rare feat for a building less than fifty years of age. There is hope by the building’s ownership and the City of Dayton that redevelopment for mixed use (commercial and residential) will start in Spring of 2017. To learn more about the Grant-Deneau Tower, check out the Dayton Deneau Society, founded by City of Dayton Planner Tony Kroeger. The group is also on Twitter at @DeneauSociety.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Ben of Fairborn! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 22:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – June 20, 2016

June 20, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 21 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 20’s Mystery Photo is: The Tree Tower at Cox Arboretum MetroPark. I took this photo on April 24, 2016.

From metroparks.org:

Adults and kids alike won’t want to miss the magical Tree Tower at Cox Arboretum MetroPark, where they can climb 81 steps for a panoramic view of the Miami Valley. The tower, constructed from a massive Douglas fir, rises 46 feet above the conifer collection, providing breathtaking views of the Arboretum grounds and collections. The tower is anchored by an inviting terrace, where visitors can gather to enjoy the shade and tranquility provided by the surrounding evergreens.

The tower is part of the master plan designed for us by renowned Belgian landscape architect Francois Goffinet. The master plan was created to ensure that Cox Arboretum is a spectacular destination for future generations.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Chris of West Carrolton! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 21:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – June 13, 2016

June 13, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 20 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 19’s Mystery Photo is: The Oregon Historic District‘s Newcom Founders Park. The park’s gazebo was built by Oregon District residents in 1985. I took this photo on June 3, 2016.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Ethan of Dayton! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 20:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Dive Bar Tuesday – Dr. Doodles Lounge

June 7, 2016 By Brian Petro

Welcome to Dr. Doodle’s Lounge!

There has been a theme in the last few dive bars we have explored. They are small and intimate venues, where is it hard not to meet know people because you were in pretty close proximity to them. Bar space was limited, and there was not much light in the room, which tends to bring people closer together. Space is expensive; unless you have a good deal, what you pay for the building, as well as its maintenance, can be costly. This could be a reason that dive bars tend to end up in places that are hard to find or out of the way. Many of the ones that are on our list are out of the way places that people almost have to draw us maps for to ensure that we find it. Had people not told us about Time Out Cavern or Adrienne’s White Rabbit Lounge, I am not sure we would have stumbled on them by just wandering down the street. In some ways, this week’s adventure to Dr. Doodle’s Lounge follows that script. In more ways, it breaks it.

Dr. Doodle’s Lounge (1510 Miamisburg Centerville Rd, Dayton, OH 45459) DOES have a sign on 725 that lets you know it is there. However, you won’t see it from the street. You need to go around the back of the Original Pancake House to find this delight. When you do head back there, the first thing you will notice is their nicely enclosed patio. It is spacious and covered, so as long as the weather is warm, you can sit out there with your favorite beverage. When you enter and pass a small shelf of books and a jukebox on the left, there is a good chance someone is going to say hello to you. And it may not be the bartender. Like most of the other bars we have gone to, we immediately felt welcome here. More than one person we spoke with mentioned the feel was very much like the beloved Cubby Hole, complete with several of the bartenders that made that venue great. It was also said a few times that “the stranger you are, the more you fit in.”

This place seems a little strict with rules.

The openness was not just for the customers and staff. The whole atmosphere was open, thanks in large part to the walls of windows on two sides of the building. The ceilings were high, and there was natural light (possibly Natural Light too, we did not check) pouring through space. The bar was tucked into the corner, so there was plenty of room for activities like darts, pool, trivia, the occasional Sunday karaoke night, and any other events one can imagine. Even on nights in the past, we were there, and it was busy, it did not feel like a cramped space. There is room for everyone to come in for a drink!

And come in for a drink you should! They have three taps for beer, but a much wider selection of cans and bottles for you to enjoy. There was a cocktail list, but it has been lost to history. The spirits they keep behind the bar offer an imbibing option for everyone and the bartenders there know how to use them. Specials, as well as food, depends on the night that drops in. Each man or woman handling bar duty that night will have their own special, from $3 shots of Fireball to $10 buckets of beer. The food menu is just as dependent on staff taste. One night could be pulled pork sandwiches; another they could be grilling brats on the patio. This is one of the beauties of small, independent businesses. There is always something different going on, and the staff has some leeway to cater to the customers. In fact, some of the customers will bring in side dishes depending on the night and the bartender. Who needs a regular menu?

