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Welcome to Dayton Beer Week 2013!

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Dayton Beer Week Logo

It is here! Who says there is nothing to celebrate in August?

Beer has flooded the country. In 2010, there were fewer than 1,800 breweries in the United States. And there were zero in Dayton. Fast forward to 2013, where there are over 2,500 breweries in the United States. Dayton is seeing its own brewing growth spurt, with the Dayton Beer Company, Fifth Street Brewpub, Toxic Brewing Company, Lock 27 Brewing, Yellow Springs Brewing, Eudora, Star City Brewing, and many others that I am sure are in the works. Beer tastings have also expanded all over the city. Brewtensils has been offering not only supplies, but classes in brewing everything from a traditional lager or pilsner to experiments on the far ranges of the flavor scale. This is the environment the 4th Annual Dayton Beer Week will be awakening to this weekend, inviting all of Dayton to step out and discover some of the beery goodness themselves.

There are going to be some big events celebrating beer this weekend as the party kicks off at Kitty Hawk Golf Course with the 3rd Annual Pints, Putters, & Pink Balls-2 Club Golf Scramble benefiting the Breast Cancer Foundation. Registration starts at 12:30 PM for a 1 PM start. Get out your beer gear on Sunday and join all the floats and fun for the 4th Annual Beer Pride Parade in the Oregon district, starting at 4:30 PM at Dublin Pub (of course). The good folks at 5th Street Wine and Deli will be having a pre-parade tasting starting at 1 PM, so you can get an incredible seat for the festivities. For those of you who are a little more health conscious, Widmer Brothers is sponsoring Biking for the Beer of It Tuesday night. It begins in West Carrollton and ends after a 10 mile ride at A Taste of Wine in Miamisburg. They are very considerate, making sure you are well hydrated with a selection of beers at the midway point. The last major event of the week will be AleFest at Carillon Park (who is also setting up a historic brewery). You can try out all of the Dayton breweries, explore the growing gluten-free beer offerings, and just generally enjoy over 375 beers from over 150 breweries. That is, of course, if you are not beered out by that point.

AleFest Dayton 2013

Beer weeks ends with a bang, celebrating over 350 craft beers!

It is not just the big events that make this week special. Restaurants all over the Miami Valley are going to be celebrating in some form or another.

Monday:

  • Rouge will take over the draughts beginning at 5 PM at Jimmy’s Ladder 11. They will be featuring the Double Chocolate Stout, Hazelnut Brown, and Imperial IPA. After you’ve had your beer, you can keep the glass!
  • From 6 to 9 PM, you can help South Park Tavern fight off the Dogfish Head invasion they are anticipating. Grab a pint and pitch in!

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

  • The Trolley Stop will be rolling out the red carpet on the second last night of Dayton Beer Week. They will be featuring rare beers like Bell’s Black Note, and good music that night from 7 PM to midnight.
  • Raise your glasses! From 6 to 7 PM, King’s Table will be featuring a stein hoisting competition featuring Sam Adam’s beers.
  • Are you still shy about craft beer? The Arrow Wine on Lyons Road will be having an Oskar Blues beer tasting from 5 to 7 PM. If you purchase a four or six pack of these very good brews, you will also walk out with a special gift.

This is not even remotely close to the full list of events for the week. Many restaurants and bars will be having specials on a wide range of beers.  Look over the full menu of events and plan your week accordingly.

A line up of different types of beer

This is a nice start to the week…

While you are out exploring Dayton, there are a few things you should remember while 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! 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.

It has been a busy few years for the craft beer scene, and this is the year it looks like it is going to explode in Dayton. This is the time to go out and taste new beers, find new favorites, and meet new friends. There are so many events going on during the week we would love to know which ones you are most looking forward to. Leave a note in the comments, and we will see you around town. Cheers!

Wright State Motion Pictures Program to Premiere Six New Films at BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL

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1098167_654551394577971_1975119123_nBig Lens is back! Only 144 people will have the opportunity to be the first audience of the latest works from the award-winning Motion Pictures program at WSU, screening August 22 at the Neon Movies.  This year, Big Lens kicks off opening night at the annual FilmDayton Festival (August 22 – 25, www.filmdayton.com).  This weekend of feature films, short films, documentaries, and award winners from Sundance and South by Southwest will have Ohio premieres all weekend long!

In years past, the Big Lens film festival has been used as a launching pad for many WSU films, which have gone on to screen at Sundance, win Student Academy Awards, and play at major film festivals all around the globe! This show will include premieres of entirely new films, diverse in their subject matter and style.  Concluding the evening, a question-and-answer session will be held with the young filmmakers, who are eager to discuss their works. This year’s Big Lens includes, for the first time, FOUR films directed by women.  Like its predecessors, Big Lens 2013 will no doubt entertain, educate, enlighten, and excite.  Make sure to get your tickets at the Neon for $7.00 before they are sold out!  Check out the roster:

  

            Ember, written and directed by Maggie Rose Price, is a film that deals with the emotional and psychological trauma that comes with a history of violence. Still reeling from child abuse, a young woman searches for closure in an unusual way. A powerful and harrowing depiction of a survivor, Ember gives a voice to subject matter often left in the dark. Produced by Ellen Swisher with cinematography by Michael Lowendick.

Anomaly, written and directed by John Swansiger, recounts the story of David Worthington who is the final test subject of a new chemical experience which gives people the illusion of physically reliving a memory.  After suffering nearly fatal side effects David is withdrawn from the project. Despite his failing health, and driven by his addiction to the new product, David tries everything he can to go back to the memory and see a person of his past one last time.  Produced by Colin Brooks with cinematography by Christopher Flannery.

Punk Girl, the first narrative short by filmmaker team Megan Hague and Kyle Wilkinson is a day in the life portrait of a young punk who rebels against the static middle-class life she was offered as a child.  She searches for freedom in a series of one-night-stands, graffiti art, and punk shows while quietly longing to rekindle a severed connection with her family.  Produced by Emily Anne Evans.Punches and Pedicures

Punches and Pedicures, a documentary by filmmaker team Ash Brandon and Dennis Hohne, tell the story of Victor Pham, a Vietnamese immigrant who successfully escaped a life full of gang activity by moving from Oakland, California to rural Defiance, Ohio.  Now the owner of his own business, Victor strives to inspire local youth to overcome lives filled with trouble. He does so by mentoring them in one of the most brutal of sports in the most unlikely of places.

Before We Go, written and directed by Bryan McClurg, takes place on a summer afternoon when two college graduates cross paths outside their elementary school.  As the two explore the space of their childhood and reminisce, they wonder if they ever met as kids and – if not – what things would have been like if that had.  This reflective film deals with the passage of time and how our past comes to shape our present.  Produced by Chris Tung with cinematography by Adam Brixey.

Painted Lady, written and directed by Brittany A. Shyne, tells the story of a nine-year-old girl, played by Sumayah Chappelle, who experiences the first changes of womanhood.  A strained relationship with her mother leaves her on her own to navigate her changing body.  Painted Lady offers a poetic glimpse of the struggles of girlhood while telling a story very few of us have ever witnessed on screen. Produced by Cassie Ryan and John Saylor with cinematography by Jacob Ebel.

 

As submitted by Brittany A. Shyne via Press Release

Volunteers Wanted: A Special Wish, Bike Miami Valley & Garden Station

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volunteerVolunteering is the perfect way to feel connected to your community. The simple act of offering your skills and enthusiasm will positively impact the lives of others, as well as your own.  Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health. Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity. And the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.

Reducing the risk of depression is another important benefit of volunteering. A key risk factor for depression is social isolation. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against stress and depression when you’re going through challenging times. Volunteering is good for your health at any age, but it’s especially beneficial in older adults. Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not, even when considering factors like the health of the participants. Volunteering has also been shown to lessen symptoms of chronic pain or heart disease.

