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Recap: Big Brews & Blues.. and FOOD !

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Big Brews & Blues – one terrific event

Drinking craft beers while listening to a regional blues man hum away on his harmonica.  What better way to raise money for  Diabetes Dayton?   The annual Big Brews & Blues event was held last weekend at Carrillon Park and hundreds of attendees enjoyed dozens of craft beers.  There were Big Brews, there were Blues, and of course, there was food.   We were on hand for another Food Adventure supporting a local charity.   Pouring beer in full force were the staff of  Dayton Most Metro and Lisa Grigsby with Dayton Dining.  Tickets were $30 in advance or $35 at the door.  The event went from 5pm – 9pm and each guest received a souvenir beer tasting glass.  Full pint tickets were also available for a special price.

The crowd danced and drank.   They ate and socialized.  They sipped and quipped.    So which brews were our favorites?  What food items blues.. (ahem) blew us away?  All that is coming, but first a summary.

 

If you didn’t attend Big Brews & Blues…

HERE IS WHAT YOU MISSED:

—Endless samplings of almost 50 craft beers from local and national breweries.  A detailed list of the beers may be found HERE.

—Blues acts with roots from Chicago, Tennessee, Detroit, Cincinnati and Columbus.  It was an incredible night of good blues music.  Groups included Joe and Jack Waters, Them Bones, Johnny Mack & the Heavyweights, and finally Big Joe Blues.

—Food Vendors.  This is our thing, so we enjoyed the likes of Brock Masterson Catering, Hickory River Smokehouse, Fressa Food Truck and Kaimelsky’s Food Cart.

— Breweries Represented:

Dayton Beer Company, Yellow Springs Brewery, Valley Vineyards, Weasel Boy, Listermann, Mt Carmel, Rivertown,  Christian Morlein, Hoppin Frog, Barley’s, Ohio Brewing Company, Jackie O’s, Great Lakes, Erie Brewing, Thirsty Dog, Triton, Anderson Valley, Hinterland, Fathead’s,  Revolution, Two Brothers, Stone Brewing, Brew Kettle Taproom, Bell’s, Southern Tier, Founders, Troegs,  Ommegang, Uinta, 21st Amendment, Atwater Brewery,  Elevator, Finch’s Beer Company,  Anchor Brewing, Kona, Redhook, Shocktop, Widmer Brothers, Goose Island, Boston Beer Co.,   Leinenkugel, Harpoon,  and Ace Premium Hard Ciders.

 

What goes better with beer than a Nathan’s hot Dog from Kaimelsky’s Food Cart?

There were so many good beers and decent food, that we were pressed to pick just one favorite, but here we go…

OUR FAVORITES FROM THE FESTIVAL:

HUNGRY JAX’s FAVORITE BIG BREW:   The Sam Adam’s Honey Queen Braggot was her top pick.  It is made with 3 types of honey, and had a nice hoppy flavor.   They tapped the keg right in front of her, and she was in heaven.  It was one of those “Damn, this is good!” moments.

HUNGRY JAX’S FAVORITE FOOD OFFERING: What goes better with beer than a Nathan’s hot dog from Kaimelsky’s Food Cart?  This hot dog was topped with spicy mustard, onions and Sriracha sauce.   It was worth it.

THE BIG RAGU’s FAVORITE BIG BREW:  Whippet Wheat from Thirsty Dog Brewery gets his vote for its crisp taste with touch of banana flavor.  It was the first time we had a Thirsty Dog beer on tap since the mid 1990’s.  It was like a flashback, so we put on some MC Hammer pants and danced in the tent until security showed up.

THE BIG RAGU’s FAVORITE FOOD OFFERING:  Hickory River’s Pulled Pork Sandwich is Ragu’s pick.  The slow cooked pork was great, but the real secret was the incredible BBQ sauce.  Choices of topping were Sweet, Hot or Mixed sauce on your sandwich.  We chose mixed, and that made all the difference.

This was a fun filled night.  We poured a few beers for MostMetro.  We had delicious crab cakes from Brock Masterson’s catering, and some tasty buffalo chips with blue cheese dip from Fressa Food Truck.   We talked at length with the owners and managers of  Star City Brewery, which will be opening in the former Peerless Mill site before the end of 2013.   Event photographer Sarah Browning, also chatted with us, while snapping  a few pics of  The Big Ragu.

We even had an ‘America’s Got Talent’ moment, when we were getting our groove on near the stage with the blues band.  We even snapped a photo of the lead singer during one of the blues sets.   You won’t see that anywhere else,  unless they copy our soulful dance moves.