What are you in the mood for today?

It would be easy to become a regular here. The whole atmosphere is a big warm embrace. There is going to be a motorcycle run in August to Indian Lake, starting with some hamburgers and brats on the patio and finishing with the ride. Last year over 200 people participated in the event, and this year will probably be bigger. Every night will offer a different experience, which means if you go often enough, you will find the right time for you. It does not matter who you are or what you do; there’s a bar stool and a cold drink waiting for you. Just a cursory look at the parking lot ran the gamut of styles, from hard working pick-up trucks to shining and stylish high-end cars. Stop by Dr. Doodles Lounge over a few different nights as the summer starts to heat up. Enjoy the patio, the food, and the friendly atmosphere. Pretty soon you too will be welcoming people as they walk up to the bar for a drink.

Dr. Doodles lounge is located at 1510 Miamisburg Centerville Rd, Dayton, OH 45459. Their number is (937) 434-8748, and they are open every day from 12:00 PM to 2:30 AM. You can find their upcoming events and other information on their Facebook page.

Mystery Monday – June 6, 2016

June 6, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 19 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 18’s Mystery Photo is: The exterior wall of the historic Victoria Theatre facing First Street. 2016 marks the 150th Anniversary of the Victoria Theatre. Read all about this Dayton icon here. I took this photo on May 6, 2016.

Not many right answers this week, but we congratulate our randomly drawn winner Robin of Dayton! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

http://goo.gl/forms/dyU55fzc48

We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 19:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Dive Bar Tuesday – Adrienne’s White Rabbit Lounge

May 31, 2016 By Brian Petro

That is the whole cozy space, ladies and gents.

In 1865, a mathematician named Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (His pen name was Lewis Carroll.) wrote a book about a little girl who has an amazing adventure in a faraway land. Alice’s adventures begin when she spies a white rabbit run by as she is drowsily listening to her sister. The rabbit is in a petticoat and muttering about how late he is as he stares at his watch. She follows him into his rabbit hole, and that is where her adventures in Wonderland begin. Ever since that book, the white rabbit has been a symbol of diving into something mysterious with a fantastic payoff. Adrienne’s White Rabbit Lounge was that for our band of merrymakers. This is the first dive bar we patronized that we were not overly familiar with. We had been told of it by Big Ragu and The Crew, but we did not know much. Now we do, and we did have a fantastic adventure.

You are not going to stumble randomly on Adrienne’s White Rabbit Lounge (889 South Main Street Centerville, OH 45458, 937-435-3150); someone is going to have to lead you there. It is located in a strip mall pushed away from the street. When we went in, there was a handful of people at the bar. The first thing we noticed is that the place was small. Performers would call the venue “intimate”, and they would not be wrong. The size of the space contributes to people being able to see and experience everything happening. There are some nooks and crannies, but they don’t offer much in ways of privacy. It was well lit, and the music that was playing was at the right level. You could have a conversation and still enjoy the jukebox. Televisions cover just enough of the walls to be seen from any point in the room. The ceiling tiles are decorated with advertisements and other patron artwork. There are still some spaces available for only $25 each.

Adrienne's White Rabbit Lounge Beer and Cocktails

Drink all the drinks!

The drinks here are well-priced. And by well-priced I mean inexpensive. That is not even taking into account the daily specials they offer, from shots based on the vodka flavor of the month to seasonal beer specials. There is also a Queen of Hearts game that happens on Thursday nights, where lucky gamers can win a nice sized jackpot. They have house-created cocktail specials, an excellent selection of domestic beers (some part of their daily specials), and something I have not yet found at other bars we have explored. They have a special cabinet filled with tequilas and other special liquors. A rotating list of unique bottles is one more unique things the White Rabbit offers. They even have events that feature these gems, like the tequila they event they are planning for June 3. The cocktails were tried were both tasty in their way; one was a refreshingly summery sour cocktail, and the other was a seasonal recipe. We asked Tori, our bartender that night, what we should try and she pointed us to the Merry Cherry. It was a Jägermeister cocktail where the spices of the liqueur came through just enough to give some zest to the cherry and raspberry in the drink.

