💎 Amtrak In Dayton? (Issue #15)

Good morning,

And welcome to another issue of Miami Valley Memo. Every week we share events and news curated for the Miami Valley.

Today marks the first day of adult-use recreational pot being legal in Ohio. Yesterday the State Senate passed some changes to it, which will go in front of the House and then DeWine. Expect more changes, which we’ll cover next week.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our gift card giveaway over the last few weeks! On Monday we drew the 3 lucky winners and reached out to each to share the good news.

This week, we have another favor to ask, but we’ll get that in a second…

In today’s issue we’ll be covering:

• More holiday events — it’s getting festive in the Miami Valley

• Live shows you can catch this weekend

• Dayton Children’s plans a new health center serving West Dayton

• Early steps toward expanding Amtrak in Ohio

• Oakwood pumping the brakes on the peanut-shaped roundabout at the Five Points intersection

Let’s get to it!

— Max

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⚡ WEEKEND WEATHER

Friday

50° 🌡️ 56° | ⛅ | ☔ 0% | 💨 16 mph

Saturday

36° 🌡️ 59° | 🌧️ | ☔ 60% | 💨 16 mph

Sunday

25° 🌡️ 39° | 🌧️ | ☔ 40% | 💨 15 mph

❄️ Holly Days at the Arcade

📅 Thursday: 3-8pm | Friday: 3-9pm
📍 The Dayton Arcade, Downtown Dayton
💰 Free

See the Arcade's Rotunda and Tank spaces transformed into a winter wonderland! Shop from local vendors, grab some bites and treats from food trucks and listen to live entertainment. Enjoy family-friendly activities, a cash bar, and some special holiday surprises. Join in the holiday spirit of giving by bringing art supplies to donate to We Care Arts. Learn more.

🛍️ Holiday Market

📅 Saturday: 10-3pm
📍 Town & Country Shopping Center, Kettering
💰 Free

Don't miss the final holiday market of the year at Town & Country! Explore a wide selection of goods from local crafters and direct sale vendors. Each bringing their own unique and thoughtful items perfect for the season. Swing by and find something special for that special someone on your list. Learn more.

🍪 Cookie Walk and Santa’s Tot Shop

📅 Saturday: 10-12pm
📍 We Care Arts, Kettering
💰 Free

Indulge in a world of sweets with We Care Arts, and support their mission of healing through art. Wander through tables filled with cookies donated by local bakers and sold by the pound. These treats aren't the only sweet thing they're offering. This year, they're introducing Santa's Tot Shop. For $5, kids can buy a secret gift ($5-$25 in value) for their parent/guardian and have it wrapped up for them. You can learn more about attending here and volunteering for the cookie sale here.

🇩🇪 Christkindlmarkt

📅 Saturday: 10-5pm | Sunday: 12-4pm
📍 Dayton Liederkranz-Turner, Downtown Dayton
💰 Free

Step into a charming old-world Christmas Market! Find unique gifts like handcrafted ornaments, beer steins, and jewelry. Immerse in the festive atmosphere with traditional German food and drinks like Gluhwein (mulled wine). Don't miss the Liederkranz Christmas Raffle for more fun finds. As far as parking goes, they suggest parking at Bomberger Park or on the quaint streets of St. Anne’s Hill. Learn more.

🚜 Christmas On The Farm

📅 Saturday: 11-4pm
📍 Carriage Hill MetroPark, Dayton
💰 Free

Take a journey into the heart of Christmas past! Experience timeless traditions, from vintage holiday cards to festive foods. Make magical memories, and enjoy the rich heritage of Victorian Christmas customs. Learn more.

🍻 Annual Holiday Pub Crawl (21+)

📅 Saturday: 4pm
📍 Oregon District
💰 $10 (cash or gift donation)

Grab some beers and spread the holiday cheer! Enter this crawl by making a $10 donation to Toys for Tots. They'll use your support to give gifts to kids in need this Christmas. If you pre-register online here, you'll get your first drink for free and they'll do the gift shopping for you. Or, you can make your donation in person on the day of. Just show up to one of the participating bars with a $10 unwrapped toy or 10 bucks. Get in the spirit by dressing up as your favorite Christmas character, and put your costume to the test in the costume contest at the Dublin Pub at 6 pm. See the participating bars and learn more here.