Check out these groups looking for volunteers:

 

  • A Special Wish Foundation, the wish granting organization located in the Dayton 601135_10151341921313398_331282029_nregion, is looking for 25 volunteers to help with the 4th Annual Glow Fore Wishes night time golf scramble on Friday, August 23. The event is from 6 – 11PM at Community Golf Course. “Midnight” Breakfast Buffet provided. Call Mariesa Stock at 937-641-4263 if interested in helping

 

  • Bike Miami Valley is looking for a group to handle bike valet parking at Oktoberfest229483_153810538019141_3893354_a for Sunday, 29 September! Want to support cycling? Love beer? Here’s your chance! Bike Miami Valley encourages all local festivals to have bike valet parking – and Oktoberfest is out front! We need a group to provide people to handle bike valet parking – racks provided. You have a chance to set up a table, sell t-shirts, promote your organization – and get free admission (a $12 value) to Oktoberfest! Send an email  if interested!

 

  • Garden Station is looking for  some volunteers to help organize events for Urban 183242_10150090412812971_3773463_nNights on Friday, September 20th! Garden Station is transforming a two acre lot on the northeast corner of Fourth Street and Wayne Avenue that was vacant for more than 40 years into a vibrant art park and community garden.Who wants to help showcase Garden Station as one of the coolest spots in the city? Email if interested/

 

  • FilmDayton‘s 5th annual festival is coming  Aug 23-25th, headquartered at The filmdaytonfestNeon, and they  could use a few more volunteers to cover all the bases.   They need folks for set-up, ticket takers, greeters and odd jobs, too. Fill out the online form and volunteer for a shift – you get a free movie ticket out of the deal, too!

 

MostMetro will be updating these opportunities each week.  If your organization has a need for volunteers, email us your info and we’ll include you in the next update.

Baron Von Porkchop Returns to Local TV With Arcade Fever Special

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Artwork for the Arcade Fever Special by Eric Shonborn

Artwork for the Arcade Fever Special by Eric Shonborn

Late night movie fans will soon see the end of a nearly 10 month hiatus when Baron Von Porkchop returns to the local airwaves on August 16th. The Arcade Fever Special of Terrifying Tales of the Macabre will air at 11:59pm on DATV (Time Warner channel 5 or streamed at datv.org)

The 75 minute episode features local horror host Baron Von Porkchop’s quest to play a classic arcade machine at a local shop and is filled with quirky characters both old and new (including an appearance by your humble author in my recurring role as Susie the DJ). In between the Baron’s adventures, viewers will be treated to a cheesy staple of the B movie catalog, The Beast of Yucca Flats, which features Thor Johnson and Conrad Brooks of Plan 9 From Outer Space infamy.

The special will serve an appetizer for fans as the Terrifying Tales of the Macabre production team finishes work on season 3, set to air later this year.

“It feels good to be getting back in the saddle,” says writer, producer and director Matt Brassfield. “I really enjoy bringing this kind of programming to the Dayton area. We usually take a small break between seasons, but this year our cast and crew experienced two tragedies that kept us away from filming much longer than we originally intended. It’s nice to finally feel ready to get back to doing what I love.”

Earlier this year, two Terrifying Tales of the Macabre cast members died suddenly. In January, Brassfield’s mentor and fellow filmmaker Andy Copp passed away. Copp played Reverend Zealot, who shared his insights on cult films in a segment called the Cult Corner. In the spring the show lost, local musician and Brassfield’s longtime friend and coworker, Max Ervin, who played Sleazy Tom, the Baron’s goofy neighbor.

“Both Max and Andy were great friends and played great characters,” says Brassfield. “The zaniness of Sleazy Tom, who was one of our original concept characters, will definitely be missed as we move forward. Andy’s Reverend Zealot brought us great information on cult movies and is a character that originally appeared in New Shock Theatre, which Andy also directed. So he gave us not only his film knowledge, but a great connection to the shows that paved the way for us. Max and Andy were not only a big part of the show, but each was a big part of my life and are sorely missed.”

Baron Von Porkchop in the Arcade Fever Special of Terrifying Tales of the Macabre

Baron Von Porkchop in the Arcade Fever Special of Terrifying Tales of the Macabre

Brassfield created Terrifying Tales of the Macabre and the Baron Von Porkchop character in late 2010, having previously worked with Dayton’s own Dr. Creep and A. Ghastlee Ghoul. The show’s name comes from a movie concept that was being developed by Brassfield’s first film company, Independent B Movie.

“It was supposed to be an anthology film, kind of like Creepshow, says Brassfield. “With different scary stories through the film, connected through a sort of narration story.”

Brassfield had tapped Dr. Creep to be featured prominently in that narration story, but the film soon fell by the wayside as other projects and responsibilities took priority.

Terrifying Tales of the Macabre, the TV show, is produced through Brassfield’s current film company, Bloodline Video. The first two seasons and holiday specials follow the misadventures of the Baron, a Victorian era ghoul, in a modern setting with each episode’s storyline appearing in segments between a classic B movie or modern independent film. The third season will also follow this formula with a slight twist – Brassfield is enlisting local and regional filmmaker friends to write and direct some of the new batch of episodes.

Baron Von Porkchop (promotional photo by Fox Photography)

Baron Von Porkchop (promotional photo by Fox Photography)

“We’re always looking for ways to do new and creative things on the show while still staying true to the style we’ve developed,” says Brassfield. “For me, it’s going to be really cool to see filmmakers I’m friends with and whose work I admire, like Henrique Couto, Dusty Austin Joe Craven and Jeremy Hoyt, put their touch on what we’ve created.”

Despite the gap between the Arcade Fever Special and the launch of season 3, late night DATV viewers will still be able to get their horror host fix. Brassfield has curated a lineup of horror host programs from around the country to air in the Terrifying Tales of the Macabre timeslot until fresh Baron episodes can be delivered. The shows are part of a network called the Horror Host Underground, in which horror hosts from different parts of the country share episodes with one another to help promote hosting across the country and expose viewers to the wide variety of hosts that exist beyond their local market.

“I’m really excited about running the HHU block because I can expose the Dayton market to such hosts as Miss Misery from California, Nevada’s Sinister Minister and Cleveland’s Janet Decay. I really take a lot of joy in giving fans the opportunity to meet new hosts through their televisions and find the ones that they really connect to and identify with.”

If you want to learn more about the history of horror hosting in Ohio, be sure to check out Matt Brassfield’s Ohio Shock articles here on DMM. For updates on Terrifying Tales of the Macabre, check out the show’s Facebook page.

 

Tank’s Bar & Grill: An Original Dayton Food Adventure

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Wednesday’s Special: Roast Beef Hot Shot a “Must Eat”

Some things are just Dayton born and Dayton bred.  Tanks Bar & Grill on 2033 Wayne Avenue is a Dayton icon, much like The Wright Brothers, U.D. Arena and Dr. Creep.    Opened in 1987 by Dan “Tank” Tankersley, the restaurant has become legendary in a short time.  Although named for the owner, Tank’s name fits well because  they bring out the heavy artillery in their food offerings.  With a kitchen that opens very early and closes very late everyday, this is our kind of place.   A place for foodies, heck it is more than that, it is a place for serious eaters.   Loyalists have given Tanks a cult following, yet many suburbanites are unfamiliar with the spot & want to know,  “Why all the love?”   The answer is big portions of tasty food in a no frills atmosphere.  This is an not a wuss place, the old house has character and if these walls could talk, there would be some good stories.  You gotta love a place with 2 menus at all times.

Get your eat on, you are in the right spot.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Open 7am – 2am everyday, plenty of time for a Food Adventure

— They serve breakfast all day.  Brings a tear to our eye.

— Old School Joint where you wont leave hungry.  The plates are big, but the prices are decent.

If you eat one thing at Tank’s, make it a Burger !

— The Beer Selection is immense.  Lots of weird beers and unfamiliar bottle labels to experiment with and a few seasonal beers on tap too.

 

MUST EATS:

— TANK’S BURGERS:  Are you kidding?  If you go to Tank’s and eat one thing, make it a burger.  People drive-in from all over the place for this stuff.  This is one of the finest burgers in Dayton.  You gotta’ try one.

— OMELET TANK’S WAY: This is a 10 egg omelet with over a dozen choices for ingredients.  A massive, tasty creation with a cheap price.  Chef House goes for the 6 egg omelet called the “girly.”