Here’s to not having to hear about hiking and heartburn anymore ! Brews & Blues is a blast

The best part of this event is that it benefits Diabetes Dayton each year.  Proceeds from the Big Brews & Blues help uninsured local residents with diabetes.  Funds pay for desperately needed supplies.  Diabetes Dayton also educates people in the Miami Valley who are suffering from diabetes, as well as paying for summer camp for diabetic children who just want to lead a normal, active life.  Thank you to Diabetes Dayton Executive Director Susan McGovern for welcoming us as special guests to this benefit.  Canned Soft Drinks and  Bottled Water were for sale benefiting the Dougie Apple Tree Memorial Scholarship Fund.   Dougie was a local resident, who passed away from diabetes at just 26 years old.

If you missed Big Brews & Blues, make sure you catch it this time next year.  Stay tuned to Dayton Most Metro for info!   The Big Ragu will be there in 2014, at this Food Adventure for a good cause.  It will be another ‘blast in a glass.’   We promise not spill any beer or BBQ sauce on you.

BROWSE THROUGH THE PHOTO ALBUM BELOW FOR ALL THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS of BIG BREWS & BLUES !!

BREWERIES REPRESENTED INCLUDED:

Dayton Beer Company, Yellow Springs Brewery, Valley Vineyards, Weasel Boy, Listermann, Mt Carmel, Rivertown,  Christian Morlein, Hoppin Frog, Barley’s, Ohio Brewing Company, Jackie O’s, Great Lakes, Erie Brewing, Thirsty Dog, Triton, Anderson Valley, Hinterland, Fathead’s,  Revolution, Two Brothers, Stone Brewing, Brew Kettle Taproom, Bell’s, Southern Tier, Founders, Troegs,  Ommegang, Uinta, 21st Amendment, Atwater Brewery,  Elevator, Finch’s Beer Company,  Anchor Brewing, Kona, Redhook, Shocktop, Widmer Brothers, Goose Island, Boston Beer Co.,   Leinenkugel, Harpoon,  and Ace Premium Hard Ciders.

Want more Food Adventures?  “Like” us on Facebook by clicking HERE !

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Dessert Alert! Sweet Treats Festival Recap

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A Beautiful Cake from Kinder’s Kupcakes

It was a dessert lovers playground and a chocoholics dream.  We give you Dayton’s first ever “Sweet Treats Festival.”   Held at The Commander Aero Building in Springboro on Sunday January 27th, the event drew a nice crowd on this winter afternoon. There were confectioners, bakers, chefs and restaurateurs.   In fact over 30 vendors participated in the Sweet Treats Festival.   Every vendor booth had samples set out of various “sweet treat” specialties.   Festival goers could browse each display and sample to their heart’s content.  What a  surprise, the “foodies in their forties,”  The Food Adventures Crew tasted treats from each and every booth.   A few days later, the Food Adventurers are out of their sugar comas and here with a recap of the day’s festivities!

You know the old saying “Like a kid in a candy store?”  Well, here you had us BIG kids in a sweets festival which is a dangerous combination.  Sponsored in part by Dayton Most Metro, the festival featured some amazing displays that would have impressed Willy Wonka.

Junebug’s Cupcakes- deliciously decorated treats

Each vendor booth was set up in a circular setting to allow easy flow of the hungry crowd.  There were some many sweets and such talented people.  Below are the festival vendors and our impressions of each company.

  • 3 Leees Cupcakery – Incredible tasting desserts.  Some choices were vegan and gluten free.  Some of the best tasting cupcakes we tried.
  • Aim To Please Home Cooking – Specializing in various unique flavors of delicious rock candy and more.
  • Amy Cakes & Cookies– Some of the tastiest “cake pops” you will have and delicious cupcakes.
  • Baked – The friendly staff served up some very complex cupcake flavors that blew us away.
  • Cake, Hope & Love – Wonderful “chocolate mustaches” were a hit with the kids.  We loved the gorgeous cupcake display with beautiful toppings.
  • Cheryl & Co. – Turning sugar cookies into works of art.  The staff could not have been nicer.
  • Dee Dee’s Gourmet Peanut Brittle – Generous samples of delicious peanut brittle that seemed to melt in your mouth
  • Edible Arrangments – About as healthy as you can get at this festival.  The chocolate covered apples were a nice twist.
  • ele Cake Co – A Dayton Icon whose chocolate covered cake bites are a perfect gift to get your Valentine drooling.