🔦 Luminary Walk

📅 Saturday: 6-8pm
📍 Veterans Memorial Park, Miamisburg
💰 Free

Stroll through Veteran's Park, now sparkling with festive lights for the holiday season! Enjoy this illuminated walk, perfect for a cozy evening with family and friends. Sip on seasonal refreshments and gather in the Gazebo for a special winter-themed story reading. A delightful way to celebrate the holidays together in the Burg. Learn more.

🎄 Lighting Up Oakwood

📅 Sunday: 6:30pm
📍 Shafor Park, Oakwood
💰 Free

Join the Oakwood community as they light up the city and kick off the holiday season. Stroll through Shafor Park for an evening of lights, songs, and refreshments. Enjoy free horse-drawn carriage rides and don’t miss a special visit from Santa Claus. Remember to bundle up and stay warm for this outdoor event! Learn more.

🥃 Bourbon & Cigar Night: From The Vault (21+)

📅 Thursday, Dec. 14th: 6:30pm
📍 Hidden Valley Orchard, Lebanon
💰 $100

Savor an evening of exclusive bourbon tastings paired with a hearty, delicious meal. Indulge in dishes like ribs, crispy fried chicken, tamale pie, and cowboy salad. Then enjoy German chocolate or black forest cake for dessert. As far as bourbon goes, you'll start off with a nice welcome drink. Then you'll have your choice of 4 tastings from Randy's exclusive vault. Cap off the night with a choice cigar for purchase. See the featured bourbons and get your tickets.

🎸 HoliDayton with Hawthorne Heights

📅 Friday, Dec. 29th: 6:30pm
📍 The Brightside Music and Event Venue, Downtown Dayton
💰 General: $22 | VIP: $50

Rock out at the 21st annual HoliDayton music festival, headlined by Dayton's own Hawthorne Heights! This festival showcases a fantastic lineup of local bands across two stages, featuring an electric set by Hawthorne Heights. Get ready for a night filled with the Gem City's finest rock and roll. With limited tickets available, it'd be a good move to secure yours ASAP if this is your kind of jam. Get your tickets here.

🍾 New Year's Eve: Countdown to 2024

📅 Sunday, Dec. 31st: 9pm
📍 The Dayton Arcade, Downton Dayton
💰 $125

Ring in the New Year with a special celebration at the historic Dayton Arcade, hosted by Culture Works! Since 1974, they've championed the arts. Now they're kicking off their 50th year in style by hosting their first-ever New Year’s Eve party. Enjoy an evening filled with music, dancing, drinks, and immersive art. Savor delicious hors d'oeuvres, live entertainment, and a champagne toast at midnight. Your ticket includes two drinks to make the night even more festive. We wouldn't be surprised if these tickets go fast! Don't miss out, grab your tickets here.

Events marked with an asterisk (*) in the “featured” section have been sponsored by our advertising or affiliate partners. Have an event you’d like to promote? Get in touch with us here.

🎤 LIVE SHOWS 

Friday

🎭 Children's Performing Arts of Miamisburg | A Seussified Christmas Carol | 6:30pm | $12

🎭 Town Hall Theatre | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - JV | 7pm | $16

🎶 Chappys Social House | Nick Mitchell | 7pm | Free

😂 Dayton Funny Bone | Ivan Decker | 7:30 PM | $20

💂 Schuster Center | Dayton Ballet: The Nutcracker | 7:30pm | $30+

🎶 Phone Booth Lounge | Dave'd and Confused | 8pm | Free

🎶 Blind Bob's | The Most Falcons | 8pm | Free

🎶 Good Time Charlie's | Side Piece | 8:30pm | Free

Saturday

🎭 Town Hall Theatre | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - JV | 11am | $16

🎭 Town Hall Theatre | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - JV | 3pm | $16