If you are looking for a place to eat, there are many options nearby that will have a reliable menu. Like any real house of mystery, the food is a grab bag depending on the day and if there is an event. There are always some snacks in one of the nooks. Typical bar food that the regulars help to keep stocked, like pretzels, chips, and cheese balls. For special events, like Derby parties or events with customers (the bar, usually closed Sundays, can handle special events), you will find a more robust fare. Burgers, brats, pulled pork, and other staples of great get-togethers will be available.

The snack nook, complete with deer head wearing shades.

Above anything else, the thing we were most impressed with was how friendly everyone was. The bartenders treated us as if we had been loyal bar patrons for months, being very friendly to us and answering every question we had. We had multiple conversations with other bar patrons, from what we did as a business to the current state of Reds baseball. There was even a round of drinks purchased for the whole bar, which at the time was pretty damn full. It was not a bumping Friday night, but there were people there. It was a neighborhood bar in the best sense. A place where it felt like you could go at any time and either meet friends you already knew or make some brand new ones over some music and a round of darts.

We left at the end of our time there glad that we found another lovely place to go for a drink in Dayton. Adrienne’s White Rabbit, which has been around in a variety of forms for almost forty years, is what most people are looking for when they are seeking a casual watering hole. There may not be any rabbits, hatters, living playing cards, or red queens, but you will have to enjoy a friendly experience when you go.

Adrienne’s White Rabbit Lounge is located at 889 South Main Street, Centerville, OH 45458. They are open Monday through Saturday from 1 PM to 2:30 AM, closed on Sundays. You can find them on the web at adrienneswhiterabbit.com, or visit their Facebook page for information on upcoming events. Their phone number is 937-435-3150.

Mystery Monday – May 30, 2016

May 30, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 18 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 17’s Mystery Photo is: The cupola of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, built 1890, in Downtown Dayton. This church was designed by architect Charles Insco Williams in the Romanesque Revival & Queen Anne architectural styles and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Closed in 1996, the church reopened in 2001 as a Vietnamese Catholic church. I took this photo on May 19, 2016.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Rachel of Union! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

http://goo.gl/forms/dyU55fzc48

We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 18:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Art is Everywhere During New Juried Show and Kickoff Event

May 28, 2016 By Dayton937

It’s not a difficult task to discover visual arts in downtown Dayton. Whether you’re exploring a gallery space or admiring local products sold in downtown businesses, Dayton’s rich arts amenities abound. Last year, we introduced our first event in the new Summer in the City series in May, and it was a blast. But we’ve got a lot more in store for art lovers at this year’s event. Pack your bags, because you’re in for a trip! Art in the City is the next signature event of the 2016 DP&L Summer in the City lineup, and it promises to be quite the visual feast.

The Downtown Dayton Partnership is helping to roll out a new juried art show. The Dayton Visual Arts Center pulled together 26 talented local artists whose work will be on display in different downtown businesses. Our goals are simple: We hope to encourage art lovers to discover a new downtown business, and we want to introduce regular patrons to incredible local art. We’re also throwing another element into the mix: You get to decide which artist nabs the title of “People’s Choice” by voting for your favorite artist or artwork. Voting starts Friday, June 3, and closes at noon on June 17. Visit downtowndayton.org for details.

To kick off the open voting session, we’re hosting a huge visual arts party, complete with live demonstrations, hands-on activities, and other interactive programs throughout downtown. It’s free! It’s fantastic! It’s fun for all ages! And it lasts from 5-9 p.m. on Friday, June 3.