— ROAD KILL CHILI: As the menu says, this isn’t normal possum, it is the Oakwood kind.  All kidding aside, this hearty chili is a warm splash of happiness.  Doctor it up with some hot sauce and you have yourself one of the best chili’s in the area.

— HOMEMADE CHIP DIP: This isn’t store bought dip, it is made on site.  When you are sluggin’ down a lot of beer, this creamy item is a pretty good accompaniment.

Order off the menu: Get a Turkey Reuben with Slaw instead of Kraut

— WEDNESDAY SPECIAL ROAST BEEF HOT SHOT: An open face sandwich with roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy.  Comfort food at it’s best.  It is a big portion, and again the price is right.  You might want to take a nap an hour after eating this beast.

— HUSHPUPPIES:  These homemade balls of deep fried love are almost as big as baseballs.  Throw a few down your gullet or at your friends.  They have a savory flavor with an addicting taste of sweetness.

— REUBEN:  An amazing Reuben sandwich.  Great bread, makes this sandwich in our humble opinion.  No explanation or elegant description needed.  Just eat it.

 

 

Breakfast All Day, Everyday

Here is a Food Adventure exclusive **SECRET**:  This is NOT on the menu so you will have to ask for it.  Try the Turkey Reuben and ask them to put cole slaw on it instead of sauerkraut.  It is an incredible sandwich that you have to request.  After you are addicted, you can thank us later.  We are serious eaters, we know this shizzle.  We don’t read the menu to tell you about things. We actually eat the food, all of it!    Ask Dayton Mayor Gary Letizell who joined us for one of our Tank’s trips with his assistant Shelly.   They realized this was a Food Adventure almost immediately.

Honorable Mention menu items are the fluffy Waffles, Grilled Cheese Tank’s Way, and the specialty hash browns served in heaping mounds.   And all you fellow foodies, make sure you get the fresh cut fries as a side instead of chips, or we will run you over in a Sherman tank.

Tank’s Bar & Grill has earned its stellar reputation.  It’s not trendy, it isn’t the flavor of the month, nor is it a swanky place where the pretty people eat.   What you see is what you get, and the patrons keep coming back.    If you have not visited this place, make sure you put it on your Food Adventure Hit List.  Daytonians love Tank’s, and so do your humble Food Adventurers.  

Like Food Adventures on Facebook HERE !  We are not food critics, we are just two guys that love to eat.

Check out more than 40 food porn pictures of various Tank’s Bar & Grill favorites in our Food Adventures Photo Album, below.

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FILMDAYTON ANNOUNCES 2013 FILMDAYTON AWARD WINNERS

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xyublegiva1rlgct4da93er6bgscn32a  The FilmDayton Festival is back for the 5th year with submissions of shorts from around the world, great features you wouldn’t see elsewhere, valuable workshops for professionals or those looking for a behind the scenes view, and the  popular Pitch-It contest where you can share your movie plot idea for a chance at cash and prizes. The Festival, headquartered at The Neon, will take place on  Fri, Aug 23- Sun, Aug 25.

For the second year as part of the festival, FilmDayton honors talented Miami Valley residents who choose to offer their skills, creativity, innovation and support to the local community. This year’s honorees receiving FilmDayton Awards include:

Jud Yalkut – The Innovation Award – an award for a lifetime of innovation and creativity in filmmaking

A resident of the Dayton area since 1973, Yalkut was Assistant Professor of Art at Wright State University (where he yalkut_jud_600x480_01152013-1founded the film and video area of the Art Department), and taught at Sinclair Community College in Dayton and at Xavier University in Cincinnati. Jud started making video art in the 1960’s and collaborated with Nam Jun Paik on a series of groundbreaking video-film pieces. His work has influenced a number of other video artists and his innovative style broke boundaries between artist and spectator, inside and outside, reality and fantasy.

Jud’s film and video work has been exhibited at such venues as the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Miami University Art Museum, and Anthology Film Archives in New York, the Everson Museum in Syracuse, New York, the Pompidou Center in Paris, and throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. (Award given posthumously)

 Andy Copp – The Filmmaker Award – a career award for excellence in filmmaking

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A native of Dayton, Andy’s first feature film, The Mutilation Man (1998) was a gritty, blood-soaked, fever dream set ina bleak, post-apocalyptic near-future. Shot on a mix of film and video, The Mutilation Man paid homage to his filmmaking heroes while presenting his own unique and personal vision. Andy was a fiercely independent filmmaker, as well as an emerging artist and innovative filmmaker.

As an educator and mentor, Andy also made an impact on the Miami Valley’s film community. He taught classes in film history and theory at Sinclair Community College, and presented workshops in various aspects of video production at the Miami Valley Cable Council, KIT-TV in Tipp City, DATV and FilmDayton. Andy teamed up with Rick Martin and horror host Dr. Creep to create Horrorama, an annual horror film marathon, which has raised thousands of dollars for charity since 1997. (Award given posthumously)

Levin Family Foundation –The Key Award- an award for special service to the regional film communitybanner-logo

The Levins have supported filmmaking in the Dayton region for decades. Sam Levin’s movie theatre empire consisted of 17 theaters in the Dayton region. In 1964, Sam was driven to improve the quality of movies showing at his theatres and wrote the feature film Girls on the Beach which features major musicians of the day and is still a cult hit today.

Recently, the Levin Family Foundation became involved with film through their generous underwriting of Take Us Home, a documentary depicting the challenges faced by Ethiopian Jews on exodus to Israel.

How to Go:

The public is invited to the 2013 Eichelberger FilmDayton Awards, Sunday August 25 @ 8PM at the Neon Movies.  Tickets are $9 and can be purchased at www.filmdayton.com.

 

Paddle Faster, I Hear Bluegrass

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1000853_406944936081730_1192402143_nSix weeks ago Tom Helbig cooked up this idea for a festival called canoegrass! Things have happened quickly: he built a website, created a logo, built a floating stage, started a  Facebook page, booked 8 musicians, made t-shirts, ordered beer and ticket sales have started for the Aug 16-17 festival. Tom is quick to credit help from his friends that have helped turn his dream into a reality and invites you  to join the fun. Tom also shared this will be a family friendly event.

Canoegrass will be a weekend celebration of bluegrass music, the best of the human spirit and river life. The festival site will be banks of the Great Miami River, which will come alive with the best entertainers in the region.  This isn’t your ordinary festival. Get ready to get wet, wild and jam all weekend long.  The best seat in the house just may be from a canoe or tube!

You will find music everywhere; at camp, on your river trip and even on a floating stage.  Some will be scheduled, some will not!  Attendees are encouraged to help build the scene and jam everywhere you find the inspiration.

CampStage:CanoegrassBand

  • Home of the Friday and Saturday night featured acts that includes some of the best bluegrass and roots performers in our region.  Bring your dancing boots, a partner and shout “Take a Drink a Beer” all night long.
  • Lineup includes  Friday 7 pm (Bibs and Barefeet), 9 pm (Blue Caboose) and Saturday at 7 pm (Todd the Fox),  9 pm (Hickory Robot)

Tube Jam:

  • This is what everyone will be talking about at Canoegrass!  Borrow a tube or bring your inflatable to float on the Great Miami River during the Tube Jam floating stage shows. Cool off during these shows as the August heat will be in full force!  Float around with friends and enjoy up and coming performers from our region.
  • Lineup includes Friday at 5:30 pm (Jay Cullis and Dillon Brown), Saturday 5 pm (Holy Hickory)
  • Open mic on the floating stage, Saturday 10 am – 2 pm

 River Jam:

  • On Saturday morning, the Great Miami River will play host to our paddling trips and streamside jam sessions.  Make sure you stop and join a jam session along your journey. We encourage you to bring your own instruments, raft together with friends and jam your way downstream!
  • Canoeing and kayaking trips, 10 am – 3 pm

There is so much to do beyond camping and music at Canoegrass!  Check out all the fun you can have during the weekend:

Take a river trip

Slip and Swing

  • Canoegrass offers access to a stream-side rope swing for a splashing good time!  We also claim to have the greatest slip and slide in the world.  You will feel like a kid again no matter your age. Access granted with camping or day pass.