    “Over The Top Productions” had some inventive displays

  • Homemade by Heather– Amazing mini-pies, made just for this festival.  Full sizes on sale for full blown taste!
  • JuneBug’s Cupcakes– Icing decor on these cupcakes were matched by a rich tasting cake.
  • Kilwins – Located at the Greene, this vendor had a huge variety of top notch items including hand dipped caramel/chocolate apples.
  • Kinders Cupcakes – Not only did they have fantastic cupcakes, but their two display cakes were the most gorgeous in the house.
  • LongHorn Steakhouse– Local kitchen chefs have kicked up this restaurant.  They Key Lime cheesecake, apple strudel and chocolate brownies were homemade and not “chain” like.
  • Maria’s Buckeyes– The richest buckeyes ever.  Good eats, nice owner !
  • Moore Dessert Please – Local celebs from “Cupcake Wars” didn’t dissapoint with some mouthwatering cupcake treat.
  • Over The Top Productions–  Arguably the best display of the event. The decor was unique as they specialize in weddings and party events.
  • Sweet By Kristy– Cupcakes with ice cream in the middle. Genius!  One of the most popular items at the event and created a lot of buzz like birthday cake and ice cream all in one.
  • Sweet Eats Bake Shop – Intricately topped cupcakes led to creamy tastes across the board with this baker!
  • Sweet Nothings– Hands down, the best toffee we have ever eaten.  All flavors of the sea salt toffee are addicting!
  • The Rustic Loaf & Patisserie– From the chocolate crunch cake pops, to the cupcakes that looked like royalty.  These bites were eye pleasers and mouth pleasers!

    Cupcake Display from “Cake, Hope & Love”

  • Signature Confections– What can you say about chocolate that sometimes takes 3 days to make?  Unique flavors such as Crown Royal, Khalua, Raspberry Guiness, Chai Tea, and Earl Grey Tea.  The painted pieces of chocolate belong in an art museum if they weren’t so tasty.
  • Two Bears Chocolates – They featured homemade caramels dipped in Boston Stoker’s Highlander Grogg Coffee.  the Big Ragu said it was the best flavored caramel he has ever eaten.  We loved the local twist on taste!
  • Winans Fine Chocolate– Some of the best turtle bark in the world.  We found ourselves overstaying our welcome at the sample dish.

Special thanks to The new Austin Landing Kroger for sponsoring the event.  Other sponsors included Tim Horton’s who provided coffee, while Aquafina supplied free bottled water.

All of the desserts were scrumptious, and with each vendor having numerous desserts.   There were over 100 sweet treats to choose from, and we got our taste buds on almost every delicacy.  Your Food Adventurers had some favorites that stood out from the pack.
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The handpainted Candies from “Signature Confections” were nothing short of amazing

In our humble opinion, here were our picks:
Food Adventure’s Top 5 Favorite Items:
1) The Hazelnut Pistachio Cupcakes from Baked.  We ate way too many of these !
2) White Chocolate Ginger Pistachio Sea Salt Toffee   from Sweet Nothings.  This incredible treat may be purchased at 2nd Street Market and Ghostlight Coffee
3) The Ice Cream Cupcakes from Sweet by Kristy
4) The Hand Painted Chocolates from Signature Confections
5) Red Velvet Pops from RSVP Sweet Treats
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The Big Ragu’s Top 5 Favorite Items:
1) Highlander Grogg Coffee Caramels from Two Bears Chocolates
2) The Baked Apple Strudel with carmel sauce from Longhorn Steakhouse and Chef Bob Medlin
3) Chocolate Carmel Nut Bars from Sweet Eats Bake Shop
4) The Mini-Pecan Pies from Homemade by Heather
5) Hand Pulled Peanut Brittle from Dee Dee’s

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Highlander Grogg Caramels from “Two Bears Chocolates”

As the festival ended, we were stuffed with confections.  We had starved ourselves the whole day in anticipation for the event, and now we were going to sleep well.  From meeting local culinary masters to tasting their masterpieces, The Sweet Treats Festival was a full blown Food Adventure.  From the rich tastes to the sugar rush, the 3 hour event gave everyone more than enough time to get a feel for the desserts of the Dayton area.
In the end, sweet tooths were satisfied and blood glucose levels were raised.  The festival attendees were introduced to many local bakers and chefs for the first time.  From Hazelnut Pistachio Cupcakes to Chocolate Covered Fruit, this first ever Sweet Treats Festival seems to have a promising future for years to come.
Did you get a chance to visit the Sweet Treats Festival ?  If so, please comment below and tell us your favorite treats!  Also, make sure you browse through the nearly 50 photos below.  The view is simply divine…
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Hooray Beer!