You can meet the artists from the juried show pop-up galleries in their spaces, and you can check out an array of other arts activities sprinkled around downtown, including:

The Front Street Experience: Watch artists blow glass and create street art on canvas, get your face painted, and take a selfie at the art wall, located on Courthouse Square. While you’re there, check out more fun going on for the kickoff of Dayton Pride weekend, Affair on the Square.
K12 Gallery & TEJAS: The whole family will enjoy visual arts activities and special performances by SMAG Dance Collective. Get down on the dance floor with music by DJ Tony Whitfield and DJ Scorpius Max. Visit “Make n’ Take” stations and create garden art planters and garden wire sculptures. Juice bar and snacks also available for purchase.
Mendelson’s Mural: A new mural-painting company, The Mural Machine, is taking art to the streets and transforming buildings. Watch them work on their current project, Mendelson’s Outlet, off First Street.
Live demos: Several downtown arts businesses will have live demonstrations, and you can browse artwork in the shop for sale. Check out Gallery 510 Fine Art at 508 E. Fifth St., Vessels at 227 N. Main St., Ink & Hammer at 506 Wayne Ave., Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors on 48 High St. in St. Anne’s, and the Front Street Galleries in the warehouse at 1001 E. Second St.
Art on 5^th: Following the success of its first art show and handmade craft sale, theNorthGate returns with its next gallery and market, located at Fifth and Wilkinson in the former historic Salvation Army building.
Dayton Art Institute: If you haven’t seen the latest exhibit, Into the Ether, you’ll be inspired to visit the interactive light gallery when you visit the museum’s special Art in the City location near Lily’s Bistro (329 E. Fifth St.). Make your own luminary with color-changing LED lights!
Innovative Arts Nexus (IAN): The University of Dayton’s former Art Street program has gone beyond art as a creative medium for expression and turned it into an application for creative problem solving and innovation. Learn more about the process and challenge your perceptions at their interactive experience in front of the Clair Lofts (St. Clair Street between Third and Fourth streets).
Nucleus CoShare: Not only will you get to see one of the largest pop-up gallery installations at this space, you can experience a variety of other local artists. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could work here? Memberships to the co-shared office space are still available. Chat with the staff on-site to learn more about rates and benefits (besides being surrounded by inspirational artwork).
The Mosaic Institute of Greater Dayton: Create your own unique mosaic while you enjoy the sights and sounds of Pickin’ in the Park at RiverScape MetroPark. Be sure to try the free demo of the new Urban Family Challenge Food and craft beer will be available for purchase at this location. (Heads up – Monument Avenue will be closed from Patterson to St. Clair for this activity.)
African American Visual Artists Guild: Watch computer art and thread painting demonstration at their station in the Oregon District.
Courteous Mass: Get a new perspective on your city from the seat of a bike. Join a group ride to tour public art installations on a new iteration of the Bike the Arts Bonus: The new culture-wrapped Link Bike also will be unveiled! The ride departs from Don Crawford Plaza (Fifth Third Field) at 6:30 p.m.

12th Annual Patriot Freedom Festival This Weekend at the Dayton VA Campus!

May 27, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

The Grotto (built in 1867-1868) at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

Memorial Day Weekend is fast approaching. Area pools will be opening, The Five Rivers Fountain of Lights at RiverScape MetroPark in Downtown Dayton will start shooting water again plus there will be plenty of parties & barbeques with family and friends. This weekend is also the unofficial start of Summer. The main reason we have this extended holiday weekend is to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.

It also happens to be the most fitting weekend for the 12th Annual Patriot Freedom Festival on Saturday & Sunday, May 28-29, 2016 from 11 AM to 6 PM (both days) at the historic Dayton VA Medical Center Campus on 4100 West Third Street. This event is hosted by the American Veterans Heritage Center, a non-profit organization whose sole mission is “To preserve the best of our past…by improving the present…to create a better future for our heroes, our United States Veterans.” In short, the AVHC is the VA’s historical society. This year’s festival theme is Honoring Women in the Military. The festival is family friendly including free admission and free parking.

The bandstand (built in 1871) at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

The Dayton V.A. (Veterans Affairs) Medical Center Campus was built in 1867 when it was known as the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers and later the Dayton Soldiers Home. President Abraham Lincoln signed the creation of the Dayton VA into legislation on March 3, 1865. In 2012, the entire Dayton VA Medical Center campus was awarded with a National Historic Landmark status. 2017 marks the 150th Anniversary of the Dayton VA Medical Center with many events and festivities going on throughout the year.