Canoe Jousting

  • That’s right medieval jousting meets canoeing!  Hop in a canoe and battle the opposition in a friendly match to see who can be the last one standing.  Competitors will be required to wear a life jacket and helmet.  We like things a little crazy so wear costumes and the wildest helmet you can find to distract your competition and give those on the bank a good laugh! Register Saturday morning by 1 pm at the camp office.  Jousting begins at 2 pm.  A single-elimination bracket will be created at close of registration.  First place earns braggin’ rights and some of the coolest photos of all time!

Biking

 

  • Canoegrass is across the river from the Great Miami River Bikeway and provides convenient access to over 300 miles of paved trail to explore.  This is the largest connected bikeway network in the country.  We highly recommend you bring a bike for the weekend.  You can put on a bunch of miles or take a leisurely ride to Tipp City or the Tadmor Historic Site at Taylorsville MetroPark in between the action at Canoegrass.

Fishing

  • We are on a river and there are hungry small mouth bass that live there!  Pack a rod and try to land the big one from camp or on your float trip.  Ohio Fishing License required.

Hiking

  • Take a hike.  Yes, we mean it!  We are minutes away from some of the most beautiful hiking trails at Charleston Falls Preserve and Taylorsville MetroPark.  Definitely, a great way to shake the hangover before action picks up at Canoegrass.

For ticket info please checkout the Canoegrass website.

 

Deja Vu for Morning Radio Show Host

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gina2A familiar voice returned to Dayton radio this summer when Gina Ferraro joined The Mix Morning Show on Mix 107.7, bringing her back to the Miami Valley after six years in Chicago. From 5 – 10 a.m. each weekday, she  joins hosts to cover traffic, entertainment news, and social media during the broadcast, among other topics. Ferraro’s first broadcast with the program was July 1, and today she celebrates one month at Mix.

“I just couldn’t turn down the offer,” Ferraro said. “The timing was perfect. My family lives north of Dayton in the Wapokoneta area, and my 80 year old grandmother lived in Virginia for 40 years and announced out of nowhere that she was selling her house and moving back to Ohio. I thought, this is an opportunity to do something from a new angle and my grandmother will be there. It’s been great. Everyone’s welcomed me with open arms. My co-hosts were happy to have a female back on the show, and we all knew each other from when I was here before, so the dynamic isn’t forced and we all click. It’s been a smooth transition.”

While attending Wright State University in college, Ferraro worked for the Dayton Bombers, where she met WTUE’s John “The Bman” Beaulieu. He suggested she intern at Clear Channel Dayton, and she scored an internship that lasted through her graduation in 2002.

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Gina with Clayton, ? and Quinn in 2006

“When I was done with school,” she remembered, “Kramer from 103.9 The X approached me and said he needed an overnight person and asked if I’d be willing to do on-air work. I’d never been on the air, not while I was with Clear Channel, not even on the college station, and Wright State has a great radio station. I ended up doing a year and a half at The X, first on overnights, then mid-days and a solid weekend shift. In 2005, I went to 94.5, which was a sister station that did Top 40. I was on mornings there until 2007, then went to Z93 and signed a two-year contract. Six months later, a new company bought the station, changed the format, and fired all the staff!”

A stint at WHIO radio followed before Ferraro’s husband was offered a job in Chicago, and suddenly she found herself in a market she didn’t know, with nothing lined up.

“Lite 93.9, a Clear Channel station in Chicago, was looking for a traffic producer. That wasn’t what I wanted to do, and after I applied, I got an interview and almost didn’t go because I was so uninterested. One of my radio buddies said, ‘In Chicago, you never know who you might run into on an elevator, so go to the interview.’ I got there, and the woman who was interviewing me greeted me right off the elevator and was frantic. She said, ‘I know you’re not going to believe this, but on Monday, they fired the traffic guy. I gave your demo to the news director, and you’re hired. You’ve got the job.’ I literally walked right into that job.”

Later on, television beckoned, and Ferraro landed on a local daytime talk show, WCIU’s You and Me This Morning, doing entertainment reporting on a regular guest basis. Two subsequent local programs, Nude Hippo and Tattoo Factory TV, gave Ferraro the opportunity to push her boundaries on camera, being a celebrity guest in a roller derby, broadcasting live from the Sears Tower rooftop, interviewing Robert Downey, Jr., and getting her first tattoo on camera while interviewing the tattoo artist.

In Dayton, Ferraro’s day begins at 3 a.m. On the road from Wapokoneta by 4 a.m., at the station by 5 a.m.

“That first half hour,” she explained, “I print out all of our show prep and sanitize the studio. I was taught that early on; we’re all sharing microphones and headphones, and you can’t risk a cold in radio. Our prizes are predetermined for the whole week, so I set up that day’s prizes and start going through the show outline to see if there’s audio from other sources that I might want to use. For instance, when the royal baby was born, we aired the announcement from the town cryer. Then I’ll go through Twitter and see what’s trending and figure out what happened the night before, because I have to tweet during every hour of the show and encourage people to chime in on their phones.

gina3“After that, I highlight the entertainment news I want to use for that segment, and then once six o’clock hits, we’re in our busy time on the air. Taking calls, discussing events. At the top of every hour is news, weather, and traffic, and weather and traffic come in again during the hour. Jamie Jarosik from WDTN does weather, and there’s entertainment news at a specific time, and at 7:35 we do The Impossible Question. There’s a prize for that. At 8:40 we do the At Work Club: you can sign up at mix1077.com, and if your place of employment wins that day, you get a bunch of prizes.

“At 9 a.m. we do the Favorite 5 at 9, and your business can enter that as well. You pick five songs and we play your requests. I swear, it’s one of the last things in radio where you can actually request songs and get them played. It has to be stuff in the Mix realm – like you can’t really ask for Travis Tritt or Metallica, but we have played Elvis and the Beatles and such, so sometimes they do color outside the lines a little. There are prizes for Favorite 5, too: for instance, all this week, we’ve given a pair of tickets for the Maroon 5/Kelly Clarkson show at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati this Sunday.”

At 10 a.m., when the show ends, Ferraro and Stevens work with the station’s sales team, handle the next week’s prizes, mail the current day’s prizes to their winners, and do prep for the next day’s show, and at 1 p.m., the work day is over.

“I’m pretty basic in my home life,” Ferraro said. “I’m an avid CrossFitter, and I do the Paleo Diet. I spend time with my husband and family because it’s so good being back with them after living away for years. I have a golden, half golden retriever and half poodle. I love taking her out.”

Of future career goals, Ferraro said, “I would love to host my own national show on The Travel Channel or Oxygen, maybe Bravo. Something that has to do with the history of cities in America or around the world. Right before I left Chicago, I’d launched a brand new show, Uncovering Chicago, with a co-host, and I had to table it because of the job offer in Dayton. Ultimately, I’d love to pick up that idea again and take it to a national level – uncover Columbus, Atlanta, all over, and do a really cool, interactive show that brings the viewer something they can have fun with and be educated by at the same time.”

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Jeff Stevens, Gina and Dave Alexander

But for now, she’s perfectly happy to be at Mix.

“It’s been a nice breath of fresh air being back home. I still feel unsettled because I don’t have a place yet and 90% of my things are still in storage in Chicago, but I’m really enjoying it here. I don’t miss the Chicago traffic, and the cost of living here is almost like I’ve tripled my income, so that’s seriously a blessing. And I love my new job. When I’m at work, it’s constant and I’m having fun the whole time. By one o’clock, I’ve got to go home or I’ll work all day and night. I’m having so much fun that it doesn’t feel like work.”

Gina can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and more. For a complete list, bio, photos, and more information, visit her website.

There’s still one more day to win tickets to see this Sunday’s Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati! Register by noon on August 2 at Mix 107.7’s website.