🎭 Children's Performing Arts of Miamisburg | A Seussified Christmas Carol | 2:30pm & 6:30pm | $12

💂 Schuster Center | Dayton Ballet: The Nutcracker | 2:30pm & 7:30pm | $30+

😂 Dayton Funny Bone | Ivan Decker | 7pm & 9:45pm | $20

🎶 Oregon Express | Rugrat | 7pm | $10

🎶 Hidden Gem Music Club | The DreamTeam Family Christmas Show | 7pm | $15

😂 Bricky's Comedy Club | Travis Charles And Friends | 7:30pm | $15

🎶 Dublin Pub | Nick Mitchell | 8pm | Free

🎶 Mr. Boro's Tavern | Jay Clark Band | 8pm | Free

🎶 Blind Bob's | Koffin Kats | 8pm | Free

🎶 The Brick Tap & Tavern | The Relics | 8:30pm | Free

Sunday

🎭 Town Hall Theatre | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - JV | 3pm | $16

💂 Schuster Center | Dayton Ballet: The Nutcracker | 7:30pm | $30+

🎶 Arbogast Performing Arts Center | LeAnn Rimes | 7pm | $45+

🗞️ LOCAL NEWS

🏥 Dayton Children’s $8M Health Center In West Dayton

Dayton Children's is set to break ground on a new $8 million health center in West Dayton next spring. This new facility is a response to the critical healthcare needs of the area. Its focus is wholistically serving children and mothers. Focusing on their physical, social, mental, and nutritional health needs. To do this, the center will feature two critical components.

The first is the Healthy Family Market, led by Sunlight Village. The market will provide nutritious, healthy food options to the underserved community. This is incredibly important given that West Dayton is a USDA-designated food dessert. Prioritizing maternal and infant health, it will offer essential items like infant formula and baby cereal. The space will also serve as a community hub, featuring a coffee bar and smoothie shop.

Additionally, the center will have a pediatric clinic operated by Dayton Children's. This clinic plans to offer comprehensive services including on-demand care for acute illness, lab tests, imaging, and medication. They'll also provide vaccine clinics, behavioral health, and asthma support. According to Dayton Business Journal, Dayton Children's earned almost $600 million in net revenue in 2022. It's great to see them taking those resources and investing in serving communities that need it. [Dayton Business Journal]

🚆 All Aboard! Early Funding For Amtrak's Expansion To Ohio

This week saw the first step in connecting Ohio's major cities through Amtrak. The Federal Railroad Administration earmarked $500,000 for planning the 3C+D corridor — a route linking Dayton, Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. This is part of a larger initiative to broaden Amtrak's reach beyond the coasts and into the heartland.

This planning phase will help determine the feasibility of passenger rail services in the state. Identifying how much these services will be used and the profitability of operating them. Ultimately, that will impact the costs for us Ohioans, and how much the state will need to subsidize it.

This could be a big win for our economy and environment by cutting down on emissions and making travel easier for commuters. Particularly for the Miami Valley, given our central location between Cinci and Columbus. Although we imagine a key part of this will be parking. Lots of station parking. What do you think about this? Can you see yourself taking an Amtrak? Reply and let us know! [Dayton Daily News]

🛑 Oakwood Pauses Five Points Roundabout

This Monday, Oakwood decided to pump the brakes on the proposed Five Points intersection roundabout. That's where Far Hills (OH-48), Thruston Blvd, and Oakwood Ave meet. This is a busy intersection and a key route in and out of downtown from the South Dayton suburbs.

This roundabout idea had been in the works for over a year. With a "peanut-shaped" design becoming the leading proposal. The project was estimated to cost over $5.55 million, with the state offering to fund over half of it.

Over the summer, Oakwood opened the floor to residents for community feedback. And they got mixed signals. This feedback — plus the need for more comprehensive data — has led the city to put the project on pause. In the meantime, they'll keep the existing traffic signals running and then reassess in 5-10 years. It's a classic case of waiting at the crossroads, quite literally, as Oakwood decides the best route forward for this busy intersection. [Dayton.com]

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Hope you have a great weekend, and we look forward to seeing you next Thursday!