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Dayton Beer Week

Dayton Beer Week 2012! August 18th - 24th! Our Festivus!

Next Saturday, August 25th, Dayton will mark the 14th time AleFest has been celebrated, and it has been picking up steam every year. Three hundred and fifty breweries are participating in the event taking place at Carillon Historical Park. It is the main event in an escalating series of beer celebrations around town that makes up Dayton Beer Week, August 18th – 24th. This is the week that every craft beer aficionado should be going out and looking to expand their palate. It would be harder for you this week to find a place that is NOT offering some sort of beer event.

There are going to be beer tastings, dinners, tappings, specials, and education all week long in the widest variety of venues. Places better known for wine or other spirits will be getting into the act, like the Century Bar, Thai 9, A Taste of Wine, Buckin’ Donkey BBQ, and Bruning’s Wine Shop. Beer dinners will be offered all around town to help improve your food and beer pairings at Rue Dumaine, Jay’s Seafood Restaurant, Dorothy Lane Market, Spinoza’s Pizza & Salads, Meadowlark, The Melting Pot, and Jimmie’s Ladder 11. Representatives from Samuel Adams, Stone Brewing Company, Duvel USA, Brewkettle, New Holland, Magic Hat, 21st Amendment, Goose Island, Sierra Nevada Brewery, and Unibroue will be in town to talk about their beers as well as show off some of their new products. All of the dates and times for these tastings are available on our event calendar under beer.

The festivities for the week officially begin on Sunday evening, August 19th, with the Beer Pride Parade, starting at the Dublin Pub. Line up through the Oregon District and show your craft beer pride!  The over 800 owners of the new Fifth Street Brewpub Co-op are invited to a pre-parade event and will walk in the parade en masse.  The first eighty bicycle riders to Biking for The Beer Of It in Miamisburg can participate in a nice ten mile ride on Tuesday, August 21st, sponsored by Goose Island. There will be some refreshments at the mid way point, and a little bit of swag for all of the participants. Five chefs and six beers will be featured on Wednesday, August 22nd, at the Dayton Art Institute’s Brewer’s Art dinner. Space is limited for this event, so you are going to want to make your reservations soon! Of course, the final event, the culmination of a week’s worth of fun and tasting and exploring is AleFest.

Dayton AleFest

For fourteen years, this has been THE beer event in Dayton.

While you are out exploring Dayton, there are a few things you should remember as you are out doing your tastings:

  • When you taste, it is very similar to tasting wine. You want a little foam on the top. You also want to look at and sniff the beer before you taste it, to see what aromas are coming off of it.
  • Do not hold the beer in direct light when you look at it. You get the best idea of color when you look at it in indirect light.
  • Give it a little bit of a swirl in your glass. This stirs up the carbonation a little, allowing more of the aromas to be released. Don’t underestimate the importance of scent when tasting your beer!
  • Hold the beer in your mouth a little bit, allowing it to roam all over your tongue. Enjoy the flavors that come out as it is in your mouth. Take a mental note on how thick the beer is. This is known as mouthfeel.
  • Allow the beer to warm up SLIGHTLY before you drink it. As with wine, a little bit of extra warmth unveils deeper flavors that may not be otherwise obvious.

And while you are going to Beer Week events:

  • Car pool. Parking is going to be very limited for some of these events, and the citizens are going to be out in force. Getting more people in one car is going to be helpful for everyone.
  • Get there early. You want to make sure you get there in enough time to get seats, be able to talk to the guest of honor, etc. Some events may even have limited seating. Make sure you call the venue and check out the details.
  • Drink plenty of water. This is going to serve a twofold purpose. First, water will help cleanse the palate between each beer, giving you a better idea of how each beer tastes. Secondly, it will help you avoid a worse hangover than you might normally have.
  • Do not eat spicy foods before you go to an event. You do not want your taste buds to be still burning from the Nuclear Hot wings you just ate. Eat a little something; just tone it down.
  • Go to the dark side. If you are not at a pre-set beer tasting, start off with some of the lighter beers, and go to the darker ones. The darker beers tend to have heavier flavors and be thicker, which can linger a little longer.
  • Designate a driver. No explanation needed.