Registration lasts until 11:59 p.m. on August 3 for Gina’s Girls Night Out with the Backstreet Boys! Gina will treat the winner and a friend to a VIP concert experience including two tickets to the show, plus a meet and greet with the band and passes to the soundcheck party before the show.

‘King’s Face’ and ‘Position’ Tie for Historic FutureFest Win

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2013 Dayton Playhouse FutureFest-winning playwrights Hal Borden (left) and Steven Young (Contributed photo by Art Fabian)

History was made Sunday at the Dayton Playhouse as the organization’s 23rd annual FutureFest of new plays gave top honors to Steven Young’s fascinating historical drama “The King’s Face” and Hal Borden’s hilariously topical comedy “A Position of Relative Importance.”
Last weekend’s jaw-dropping yet welcomed tie primarily reflected the refreshing strengths and enormous potential of this year’s six diverse, developing finalists, which included the cross-cultural dramedy “Veils” by Tom Coash of New Haven, Connecticut, quirky abstract art-centered dramedy “The One with Olives” by Sam Havens of Houston, Texas, psychological drama “On the Road to Kingdom Come” by 2009 FutureFest winner and Dayton native Michael Feely of Woodland Hills, California, and the gay marriage-themed comedy “St. Paulie’s Delight” by J. Joseph Cox of Chicago, Illinois. Each contender was judged on criteria including character development, conflict, dramatic structure, plot, page-to-stage and the next stage. The adjudicators consisted of New York-based trio Helen Sneed, Eleanore Speert and David Finkle along with 1997 FutureFest winner Faye Sholiton of Cleveland and 2002 FutureFest finalist Robert Koon of Chicago.

The Kings Face

Charles Larkowski (left) and Josh Katawick in “The King’s Face” (Contributed photo by Art Fabian)

“The King’s Face,” an engrossingly intimate two-hander superbly directed with palpable unease by Geoff Burkman, concerned the true story of Prince Harry of Monmouth, who was struck by an arrow during the 1403 battle of Shrewsbury. Inside a chamber at Kenilworth Castle, London surgeon and counterfeiter Jonathan Bradmore had the enormously difficult task of attempting to save Harry’s life by meticulously extracting the arrowhead from his skull while simultaneously saving his own.
As the sickly, agitated and paranoid Harry, Josh Katawick delivered a tremendously mature, extraordinarily emotional performance. Consistently discovering delicious nuances inside Young’s beautifully descriptive language, particularly when Harry recounts the elation and horror of battle, Katawick took his lines to Shakespearean heights while remaining astutely connected to the doubt, fear and panic boiling beneath Harry’s youthful bravado. At one point, Harry awakened from a terrible nightmare executed so brilliantly by Katawick you could feel every morsel of his anguish.

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Charles Larkowski (left) and Josh Katawick in “The King’s Face” (Contributed photo by Art Fabian)

At the same rate, the outstanding Charles Larkowski, an absolute natural as Bradmore, effortlessly supported Katawick, genuinely yet cautiously fueling Bradmore’s desire to create a connection and establish trust with his future king. Adopting the warm, personable tones in his narrative duties that served him well as Cosmé McMoon in the Dayton Theatre Guild’s 2011 production of “Souvenir,” Larkowski excellently blended the roles of father, brother, therapist, priest and teacher as the play’s vivid portrait of friendship evolved.
“I enjoyed every minute of the whole process of putting (the play) together,” said Larkowski, a retired music historian who ensured all of the music in the play had a connection to Henry V. “I found both characters to be interesting and even enigmatic in certain ways. Bradmore’s professed aloofness and professionalism are a wonderful contrast to Henry’s more fiery or mercurial nature. Also noteworthy is the play’s range from highly intellectual/abstract content to the immediate, physical and visceral, which makes audiences think and squirm in their seats multiple times before the evening ends. I’ve been really overwhelmed by the response to this play. It’s definitely one of my most memorable theatrical experiences.”

“This play has a heart and a head,” said Sneed. “It is very original and highly dramatic with extreme theatricality. It is one of the best examples of a play staying in period but (remaining) accessible. I felt like I was watching a very good example of a playwright being a master of his universe.”

“This play could be performed anywhere,” said Sholiton. “It is a fully realized piece with stunning, brilliant writing.”

“I was astonished by the acting,” added Finkle, who rated the performances on par with the best of John Gielgud, Kenneth Branagh and Laurence Olivier. “This was a superlative production.”
“The actors were very attentive to the heighted language and dialect needs of the script,” said Young, a Dallas-based playwright. “They fully embraced the physical demands of (Harry’s) injury as well as the psychological state of a wounded warrior. I thought Geoff Burkman had a fantastic sense of the pacing, mood and arc of the play. Also, the simplicity of the production values supported the performances, but allowed the acting and text to remain in the forefront. Given the response of the adjudicators I was pleased they touched on the relationship of the characters, the search for a father figure, the nature of leadership and war.”

A Position of Relative Importance

David Gaylor (left) and Titus Wolverton in “A Position of Relative Importance” (Contributed photo by Art Fabian)

“A Position of Relative Importance,” Borden’s impressive playwrighting debut which opened the festival Friday, was also a veritable home run. Breezily and sharply directed by Debra Kent, “Position” told the charming story of humble, educated and unemployed Frank (a thoroughly engaging Titus Wolverton) who suddenly advances within a New York City business due to mistaken identity and unexpected bonds. Kent’s terrific cast included David Gaylor, Meagan Kuchan, Jared Mola and Dave Nickel.

“This play is totally wonderful and very fresh,” said Finkle, who noted the script brought to mind musical theater classics “A Chorus Line” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. “It’s all very real but also surreal. You never know where the story is going but it’s always a surprise.”
“The characters are sparkling and keep you interested,” said Speert. “It was a lot of fun.”
“Seeing the play on its feet for the first time, I was surprised at how little it surprised me,” said Borden, a Philadelphia trademark lawyer. “To a remarkable degree, what I saw on stage matched what I’d seen in my head when I wrote it even though the script itself says very little about the physical aspects of the production.”

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Titus Wolverton (left) and Jared Mola in “A Position of Relative Importance” (Contributed photo by Art Fabian)

Borden was also appreciative of the commitment and generous hospitality displayed by the festival’s numerous volunteers.
“I can’t talk about FutureFest without talking about the devotion of the organizers and volunteers,” he said. “On Saturday, Chuck Larkowski chauffeured a group of writers from the Playhouse to Marion’s Piazza for lunch. By Sunday, he was on stage giving one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in a role he might only play once in his life. I’m not sure that kind of thing happens anywhere else. In three days, I met more interesting people, and made more new friends, than I had in the past three years.”

Mola, likely to receive DayTony Awards this weekend for his knockout performances last season in the Dayton Playhouse’s “Dracula” and the Dayton Theatre Guild’s “Ghosts,” was the only actor featured in two plays. Juggling the roles of marketing whiz Trevor in “Position” and inquisitive young artist Danny in “Olives” may have appeared daunting, but he regards both assignments as an unforgettable introduction.

“From the time I started doing shows in Dayton last year, people have been telling me about how amazing and unique FutureFest is,” said Mola. “Six original plays in 48 hours takes a lot of effort and a lot of love from everyone involved. I can say with only slight hyperbole that the experience was awe-inspiring. It was everything it was built up to be and more. I think ‘Position’ is a really successful comedy because it’s layered with immediate punchlines and setups that build throughout. It’s that kind of intricate ebb and flow that makes writing a tight comedy so difficult, but this was one of those shows where every joke lands. Even as a ‘straightforward’ comedy in a field of shows with more emotional heft and tackling serious subject matter, I’m thrilled the adjudicators knew how rare of a feat it was.”

