💎 Blueberries In Kettering (Issue #25)
PLUS: WSU's Program Changes
Max Carone
February 22, 2024
Good Morning,
And welcome to another issue of Miami Valley Memo. Every week, we share events, live shows, and news curated for the Miami Valley.
Since sharing events and live shows is what we do, I’m curious to hear if you’ve ever attended any events or live shows that you learned about from us.
So, if you don’t mind, please take a moment to answer the one-click poll after this intro to let us know. Even if you haven’t attended any yet, your input is incredibly helpful.
We’re always striving to make this newsletter as useful as possible, and your feedback is what helps us navigate forward. Thanks!
In today’s issue, we’ll be covering:
Upcoming events
This weekend’s live shows
Our experience at Blue Berry Cafe’s Kettering Grand Opening
Wright State’s recent program cuts
Let’s get to it!
— Max
Have you gone to any events or live shows that you've learned about from us? |
⚡ WEEKEND WEATHER
Friday
25° 🌡️ 51° | ⛅ | ☔ 0% | 💨 13 mph
Saturday
22° 🌡️ 32° | ⛅ | ☔ 0% | 💨 10 mph
Sunday
38° 🌡️ 54° | ⛅ | ☔ 15% | 💨 15 mph
📅 EVENTS
👫 Sweetheart Walk
📅 Saturday: 4 pm
📍 Downtown Miamisburg
💰 Free
Stroll through Miamisburg's heart with a passport in hand for the Sweetheart Walk. Visit spots for shopping, grab a bite to eat, and a few drinks while collecting stamps along the way.
With eight stamps, you can enter a raffle to win a gift basket full of local goodies. Enjoy a day of leisure, snacks, and fun, with no set start or end. Learn more about where to get your passport and the event here.
🎪 Renaissance Festival Pub Sing
📅 Saturday: 8:30 pm
📍 Dublin Pub, Downtown Dayton
💰 Free
Step back in time for a night with the Ohio Renaissance Festival's cast and crew. Revel in an evening filled with songs, laughter, and surprises from your beloved performers.
Space fills up quickly, turning the venue into standing-room-only, so arrive early to secure your spot. Perfect for fans of the festival or anyone looking for a unique night out. Learn more.
🍰 Love Cakes Wedding Showcase
📅 Sunday: 11 am - 3 pm
📍 Springboro Dorothy Lane Market
💰 Free
Step into a world where wedding dreams take shape at the Love Cakes by DLM Showcase. Discover the latest in wedding cake trends and tablescapes from award-winning designers.
Enjoy free cake samples, on-site consultations, and exclusive discounts. An event dedicated to helping you plan the sweet part of your most important — and stressful — day. No registration is needed to attend. Learn more here.
🍹 Battle of the Bartenders
📅 Wed, Feb 28th: 6:30 pm
📍 The Steam Plant, Downtown Dayton
💰 Advance: $55 | Day Of: $65 | VIP: $75
Watch local bartenders face off to see who can craft the best cocktails with Buckeye Vodka (the event's sponsor). See last year's champion, Thomas from Wheat Penny, defend his title against tough competition like the People's Choice winner Nicole from Smith's Boathouse.
Regular tickets include 5 drinks, food from each restaurant, and 1 voting chip. VIP tickets get you double the drinks and votes. We expect this event to sell out (as it did last year), so claim your tickets today if this is a showdown you'd love to see.
🍷 Once In Four Years: A Wine Tasting Soirée
📅 Thurs, Feb 29th: 6 pm
📍 Manna Uptown, Centerville
💰 $55
Delve into a unique leap-year celebration with the Dayton Wine Club. This elegant evening features a handpicked selection of wines from Wines with Wagener, expertly paired with gourmet snacks.
This soirée is more than a wine-tasting. It's a chance to share a glass with fellow wine lovers, swap stories, and make memories. Both aficionados and novices are welcome. Get your tickets here.
⚖️ An Evening For Justice
📅 Thurs, Feb 29th: 7 pm
📍 Victoria Theatre, Downtown Dayton
💰 $29+
Support the Ohio Innocence Project with speakers Amanda Knox and Gilbert King. They'll share insights on wrongful convictions and the media's role in justice.
Knox was exonerated after a high-profile case in Italy, and Pulitzer Prize winner King is known for his work on racial injustice. It will be an evening of powerful stories and a call for justice. Get your tickets.
🈹 PechaKucha Night
📅 Thurs, Feb 29th: 7:30 pm
📍 Dayton Art Institute, Downtown Dayton
💰 Free
Experience PechaKucha (Japanese for "chit-chat"), a fast-paced event blending ideas, art, and conversation. Presenters showcase their passions using 20 slides for 20 seconds each, sparking a creative dialogue.
After each speaker finishes, attendees mingle and network over drinks during the breaks. This free networking event occurs every quarter in Dayton and regularly gets about 300 attendees. Learn more here.
🎩 Black & White Gala
📅 Fri, Mar 1st: 6 - 10 pm
📍 Presidential Banquet Center, Kettering
💰 $100
Enjoy an evening of music, auctions, and art, all in support of We Care Arts. We Care Arts gives folks with disabilities and mental health needs a way to heal through art in the Miami Valley.