Next week is going to be an exciting romp through the world of craft beer. Check out the list and plan you week carefully, participate in a few a events, and try out a few beers you have never thought about before, or may not get a chance to again. I am sure Max Spang (who helped me quite a bit with advice and research on this article) and I will see you out at some point around town. Cheers!

More Bands For Your Buck: Downtown Dayton Revival Music Fest Adds to Lineup

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Griffin House

15 bands is good, but 23 is even better.  If you haven’t already marked your calendar for the Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival on September 8th and 9th, you’ve got 8 more reasons to do so.  Festival organizers have just announced the following additions to their lineup including:

Red Wanting Blue (Columbus)

Griffin House (Springfield native)

The Werks (Dayton/Columbus)

Needmore

Brent James and the Contraband

Burnt Sugar

Bad Sines (Dayton)

Wheels (Yellow Springs)

Wheels

“We are very excited to add this group of talented artists to our already exceptional lineup,” said Matt Luongo, President, Downtown Revival, LLC.    “With these additions to our existing lineup, as well as one more round of  bands to be announced at the end of May, we are confident there will be  something for everyone at the first ever Downtown Dayton Revival and cannot  wait to bring these great bands to downtown Dayton in September.”

That’s right, there are still more band announcements to come.  In the meantime, two day passes and are available at www.downtownrevival.com.  Early bird ticket prices are $55 and include entry into a contest for a VIP package upgrade including access to the VIP hospitality tent, invitations to a Friday night preview party, artist meet and greet, and other exciting upgrades.  Early bird tickets are limited in quantity and will be on sale until May 31st or  until sold out.

The Werks

CONFIRMED ARTISTS: John Legend, Train, Guided By Voices, Guster, Rusted Root, Heartless Bastards, Motel Beds, Red Wanting Blue, Karl Denson’s Tiny  Universe, Andy Grammar, Griffin House, Brent James and the Contraband, Mat  Kearney, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Kristy Lee, Tony Lucca, Ivan  Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Bronze Radio Return, Bad Sines, Burnt Sugar, The Werks, and Wheels.

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This Week in Dayton Theatre

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August: Osage County

August: Osage County / photo credit: Scott Kimmel

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010 – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2010

From the regional premiere of an already-legendary work to an all-childrens’ play, the events of this week, and their diversity and quality, make it clear why the Dayton metro region has such a thriving theatre scene. Three of the shows mentioned this week also appeared in Shane and David’s Top Season Picks article a couple of weeks ago, so seeing one or two or all of them is definitely worth your time! Here’s what’s happening this week…

Another Openin’, Another Show

…SHOWS OPENING THIS WEEK

August: Osage County

HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY AND WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY

September 23 – October 10
By Tracy Letts

Three generations of the Weston family of Oklahoma reunite after the disappearance of the family patriarch one hot summer night, where long-held secrets are unflinchingly and uproariously revealed in August: Osage Countya portrait of the dysfunctional American family at its finest – and absolute worst (para. from Samuel French). A mixture of fierce humor and powerful drama, August: Osage County has won five Tonys and a Pulitzer, is Time Magazine’s “Play of the Decade,” and is premiering this week here in Dayton as a professional and collegiate collaboration.

I’ll be publishing a feature article later this week with a lot more details about the show and the collaboration, so be watching for that. In the meantime, get your tickets soon! Curtain times vary, and a performance calendar is available at http://humanracetheatre.org/1011aoc.shtml . Tickets are available through the WSU Box Office at (937) 775-2500. Also, the Inside Track talkback with the directors will be before the September 23 preview performance, and the While We’re on the Subject discussion is after the October 2 matinee.

…SHOWS STILL UP

Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, Jr.

TOWN HALL THEATRE – All Children’s Theatre

September 17 – October 3, 2010

Alice in WonderlandThere’s still time to see Town Hall’s production of Alice in Wonderland, Jr., featuring performers in grades 2 through 12! Read a more detailed synopsis and see pictures from previous shows in last week’s post.

To recap: the show runs 70 minutes and is recommended for children ages 2 and up. Performances will be held on Fridays at 7 pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 pm; additional matinee performances are scheduled on Thursday, September 23 and 30 at 4:30 pm. Reserve tickets online at http://www.townhalltheatre.org or call 937-433-8957.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

LA COMEDIA DINNER THEATRE

Book by Jeffrey Lane; Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek; based on the film by Frank Oz
September 8 – October 31, 2010

Read last week’s column here for a synopsis and full description of this show! But, here’s basic ticket information: Arrival times for Wednesday to Sunday evening performances are 5:30 – 6:00 pm; Wednesday and Thursday matinees and Sunday brunch, 10:30 – 11:00 am. For more information or tickets, call 1-800-677-9505 or (937) 746-4554 or visit http://www.lacomedia.com. Also check out the DMM event page here.