I recently sat down with Tara Browne, a very enthusiastic volunteer for the AVHC. She has many reasons and much motivation to volunteer for this organization. Her father and sister both served in the U.S. Air Force (30 years and 10 years respectively). Browne’s grandfather on her mother’s side served under General MacArthur in the U.S. Army during World War II. He had four brothers who also fought in WWII. One of them was actually in the Battle of the Bulge and survived.

“When I was out in California, I did a lot of work with the homeless. I just kind of started feeding the homeless on the street as I found them. The more stories I heard, the more people I got to know on the streets and the more I realized that a lot of them were veterans. When I moved back from California to Ohio, I actively sought out volunteer opportunities at the Dayton VA because I knew I wanted to get more involved with that. So that’s how it started. Now I’m involved with the VA as well as Team Rubicon, Team RWB and the Invictus Games,” said Browne.

The Grotto (built in 1867-1868) at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

In 2015, Browne’s first year volunteering for the AVHC, she served as Event Co-Chair for the Patriot Freedom Festival. “I think it’s great because for one it opens up the VA, this awesome historical location that most people don’t even know is there or have forgotten about it. It opens it up to the public. It provides a lot of interesting things to do and interesting ways to learn not only about the history of Dayton, but about the impact that Dayton itself has had on veteran history. The VA was one of the original three and is one of the only ones of those original three that’s still open and functioning to this day. That was Civil War era and has made it all that way through. So, I think it’s a really cool learning time and just a fun, safe place for families to be,” said Browne.

Here is Browne’s rundown of what to expect at the festival.

The Grotto (built in 1867-1868) at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

“There’s a lot of activities for families. There were pony rides last year. There are all these different displays around the area. They have a lot of Civil War displays. There are bands, food vendors, clothing vendors, different sorts of wares and all sorts of small businesses from the Dayton area set up tents. It’s an eclectic festival where you get to see different aspects of Dayton.”

“There are tours of the cemetery, a Gold Star Wives & Mothers ceremony going on plus there’s a lot that goes on in the chapels. The Grotto is going to be open and that’s been really refurbished/redone over the past several years since 2014. The grounds itself are relatively open for people to walk around, see and really get the feeling for the campus.”

A couple of days ago, I briefly spoke with Mike Turner, United States Marine Corps veteran/volunteer Events Secretary for the AVHC and asked him to share some highlights of the Patriot Freedom Festival. “I would say the most popular thing to do is to see all the reenactors, military displays and our free entertainment. The most unique thing about our festival is that we are on the National Historic Landmark Designated Campus and you can tour it. Also, our guests can see military groups and equipment from the Civil War to the current era plus being able to thank the Veterans that are here,” said Turner.

Building 116, formerly the Headquarters/library and future home of the VA National Archives at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. - May 5, 2016

Building 116 (built in 1871), formerly the Headquarters/library and future home of the VA National Archives at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

In April 2016, an announcement was made that the VA National Archives will be moving from Washington, D.C. to the Dayton VA campus. The plan is for the archives to be housed in Building 116 (formerly the Headquarters, built in 1871) and Building 129 (formerly the Clubhouse, built in 1881). “The National Archives has no timetable really since 20-26 million needs to be raised first,” said Turner.

Said Browne in reference to 2015’s Patriot Freedom Festival, “We have people who didn’t even realize the festival was going on and just stumbled on the campus because they saw signs and showed up so you have a variety of people. My personal favorite part of the festival is seeing everyone come, getting to educate people, getting to be there in a very veteran & family friendly atmosphere and being a part of the celebration of our American veteran history.”

Recap of festival activities: honoring ceremonies, historical military reenactors, guided historical tours, children’s activities, barrel train, kid’s corner, gardening, equestrian team, the Miami Valley Military History Museum and more.

For more information about the Patriot Freedom Festival, visit americanveteransheritage.org, facebook.com/patriotfreedomfestival and follow @theavhc on Instagram & Twitter. Also, donations to the American Veterans Heritage Center can be made by clicking here.

Photography by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram and Tom Gilliam Photography.