💎 Happy Labor Day! Events, News, & More (Issue #1)

Good morning,

Today is the first issue of Miami Valley Memo. Our goal here is to help you discover and enjoy more of what's going on in the Miami Valley. We appreciate you joining us on this journey and are excited to get your feedback as we go!

It’s Labor Day weekend, which means summer is going out, and fall is coming in. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been enjoying the cooler mornings!

Today we’ll be covering:

• Events this holiday weekend and next

• An I-75N ramp closure

• Updates on Dayton’s housing and job market

• A new coffee shop downtown

• Our favorite local Greek spot

Let’s get to it!

— Max

⚡ WEEKEND WEATHER

Friday

58° 🌡️ 82° | ☀️ | ☔ 10% | 💨 5 mph

Saturday

66° 🌡️ 88° | ☀️ | ☔10% | 💨 8 mph

Sunday

66° 🌡️ 91° | ☀️| ☔ 10% | 💨 10 mph

📅 EVENTS

🎉 Party at the Landing with The Menus

📅 Friday: 6-10pm
📍 Austin Landing, Miamisburg
💰 Free entry

Kick off Labor Day weekend at the Landing with The Menus. Indulge in gourmet offerings from El Meson to Batter-up Funnel Cakes, and quench your thirst at the Kona Brewing Beer Garden. All beer garden purchases benefit SICSA. Learn more.

🎪 AlterFest

📅 Friday: 6pm-12am | Saturday & Sunday: 12pm-12am
📍 Alter High School, Kettering
💰 Free Entry

A staple Labor Day weekend festival in the South Dayton area. There’s great food for everyone, games and rides for the kids, cold drinks for the adults, and blackjack/poker for those who like to play. Learn more.

🍎 Apple Cider Market Days

📅 Saturday & Sunday: 11-4pm
📍 Hidden Valley Orchards, Lebanon
💰 Free entry

Looking to get out into the country over Labor Day weekend? Then take a trip south as HVO transforms into a fall wonderland. Sample fresh apple cider and shop from over 30 local vendors with handmade and vintage crafts. Learn more.

🚒 Antique Fire Apparatus Show

📅 Saturday: 9:30-5pm
📍 Carillon Park, Dayton
💰 General admission: $14 adults, $10 kids

Join the Miami Valley Antique Fire Apparatus Association (MVAFAA) and Dayton History for a fun-filled day showcasing 40 antique fire apparatus. Perfect for history buffs, the little ones who love trucks, or families with both! Get tickets.

🎈 Kettering Holiday At Home - Festival

📅 Saturday & Sunday: 11-6pm
📍 Lincoln Park/Fraze Area, Kettering
💰 Free entry

Pop into the festival leading up to the famous Holiday at Home Labor Day parade. They’ll have arts & crafts from over 100 unique vendors, live entertainment, car show, food, and a dedicated kid’s zone. Given the Miami Valley’s history, this year’s theme is “Local Area Inventions”. Learn more.

🎺 Kettering Holiday At Home - Parade

📅 Monday: 9:55-12pm
📍 Far Hills, from Stroop to Dorothy Lane, Kettering
💰 Free entry

This is a Miami Valley Labor Day classic. What started as a small parade in 1959 has now turned into one of Ohio’s largest, having attracted 100,000 spectators in the past. Just make sure to get your lawn chairs all set up in advance! Learn more.

🍸 Artini Dayton

📅 Thursday, Sep. 7th: 6-8pm
📍 Rotunda at the Dayton Arcade, Downtown Dayton
💰 General admission: $60 | VIP admission: $80

Experience the blend of art and mixology at this fundraiser hosted by Culture Works in the Dayton Arcade. Taste different 'Artinis' crafted by local artists with bartenders and cast votes for the Most Artistic Artini, the Best Tasting Artini, and the Best Mocktail. Indulge in appetizers, enjoy some art, and play some trivia. All with live music from the Deron Bell Band. Get tickets.