…SHOWS TO CATCH BEFORE THEY CLOSE

The Spitfire Grill

BEAVERCREEK COMMUNITY THEATRE

Music & Book by James Valcq; Lyrics & Book by Frank Alley; based on the film by Lee David Zlotoff
September 17 – September 26

Last week for its opening, I described this show and included a couple of pictures. So, I won’t go into all of the details here again, but check out the original article here.

Just a reminder, performances of The Spitfire Grill are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm, at Beavercreek Community Theatre in the Lofino Center (3868 Dayton-Xenia Rd, Beavercreek). Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students, seniors, and BCT members. For more information or to reserve tickets, call (937) 429-4737, email boxoffice@bctheatre.org, or visit http://www.bctheatre.org. This is the final weekend, so catch it if you haven’t yet.

One Short Day

…SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

The 7th Annual ArtBeat Festival of the Arts

UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON

Friday, September 24:  4-7 p.m.

“The University of Dayton’s ArtStreet hosts ArtBeat, the annual visual and performing arts festival featuring performances by University of Dayton Community Artists-in-Residence, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Jazz Ensemble and other local and student performing groups. The festival will also feature a variety of food, professional and student art vendors and is held at the ArtStreet Amphitheatre. ArtStreet is located at the intersection of Lawnview Avenue and Kiefaber Street on the University of Dayton campus. For more information about ArtStreet, call (937) 229.5101 or visit http://artstreet.udayton.edu.”

Blue Man Group

VICTORIA THEATRE ASSOCIATION – SCHUSTER CENTER

September 28 – October 3, 2010

Blue Man GroupSome tickets are still available for the Blue Man Group’s touring production, part of their first national tour!  From the official description, “Blue Man Group is best known for its widely popular theatrical shows and concerts that combine music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to produce a totally unique form of entertainment in a blissful party atmosphere.”

Ticket prices vary based on seat and multiple showtimes are available, with evening performances Tuesday through Sunday as well as weekend matinees. Visit the official website for information about the group, and The Victoria Theatre Association to learn about and get tickets for the show at the Schuster.

Part of it All

…AUDITIONS AND CASTING CALLS

Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells

TOWN HALL THEATRE – LANDMARK CHILDREN’S THEATRE COMPANY

Auditions: Saturday, October 2, 2010
Performances: December 3 – 19, 2010

Directed by Brittany Hayden-Hinkle (THT’s education director)

The Story: Everyone’s favorite girl is back and this time it’s personal! The holidays should be that special time of year when everyone spreads peace and goodwill… but not when Junie B. draws her sworn enemy’s name for the secret Santa gift exchange at school. Things get especially ugly when their music teacher announces that the two will perform together in the school’s holiday pageant…

Open auditions for this show will be held on Saturday, October 2nd beginning at 8:45am for those in grades 2 through adult. Those interested in auditioning for the show must register in advance of the audition date online at http://www.townhalltheatre.org or by calling the box office at (937) 433-8957. Actors must prepare (1) one-minute memorized monologue only (no song is necessary). Headshots or photos are required and resumes are encouraged. There will be a registration fee of $130 for participants if cast. The production begins rehearsals October 26th and will be held Mondays through Thursdays from 7-10pm and Saturdays 9-12pm at the theatre.

Schuster Center Celebration Choir

If you’re looking for to get involved in something musical but don’t have the time commitment to audition for a show, the Schuster Center Celebration Choir may be a great opportunity for you! The Choir was convened in 2003 to Schuster Center Celebration Choircelebrate the opening of the Schuster Center for the Performing Arts, and its members enjoyed singing together so much that the temporary choir became a permanent group. This intergenerational, multi-ethnic group for adults of all ages mirrors the diversity of the Greater Dayton community and its repertoire encompasses a broad range of styles.

The SCCC is open to all and participation is free. It typically rehearses Tuesdays, although the schedule is flexible. Upcoming performances will be at the Kroc Center, Grande Illumination, and Wintergarden Wonderland at the Schuster Center. For more information, visit The Schuster Center Celebration Choir website, and to join the choir, contact Tina McPhearson at tina.mcphearson@victoriatheatre.com.