Additional components of the festival included a slew of fine performances: Risa Hillsman and a truly mesmerizing Annie Pesch in “Veils” (directed by FutureFest program director Fran Pesch); Wendi Michael, Jim Lockwood, Jordan Norgaard, Richard Young, David Hollowren and Cynthia Karns in “The One with Olives” (directed by Nancy K. Campbell); Shawn Hooks, Jennifer Lockwood, K.L. Storer, Heather Campbell Martin and John Bukowski in “On the Road to Kingdom Come” (directed by Saul Caplan);  and Rick Flynn, Brian Sharp, Leo Santucci, Travis J. Cook, Naman Clark, Dodie Lockwood, Art Fabian and Kelli Locker in “St. Paulie’s Delight” (directed by Kathy Mola). The striking technical contributions for “The King’s Face” (costume design by Deirdre Root, scenic design by Fran Pesch, lighting design by John A. Falkenbach, props/extractor fabrication by Blake Senseman, prosthetics/makeup by Jacklyn Alexa, and properties by Jim Foreman and Amanday Gray) are equally praiseworthy.
Looking back on the whirlwind weekend, Young and Borden, who will each receive a plaque and $1,000, remain grateful to have been finalists and share the coveted title of outstanding playwright. It’s not out of the question to assume they will spread the word about just how special this nationally recognized festival continues to be.
“FutureFest is a unique event in the theater world and the experience speaks well of Dayton, the Playhouse and the commitment of its leadership and supporters,” said Young. “I found the entire weekend to be inspiring and invigorating.”
“FutureFest was one of the best experiences I’ve had as a writer,” added Borden. “I’m going to have to come back to Dayton some other time of year just to confirm that it’s a real place and not an illusion Fran Pesch pulled out of her magic hat.”
Mark your calendars! FutureFest will return July 25-27, 2014. For more information, visit www.daytonplayhouse.org.

 

2013 FutureFest Audience Favorite:ff
“The King’s Face”

 

My 2013 FutureFest Ranking:
1. “The King’s Face”

2. “A Position of Relative Importance”

3. “Veils”

4. “St. Paulie’s Delight”

5. “On the Road to Kingdom Come”

6. “The One with Olives”

Food Adventures Takes Aim at Archer’s + $20 Gift Certificate !!

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You have driven by and seen the packed parking lot, so you know something is up.  Archer’s Tavern has just surpassed its 3rd year in business and is still cookin’ right along in more ways than one.  Owner’s Dan Apolito, Scott Dorsten and Mike Fullenkamp have a great formula for success.  Good food, good drink, and affordable prices.  The owners also immerse themselves in the community, donating to various churches, charities and youth organizations.  The belief is “If you do good things for people, it will come back to you.”  The menu, which is printed on newspaper, keeps customers coming back for sure.

Archer’sm, located at 9496 Dayton Lebanon Pike, is a family pub-style restaurant named after John Archer Jr.  who owned Centerville’s first tavern.  This nod to history is true to form with ownership’s belief in local involvement.

From Burgers and Pizzas, to Salads and Craft Beers, there is something for everyone at Archer’s Tavern.  Don’t forget the special events they showcase from time to time.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Family Friendly Atmosphere with a pub feel.  You could bring the kids here after a soccer game, or sit at the bar with some friends.

— Great Craft Beer selection on tap and in bottles.  Archer’s partners with regional breweries for some rare, delicious selections.  Their rotating selection is sure to please thirsty patrons.

The Brandon Burger features Zink’s Local Beef , a fried egg, and bacon on top.

— Affordable meals with most selections in  the $7-$10 range.  They even have a burger for under $4.

— Don’t miss their special events throughout the year.  Whether it is a crawfish boil to celebrate their anniversary or a beer/menu tasting featuring Goose Island beers, these events are worth checking out.  Stay tuned to their website and Facebook Page to keep up with the latest happenings.   Here is EXCLUSIVE SCOOP on the next upcoming event !

****EXCLUSIVE SCOOP !  YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST ! ***

Archer’s will feature a CHILI COOKOFF on Saturday, September 14th from 2pm-4pm.  Do you have a winning recipe?  Limited to 20 entrants, the winning person’s chili will be featured on the Archer’s menu for an entire year.  There is also a cash prize of $200.  To enter the contest, stop into Archers Tavern, but do it quickly as space is limited to the first 20 entrants.  Food Adventures will be celebrity judges and you can be a judge too!  Just show up the day of the event and pay $10 to sample the 20 chili entries and cast your vote.   Join us for this FOOD ADVENTURE !  The money collected will go to the Centerville High School Culinary Student fund or the Archer’s Scholarship Fund.  Again,  Archer’s is giving back to the community.  We love and respect that.

Archer’s Ale – a damn good craft beer

With so much going on in this place, we offer up our suggestions on some of the best.  As with all of our Food Adventures, we have been here numerous times and tried almost everything on the menu.

If you have not yet been to Archer’s, let Big Ragu, Chef House and Hungry Jax point you in the right direction.

MUST EATS:

— THE BRANDON BURGER:  This burger is a favorite.  It features a fried egg and bacon all on top of a fresh Zink’s Meat Market Burger.  It is quite simply one of the best burgers in town.

— ARCHER’S ALE:  An ESB (Extra Special Bitter), that is an original craft beer.  A quality brew to be appreciated by the beer connoisseur in you.  Smooth and easy, this is an enjoyable drink for those ESB lovers.

— CITRUS CHICKEN SALAD – Grilled chicken on a bed of fresh greens, mixed with a balsamic dressing.   Other toppings include mandarin oranges, cranberries, bleu cheese crumbles and almonds.  A healthy and tasty alternative!

—  THE MARGHERITA PIZZA:  Fresh Mozzarella and a smooth tomato sauce is the key to this pizza.  Fresh basil leaves and Roma tomatoes top off this vegetarian pie nicely.

— THE PHILLY CHEESESTEAK: A heaping sandwich filled with meat, peppers and melted provolone cheese.  You can also request cheese whiz on this monster.  We say, go for it.  This is how they do it in Philadelphia.  Your choice of ribeye steak or chicken for the meat.

— THE STICKY BURGER:  A burger with peanut butter on it? YES!  The result is a unique taste, reminiscent of a Thai Peanut Sauce.   This burger is the Big Ragu’s Favorite.  It also comes with bacon and smoked pepper jack cheese.  This is a curiously good burger that you won’t soon forget.

— CRAZY UNCLE JESTER’S HOT SAUCE:  Archer’s is partnered with a local hot sauce maker that really lights things up.  Make sure and ask your waitress to bring out some different flavored bottles of Crazy Uncle Jester’s Hot Sauce.   Add it to some wings, chili or whatever you want to pack a wallop of flavor.  Good stuff here, some of it isn’t for the squeamish.

Margherita Pizza – Savor that Fresh Mozzarella

Finally, this article would be incomplete if we didn’t talk about the servers.  Our many experiences have shown us that this friendly staff cares about the customers and shows commitment in offering good service.  The management instills this belief from the top down.  If you love decent prices for good food, then give Archer’s Tavern a shot.  This place is about relaxing in a fun eatery.  Our advice is, scan the beer selection, order a burger or one of our  ‘must eats’  and then… enjoy.   In  this Food Adventure, you can be sure that Archer’s will hit the bullseye !

Browse through our photo album of literally dozens of menu items and features from past special events.  Are you a Foodie?  Then “like” Food Adventures on Facebook HERE !

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$20 GIFT CERTIFICATE CONTEST !!

Please register below  and tell us below in the comments why you should win a $20 Gift Certificate to ARCHER’S TAVERN, and a winner will be chosen on MONDAY ![form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

Cityfolk to Focus on Jazz – Cancels Season, Festival and other Programs

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Ruthie Foster at the 2010 Cityfolk Festival.©2010 Andy Snow

Ruthie Foster at the 2010 Cityfolk Festival.©2010 Andy Snow

After several years of financial challenges, including a rained out festival in 2012, a festival in 2013 that didn’t meet its attendance goals, along with declining ticket sales and sponsorships, Cityfolk has announced it will focus on jazz, while canceling its 2013-14 season and its plans for a 2014 festival. It will also discontinue its residency program, Culture Builds Community, and has withdrawn from its anticipated partnership with The Dayton Art Institute.  Ohio’s only full-time traditional arts presenter was founded in 1980, and was committed to presenting ethnic and traditional folk arts. Through the years Cityfolk presented Celtic music, jazz, blues, world music, American roots, and more. In 1996, the National Folk Festival chose Dayton as its location for a three-year run. After the third year, Cityfolk kept the tradition going. Early festivals were at Courthouse Square and surrounding streets. Recent festivals have been at Riverscape.