Embrace the theme by donning your finest black and white attire for a cause that colors lives with hope and creativity. Have a great time while supporting a worthy cause! Get your tickets.
🐯 Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live
📅 Tue, Mar 5th: 6 pm
📍 Victoria Theatre, Downtown Dayton
💰 $30+
If you have or are around little kids, Daniel Tiger needs no introduction. Now, your family can visit his neighborhood off-screen with this live musical coming to Dayton.
Share a magical journey with Daniel, his friends, and even a few surprise guests as they teach lessons about friendship and kindness. A great weekday event your little ones will surely love! Get 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? Reply and let us know!
🎶 LIVE MUSIC
Friday
Doug Hart | Jayne's On Main | 7pm | Free
Finding Melissa | Bock Family Brewing | 7pm | Free
Indigo Girls | Victoria Theatre | 7:30pm | $51+
Next To Nowhere with Truk | Hidden Gem Music Club | 8pm | $5
Nothing But Treble | Phone Booth Lounge | 8pm | Free
Whey Jennings | Good Time Charlie's | 9pm | Free
Zep Tepi | Courtyard Lounge | 9pm | Free
Saturday
Kierstead | Jayne's On Main | 7pm | Free
Elaina Arthur & Friends | Bock Family Brewing | 7pm | Free
Johnny Cash - The Official Concert Experience | Schuster Center | 7pm | $40+
Visitor with Under High Street | Hidden Gem Music Club | 8pm | $5
Wright Brothers III | Phone Booth Lounge | 8pm | Free
Otis Money Band | Good Time Charlie's | 8:30pm | Free
Wilder | Courtyard Lounge | 9pm | $5
🎭️ LIVE THEATRE
Friday
Guys and Dolls | La Comedia Dinner Theatre | 7:30pm | $70+
Saturday
Very Hungry Caterpillar | Victoria Theatre | 1pm | $17
Guys and Dolls | La Comedia Dinner Theatre | 7:30pm | $70+
Tuck Everlasting | PNC Arts Annex | 8pm | Adult: $17, Kids: $14
Sunday
Tuck Everlasting | PNC Arts Annex | 2pm & 6pm | Adult: $17, Kids: $14
Guys and Dolls | La Comedia Dinner Theatre | 7:30pm | $70+
😂 LIVE COMEDY
Friday
Greg Warren | Dayton Funny Bone | 7:30pm | $20
Stewart Huff | Wileys Comedy Club | 8pm | $20
Saturday
Greg Warren | Dayton Funny Bone | 7pm & 9:45pm | $20
Stewart Huff | Wileys Comedy Club | 7:15pm & 9:30pm | $20
🗞️ LOCAL NEWS
🫐 Blue Berry Cafe’s Grand Opening In Kettering
Yesterday (Feb 21st), Blue Berry Cafe had its grand opening in Kettering, in the old Golden Nugget location. Naturally, we paid them a visit to give you the lowdown.
And... they delivered with GIANT blueberry pancakes, fluffy French toast, and crispy bacon. The lobby was packed but still felt roomy—a big upgrade from their original Bellbrook location.
For what I imagine would be a chaotic day for most, the staff was incredibly calm and welcoming. You could tell all their practice building up to this paid off.
And you could feel that energy transfer to the patrons. We were all happily waiting and excited to dig in and get our fill—which we certainly did.
Winsupply, who bought the property last October, announced in January they'd be partnering with Blue Berry Cafe to make this their second location. So, in less than 2 months, they went from announcement to grand opening. That's an impressively quick turnaround.
You can find them at 2932 South Dixie Drive in Kettering. Their hours are 7 am - 2 pm. You can call ahead for seating at 937-723-7917, or order takeout by calling 937-723-7919.
Were you there on opening day? Or planning to visit soon? Reply and let us know!
🎓 WSU Cuts 34 Low-Enrollment Programs
Last Thursday, Wright State University announced they'll be cutting 34 degree programs from their curriculum. These were bachelor's and master's programs across math, science, engineering, languages, and more.
Who's affected? Only 54 students of 11,000. And these students will still be able to finish their degrees. WSU will just no longer be accepting new enrollments in these programs.
Most of these programs have very specific concentrations or low interest. Like the master's degrees in physics, applied math, and applied statistics. Or the bachelor's degrees in Latin, Greek, German, and art history.
Why the cuts? This follows a directive from the University's Board of Trustees to focus on efficiency and better meet the current job market. The Board will make the final vote in April and in the meantime, the university will prepare for the cuts.
Wright State isn't alone in this practice. Last week the University of Toledo also announced they'd be cutting 48 programs, and last fall Miami decided to drop 18.
The only unknown is the impact this will have on the faculty who were teaching these programs. This decision has raised some concerns amongst the faculty union, who felt their input was under-represented. [Dayton Daily News]
🙏 THANKS!
That’s all for today. Thank you for reading this week’s memo!
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Hope you have a great weekend, and we look forward to seeing you next Thursday!
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Disclosure: Some of the events and other links featured in this newsletter may be sponsored by our advertising partners, or affiliate links where we may earn a small commission should you sign up or purchase through them. Any sponsored or affiliate links will be clearly indicated with an asterisk (*) or a disclosure that the section is sponsored by a specific partner.