~KN

Katherine Nelson is a senior theatre major at Cedarville University who focuses on performance, playwriting, and stage management. She’s the Literary Intern with locally based Encore Theater Company, where contributors Shane Anderson and David Brush also work. ETC recently moved into the new arts collective space in the Oregon District, along with Zoot Theatre Co. & Rhythm in Shoes. Anderson, Brush & ETC just concluded their summer season of new musicals in downtown Dayton, which featured Johnathan Larson’s RENT, [title of show] & the new musical in development Next Thing You Know.

http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/dmmcalendar2/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=8778

Dayton Blues Fest this Sunday

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The Michelob Dayton Blues Festival is the second of three free summer festivals presented by the City of Dayton Department of Recreation & Youth Services and The Downtown Dayton Partnership.  It’s a day of music from Ohio blues acts beginning at 1pm.  San Antonio’s Jose’ Alvarez with Los Blancos will headline at 8pm.  The festival takes place at Dave Hall Plaza (Fourth & Jefferson Streets) and is hosted by Earl “Southside” Hayes

Jose Alvarez

Here’s the full lineup:

1pm  Austin “Walkin’ Cane” (Cleveland)
2pm  Swamp Rhinos (Dayton)
3pm  The Soulcasters (Dayton)
4pm  Average Joe’s (Dayton)
5pm  Jimmy Baker & Blues Encounter (Dayton)
6pm  Long Tall Deb & The Drifter Kings (Columbus)
7pm Mississippi Red & The Bumble-Bee-Licious Blues Band (Dayton)
8pm  Jose’ Alvarez with Los Blancos (San Antonio)

There’s also an after-party/birthday celebration for the Dayton Blues Society hosted by the Soulcasters.  That’s at Brixx Ice Company on First Street.  The music starts at 9:30pm.

Horrorama is Friday – Get the Inside Scoop from the Organizers and Dr. Creep on WYSO

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horrorama 09It’s been over 20 years since Shock Theatre graced the TV sets of Dayton residents, but as Halloween approaches the Miami Valley, you can still catch Dr. Creep at many area events.  One event that’s been a become a seasonal tradition for fans of scary movies is Horrorama, a charity horror film marathon that’s been in the area since 1997.  Dr. Creep will be on hand to host this year’s festivities this Friday, October 23 starting at 7pm at the Englewood Theater.

Dr. Creep and two of the organizers of Horrorama will be guests on WYSO’s Kaleidoscope this Wednesday night, October 21 around 9pm.  Tune into WYSO at 91.3Fm or listen online at wyso.org.

Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival

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lgbt_filmfestThe Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival (presented by the Downtown Priority Board) provides a space for voices to be heard that aren’t often represented in mainstream media.  The subjects range from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.  Generally, the festival highlights films that are made with smaller budgets.  These movies go relatively unnoticed beyond the LGBT community, but they’re strong pieces of work that merit being seen.

The Edge of Heaven, a selection from last year’s festival, went on to be named one of the “Top 10” films of the year by many critics.  Were The World Mine, last year’s opening night film, garnered a large following and won multiple awards around the world.  In 2007’s festival, the short film Freeheld went on to win an Academy Award.  This film was not screened anywhere else in the Dayton Region.

This year’s films include:

Friday September 25

Saturday September 26

Sunday September 27

This has become an annual tradition for both the Downtown Priority Board AND The Neon, and it brings people in from other cities like Cincinnati and Columbus.  As a priority board member I’m proud of our continued support for this film festival.

Check out this event on the DaytonMostMetro.com Event Calendar!

Finally a Food, Wine & Beer Festival north of town

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corks&forkslogoCelebrating  Fine Wines, Cool Brews & Tantalizing Tastes in a casual environment to benefit local charities, Corks & Forks will  debut Sunday, Sept 20th from 1-4pm. With over 100 wines being poured, a Belgium Beer Cafe, Chef Demonstrations and tastes from local restaurants, this first time festival is shaping up quickly.

Confirmed restaurants include The Buckhorn Tavern,
The Caroline, Chin’s Ginger Grill, Michael Anthony’s at the Inn at Versailles, Sopranos, Thai 9, TJ Chumps and Tony’s Italiain Kitchen, with more to come.  Miami Valley Grown, a new local foods initiative, will be showcasing farm fresh foods with local chefs presenting recipes that highlight the flavors of garden fresh products.