According to Matt Dunn, Cityfolk Board President, Cityfolk knew it had to change its business model. “Even prior to last year’s festival, we were realizing declining ticket sales, sponsorships, and government support,” said Dunn. “The rain that devastated last year’s festival put us in a deeper hole and sped up our process for making changes, including having a fundraising campaign, while also letting go of some staff.”

The change, according to Dunn, included the staff reductions, a post-festival campaign following the 2012 festival, seeking potential partners, and making the decision to charge admission for the 2013 festival. “Many festival-goers,” Dunn said, “didn’t realize we were a non-profit organization with a full-time staff and year-round programming. The festival costs money to produce and we couldn’t continue to offer it for free.” The other change involved a pending partnership with The Dayton Art Institute.  That change was to take place after the festival. According to Dunn, Cityfolk had planned to let its remaining staff go, and responsibilities for the programming and management of Cityfolk would have been contracted with The Dayton Art Institute, under a management agreement. Likely because of a combination of rain and the paid admission, the festival didn’t meet its attendance goals. “Money raised at the festival is used to support the organization’s year-round programming,” Dunn said. “And this year’s festival came up short.”

“It’s disappointing,” said Michael Roediger, Executive Director at The Dayton Art Institute, “We were looking forward to a relationship that would have been beneficial to both organizations.” Dunn and Roediger both acknowledge that a lot of work went into defining the partnership with the hope that new and creative opportunities would evolve to capitalize on, and integrate, the mission and strengths of both organizations.

In recent years, other arts organizations realized they needed to change in order to realize economies of scale. The most prominent and recent change was the merger between the Dayton Opera, Dayton Ballet, and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra to form the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance. Before that, Carillon Park and the Montgomery County Historical Society merged to become Dayton History. While the partnership between Cityfolk and The Dayton Art Institute wasn’t a merger, each organization was hoping its structure would have impacted their bottom lines in a favorable way. However, citing the desire to enter into the partnership with cash on hand, and no debt, Dunn said “in the end, we just couldn’t make the numbers work.” He continued, “It would have been irresponsible to enter into a partnership knowing that we wouldn’t be able to meet our commitment or live up to our end of the agreement.” Taking it a step further, Dunn continued, “The only responsible thing to do is to discontinue programs that lost money.”

While the 2013-14 concert season was announced at the 2013 Festival, no tickets have been sold, according to Dunn. Shows, in partnership with the University of Dayton’s Arts Series, will continue. The other shows will be canceled. Knowing the power of the arts, and referring to Culture Builds Community and the Welcome Dayton initiative, in which Cityfolk was involved, Dunn said, “hopefully the community will continue to use the arts to affect social change and to bring people together using the arts as a bridge between cultures.”

“Cityfolk has 33 years of history under its belt,” said Dunn, “We have had great relationships with major institutions, including the City of Dayton, Five Rivers Metroparks, Dayton Public Schools, the University of Dayton, WYSO, The Dayton Art Institute, The Masonic Center, Gilly’s, Canal Street Tavern, and more. We’re grateful to the county, the city, the Ohio Arts Council, Culture Works, the National Endowment for the Arts, and our many volunteers, sponsors, foundations, members, and other supporters. We’re proud of the diverse artistic experiences we’ve brought to Dayton. That will be our legacy.”

While suspending normal operations will allow the organization to down-size, Dunn hopes Cityfolk will not go away completely.  An all-volunteer-led Cityfolk will use the coming weeks to assess its options to continue presenting jazz, for which it has an endowment to help cover the costs. The endowment, specifically for presenting and preserving jazz, was raised locally and matched by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Said Dunn, “Cityfolk is committed to keeping this money in the community and using it for the purpose for which it was intended.”

GLSEN Working Locally To Promote Anti-LGBT Bullying in Schools

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glsensagifGLSEN Greater Dayton is excited to be active again in the Dayton and surrounding areas. The goal of GLSEN Greater Dayton, is for every student, in every school, to be valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. GLSEN  believes that ALL students deserve a safe and affirming school environment where they can learn and grow.  The Dayton chapter was   reformed in September 2012 and is now active in a 19 county area from Dayton, to Celina, to Columbus. They are one of 38 chapters across the nation spreading respect in our local schools.

They  accomplish these goals by working in hallways across the country — from Congress and the Department of Education to schools and district offices in your community — to improve school climate and champion LGBT issues in K-12 education.

Currently, CLSEN is seeking educators, school administrators, and principals to join them on August 6, 2013 at the Downtown Dayton Metro Library for their  first Teacher’s meeting at 6:30 PM. They have numerous resources to provide to teachers about respect in the classroom, safe playgrounds, and activities to promote individuality.  The  teacher’s meeting will be conducted by Lasue Juniel, a local teacher at Kiser PreK – 8 School and Kevin Mabrey, Co-Chair of GLSEN Greater Dayton. More information on the meeting can be found here.
[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_967ZXI9qIE’]

GLSEN Greater Dayton has made some great local connections with schools and is hopeful to be able to connect with more schools and educators soon. They recently sent Safe Space Kits to all Middle and High Schools in our territory to promote respect in our communities. Their main goal is to have a GLSEN advocate represented in every school![yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_967ZXI9qIE’]

Every day GLSEN works to ensure that LGBT students are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment. Join them as they transform our nation’s K-12 schools. If you or anyone you know are interested in making our schools a safe space for kids, please contact us at glsendayton@gmail.com, Twitter @GLSENDayton, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GLSENDayton.

 

 

Celebrate Hot Yoga’s First Anniversary with Free Classes

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cache_3037310604Join us for a day of celebration as we welcome everyone to the studio to try any class free of charge. Please bring a mat, towel, and a bottle of water. We will have lot’s of specials, and give aways! Please come 10 minutes early. If this will be your first time to the studio , you will need to sign a waiver. All classes 90 minutes. Please arrive on time , doors are locked at the start of class. This is for the safety of yourself and your belongings.

NEW STUDENTS
Please be well hydrated prior to your first class, drink plenty of water up to 24 hrs. before attending class. Try to eat 2-3 hrs before class, so you will have an empty stomach. If you must eat prior to class please choose fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables.

Class times:

9 am – Hot Series w/ Sarah A. – In Hot Series we do 26 poses, each done twice. We start with a breathing exercise followed by a standing series, a floor series, and finishing with a breathing exercise. All levels welcome to this class.

5 pm – Hot Power Flow w/ Anca – Come to this highly energizing class that will flow along to some great tunes. This class will move along at a faster pace.

7 pm – Hot Vinyasa w/ Becky – Vinyasa means ‘ breath synchronized movement ‘ Be ready to flow through this yoga class as you practice a variety of asanas, and learn the power of inhaling and exhaling.

Come in to our hot studio and let us help you take your yoga practice to a new level. We practice several types of yoga in a room that is heated to 95-100 degrees. The heat is going to help warm your muscles for greater flexibility, and to achieve a deeper stretch. Get ready to flush the toxins from your body as you sweat your way through class burning upwards of 600-1,000 calories.

Enjoy all of these great benefits from hot yoga:
* Tones, strengthens, and lengthens your muscles

*Reduce weight- lose pounds by balancing your
metabolism

*Restore flexibility

*Improve circulation

Sweat, work hard, have fun, and leave feeling wonderful!

The Tastiest Week of the Summer is Back

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Diners will once again get an opportunity to eat at some of the Miami Valley’s  best restaurants at affordable prices, while helping to support  local charity’s during Restaurant Week July 28 – Aug 4th. Looks like this time around there are about 50 restaurant to choose from, down about 10 from last summer’s promotion.    Restaurants will be offering multi-course prix fixe menus at either $20.13, $25.13 or $30.13.

DaytonDinings Tips:  Make reservations when possible

New this year, many restaurants seem to be offering multiple price points to choose from and guests can choose the menu they prefer.  You’ll find many of the menu’s  on the MVRA site.  Spinoza’s, Hickory River Smokehouse, McGullicutty’s  and Nick’s  are offering to feed a couple for $20.13.  The Caroline in Troy is including a glass of beer or wine, plus 3 courses with their options and Christopher’s options include 4 courses to choose from.

Expect crowds!

Many restaurants are closed on Sun &/or Monday- check first

Traditionally Restaurant Week has kicked off on Sunday and ended on Friday.  This summer’s promotion has been extended to run Sunday through Sunday.   And keep your eye out, several restaurants often carry over the dining deals for a second week.

No matter where you chose to dine, part of the package includes a donation to charity partners.  $1 of each meal will be split between  Cancer Support Community of Western Ohio and the MVRA scholarship fund.

While saving on your meal- splurge on wine to compliment your meal

Many people have a love/hate relationship with Restaurant Week.  Before I go any further, I should admit that I was the President of the Restaurant Association when this promotion was launched in 2005 and I am quite proud of the impact it’s had on our community.  But I also know folks that dine out regularly and yet avoid this week due to the crowds.  I also have a group of friends that can’t wait for the menu’s to be posted so they can plan their eating extravaganzas.

Restaurant staff also have mixed feelings about this promotion.  Most appreciate that they will be busy all week, but I’ve heard bartenders complain that while the servers and cooks are busy, that guests aren’t buying anything but the dining deal and therefore they don’t make much money.  As a former restaurateur, I know that those who embrace this promotion as a marketing opportunity are the ones that get the most from it. Owver/Chef Wiley at Meadowlark has been a great example from the very beginning.  She involved her staff, planned creative meals and promoted the menu’s ahead of time to her regular guests and even poured wine for waiting guests.

Menu offerings can change – be flexible

I too, have things I dislike about this week.  Like restaurants that sign up for the promotion, but don’t get buy in from their staff.  I’ve been to several places that print a special Restaurant Week menu on an insert and the guests get seated without the promo menu. Whether  intentional or an oversight, I’ve then heard guests questioning whether the restaurant is participating or that they don’t see the $20.13 meal.  Restaurants please don’t make it hard for guests to partake.  The MVRA also promotes a contest offering guests a chance to win gift certificates for filling out a comment card, but many restaurants don’t pass them out- so be sure and ask your server for yours and your meal deal can really pay off if you win!

If you do go out for these dining deals, please keep in mind that for many places, this is the busiest week of the year for them and that can mean longer waits, frazzled staff and sometimes running out of the advertised items.  Be patient and please remember to share the savings you got on your meal when you tip.  Happy dining!

June Home Sales in Dayton Best in Five Years

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DABR stats juneBeen looking for a home, but can’t find one you love? Found a home you love but it sold to someone else before you wrote an offer? Last year you saw tons of homes you liked and they were on the market for a long time, but now that you are ready to buy, the market has changed? You are not imagining things. Dayton has posted the most sales for June since 2007, just before the economic downturn began. First half 2013 sales stats are up at the Dayton Area Board of Realtors (DABR), here are some highlights from the report:

  • June’s transactions produced a cumulative sales volume of over $183.8 million, which translated to an average sale price of $142,288, 9.27% higher than last June’s $130,211, and represented the highest monthly sales price since June of 2008. The median sales price was $124,000, a 10.2% increase compared to June 2012.
  • June’s robust showing topped off an excellent first half of 2013, which saw 6,290 sales transactions of single-family homes and condominiums take place, compared to 5,412 during the first half of 2012, a 16.2% increase.
  • A cumulative sales volume of over $783 million brought the average sale price to $124,497 and the median sale price to $105,500 for the six-month period. These were increases of 4% and 7%, respectively.
  • This was the third straight month of increases in listing entries compared to 2012, as activity for both listings and sales seemed to be picking up steam.

Every market has its unique opportunities. 2011-2012 were great years for investors, this market is good for move-up buyers. First- time buyers are finally making their move and those sellers in move-up markets who have been just waiting for the market to return are finally putting their homes up for sale, add in that interest rates are still low, and you’ve got a nice opportunity to sell your home for a great price and also buy while interest rates are low.

For you number-crunching types, the complete DABR report, with stats and links to charty-goodness, can be found here.

Experience the Best of Downtown During the Aug. 2 First Friday

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Roaming performers, saxophonist Tyrone Martin and steel drum player Joseph Glenn, entertain the crowd during the July First Friday.

Art. Music. Shopping. Food. Fun. First Friday in downtown Dayton is about all of these things.

This free event will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, throughout downtown. The August First Friday is always one of the year’s largest, and this year promises to be the same with the range of activities taking place. Roaming performers — the McGovern Ceili Dancers, acoustic duo Pourover and juggler Tony Steinbach — will provide entertainment throughout downtown.

If you plan to enter the Downtown in Focus photo contest, be sure to bring your camera along. From 8 to 11 p.m., most of downtown’s buildings will be lit for photographers who would like to capture city nightscapes to enter in the competition.

Just a few events taking place during the Aug. 2 First Friday are listed below:

Are you ready to rock? Canal Street Tavern (308 E. First St.) is presenting a tribute show by American Pink Floyd. The show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $12. Call 937-461-9343.

In honor of the second anniversary of Clash Consignment (521 E. Fifth St.), the store will throw a party to celebrate with all its customers. Entertainment will be provided by DJs Mike Wishnewski and Matt Freeman and henna artist Lily Whitehead. Boston Bistro will cater, and a $2 sidewalk sale will be held. Work by artist Robert Walker also will be featured. Call 937-241-9434.

The monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet for two rides this month at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, (220 N. Patterson Blvd.). The first will ride leaves at 5:30 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m. Rides are free of charge and all skill levels are welcome. This month’s route will go past the downtown dog park, hit spots in Old North Dayton and surrounding areas (DATV, Mike Sell’s Potato Chips, Charlie’s Deli and Whitewater Warehouse) and head down the Mad River bike path back.

Synergy Incubators  will produce their fourth  First Friday Food Truck Rally.  Street Food is all the ragea and Dayton Food Park  (2oo S. Jefferson St.) will have 14 of Dayton’s food trucks lined up from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.  After you grab some grub, browse through the booths of local artisans that include jewelry, homemade soaps, pottery and other crafts.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Great Dayton Flood, the Dayton Visual Arts Center (118 N. Jefferson St.) is showcasing artwork by local artists around the theme “Water, Water Everywhere.” Visitors can talk to the featured artists from the exhbit. The gallery will be open until 8 p.m. Call 937-224-3822.

Green Baby (31 S. St. Clair St.) will exhibit work by local artist Bley Hack, offer free chair massages to visitors and host a sale on select children’s items. The store will be open until 8 p.m. Call 469-8665.

Miami-Jacobs (110 N Patterson Blvd.) will host a Summer Block Party. HOT-FM 102.9 and WROU-FM 92.1 will broadcast live from the event, and entertainment includes a photo booth, indoor cornhole tournament and outdoor games. Call 937-668-0213.

As part of the First Friday Salsa Music Series, Son del Caribe will play live music from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark (111 E. Monument Ave.) on the MetroPark Pavilion Stage. Experience sounds that include salsa and other styles of Latin dance music. Call 937-274-0126.

Sew Dayton (16 Brown St.) will showcase artist-of-the-month Craig Galentine, creator of the The Kokeshi Clan. A group of local children will be selling lemonade for Hanna’s Treasure Chest outside the store and the winner of the “Make It Work” contest will be announced, along with the next challenge. Call 937-234-7398.

Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub (101 Pine St.) presents Cutthroat Freakshow by Dirty Little Secrets. This off-the-beaten-track show begins at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 for 18 and older. Call 937-224-5653.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association and Rev. Cool’s “Around the Fringe” show that airs on Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight on WYSO-FM 91.3. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more. Download the Find It Downtown mobile search tool for smartphones at http://mobile.downtowndayton.org.

A complete list of what downtown businesses have on tap for First Friday is available on the DDP website. Call 937-224-1518 or email info@downtowndayton.org for more information.