To help raise funds for the Blake LaForce and Wahid Abdullah Fund’s as well as Miami Valley Grown, a silent auction will also take place.  Some of the early highlights of the auction include a weekend use of a BMW convertible with picnic basket, UD basketball tickets with $100 to dine at The Pine Club, and gift certificates to local restaurants, shops and shows.

Tickets are just $45 in advance and can be bought online or at Cork & Vine Wine Market and Lounge.  Tables of 10 can also be reserved for just $500.  Day of event tickets will run $55, if still available.  Ticket include beer, food and wine samples as well as souvenir glassware for all guests.

Versailles FareFest-Food, Beer & Wine Festival

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farefestBilled as the First Annual Versailles FareFest, West Main Street in V-town will be blocked off for an event the likes of which have probably never before been witnessed in their quaint little village.  as they play host to an invasion of oenophiles from all over the Upper Miami Valley on Saturday, August 29th.

Now don’t be scared.  Oenophiles are not something found on cable television’s SyFy.  Nor are they are related to the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer.  And shame on you for thinking they might be seen on Dateline NBC!  Believe it or not, we have plenty of oenophiles in our very midst, and they are not scary at all.

To the uninitiated, an “oenophile” is a lover of fine wines.  These aficionados don’t just dwell in places like LA, NYC, or CHI-town.  Yes, they live in Darke County, too.  And they have been waiting patiently for this opportunity.  From 2:00-5:00 in the afternoon, the area around Fountain Square in beautiful downtown Versailles will come alive with activity.  There will be cool music, great wines, cold beers, and scrumptious food available for three of the best hours any late-summer afternoon could offer.  Want some details?  OK.

The price of admission for this prestigious happening is a mere $35 presale ($40 at the door).  Events such as this one customarily cost twice that amount and are wildly popular in such faraway realms as Lima and Dayton.  For that ONE LOW PRICE, FareFesters can sample wines from dozens of different vendors, hosted by our very own Winery at Versailles.  Up to 300 different wines will be available–all right there under the tents on West Main Street.  Wineries committed thus far are: Trinchero, Menage A Trois, Don Sebastiani, Wente Family, Foster Wine Estates, Penfolds, Rosemount, Louis Latour, E&J Gallo (premium), Louis Martini, Alamos, Easley Winery, Kenwood, Valley of The Moon, Lake Sonoma, Korbel, Specialty Wines (Italy), Banfi, Napa Ridge, Columbia Winery, Georges Dueouf, Volteo, XYZin. Just wander through the various booths and ask the pourers to fill your very own souvenir wine glass with a sparkling potable.  There is no limit.  Sample to your heart’s content!

Maybe wine is not your particular favorite beverage.  Beer, you say, is what you drink at any celebration such as this one.  Well, the FareFest will gladly take care of your request.  Whether you prefer an easy-drinking smooth brew or a glass of something a bit heartier, it will most likely be available from one of the many beer distributors on site.  Goose Island, Stella Artois, Leffe, Hoegarrden, Becks, Samuel Adams, and the ever-popular Wooden Shoe will be there, along with a plethora of pilsners from all four points of the compass.

Of course, one must have something in his or her stomach in order to comfortably consume wine and beer for three hours.  Never fear.  The  Inn at Versailles will be the host restaurant for a profusion of top-notch chefs from all over.  A partial listing of restaurants that plan to be present with their own specialties includes:  Coldwater Café (Tipp City), The Main Street Bistro (Lima), Coco’s (Dayton), Ghyslain’s (Union City/Richmond/Indy), The Montage (Greenville), The Bistro (Greenville), Bake House Bread Company (Troy), Caroline’s (Troy), Davis Meat Co. (Sidney–doing BBQ), Toone P. Wiggins (Sidney) and obviously Michael Anthony’s at the Inn (Versailles).

If you still want more, here it is.  Higgins-Madewell, a very popular duo  will be performing on Fountain Square all afternoon.  Their folksy/bluesy style has been a big favorite at all sorts of venues from West Milton to New York City.  Just perfect for a brand new festival desiring to be just a bit edgy in terms of food, wine, beer, and music!  Maybe it’s time for you to broaden your horizons just a little.  Unlimited food, beer, wine, and music for only $35.  Wow!

The Versailles FareFest is sponsored by the Versailles High School Alumni Association, with proceeds going toward college scholarships.  Tickets can be obtained by visiting The Inn at Versailles or by calling (937) 526-3020 or by going online to www.innatversailles.com