🥨 Springboro Oktoberfest

📅 Friday, Sep. 8th: 6-10pm | Saturday, Sep. 9th: 11-11pm
📍 Springboro United Church of Christ, Springboro
💰 $5 at the gate | Free for kids 12 and under

Enjoy authentic German food, biers, and wines at this family-friendly festival. With a Kids Fun Zone, polka music, dancing, and games, it's fun for all ages! Learn more.

🇮🇹 Italian Fall Fest

📅 Friday, Sep. 8th: 6-11pm | Saturday, Sep. 9th: 12-11pm | Sunday, Sep. 10th: 12-8pm
📍 Bella Villa Hall, Dayton
💰 Free entry

Celebrate Italian culture with what we Italians do best: food, family, and... bocce! Parking is free next door at Reynolds & Reynolds, along with a complimentary shuttle service to the Hall. Sadly, I'll be out of town, so please savor an extra cannoli for me! Learn more.

🍿 Beavercreek Popcorn Festival

📅 Saturday, Sep. 9th: 10am - 8pm | Sunday, Sep. 10th: 11am - 6pm
📍 Intersection of Dayton-Xenia & North Fairfield, Beavercreek
💰 Free entry

See what's popping at Beavercreek's Popcorn Festival this year. Over 300 vendor booths offering crafts, festival foods, and popcorn delights. Enjoy a beer garden with football on and a kids zone with inflatables and puppet shows. Learn more.

Have an upcoming event you’re attending or hosting? Tell us about it here, if it’s a good fit for our community, we may share it.

🗞️ LOCAL NEWS

🚧 I-75N Ramp Closure In West Carrollton

Starting yesterday (August 30th), the I-75 North entrance ramp from East Dixie Drive, at Exit 47 in West Carrollton, is closed. This closure will last 40 days and is due to ongoing highway reconstruction. Drivers using that entrance should take Ohio 741 to the I-75 northbound entrance by the Montgomery County Dump. The rest of Exit 47 will remain open. [Dayton Daily News]

📈 Dayton’s Job Market Bounces Back From COVID

The Dayton region lost over 60,000 jobs in the first few months of the pandemic. Now, Dayton has successfully recouped all of those job losses. This recovery makes Dayton the fourth metro area in Ohio to fully rebound. According to recent federal labor data, the area has reached the highest employment rate since 2007! Through July of this year, the area has already created 7,200 new jobs. Considering that 7,900 jobs were added in all of 2022, and 7,400 in 2021, it’s looking like we’re on track for continued growth! [Dayton Daily News]

🏠 Dayton's Housing Market: Slowing Sales, Rising Prices

Dayton's housing market saw a 22% decline in home and condo sales in July compared to last year, as reported by Dayton Realtors. At the same time, prices are continuing to go higher. July’s average sales price hit $267,000, up 6% from the previous year. Overall, listings from January to July are down by 19% year-on-year. All of this is not surprising given limited inventory and rising mortgage rates. [Dayton Business Journal]

☕ “Gather by Ghostlight” Debuts Today In The Arcade

This elevated - but approachable - coffee shop and café is Ghostlight Coffee's newest venture. In addition to their usual offerings (coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries), you can expect new European-inspired lunches and light dishes. Beyond coffee, they’ll also be serving beer, wine, cocktails, and mocktails. Their grand opening is today, located at 37 W. Fourth Street in the Dayton Arcade’s Fourth Street Building. You can catch their ribbon cutting at 11am. [Dayton Daily News]

📚 RECOMMENDED READING

Looking for great content about what’s happening outside of the Miami Valley?

Here are a few of our favorite newsletters we read to stay up to date:

• International Intrigue → An apolitical analysis of global news written by former diplomats.

• The Daily Upside → Insights on the most important business stories every day.

• 1440 → Quick daily news from over 100 sources and edited to be as unbiased as humanly possible.

All of these are free and make us feel a little smarter each time we read them.

Check them out!

🔦 LOCAL SPOTLIGHT

Bringing Greece To Centerville

Chef Chris Spirtos started Greek Street in 2016 with a food truck and desire to bring his family’s century-old recipes to the masses. After years of being a food truck fan favorite, they opened their first brick & mortar on May 15th, 2022 in Cross Pointe Shopping Center.

A few months after that is when my wife and I first had what they were serving up. Immediately we were captivated by the aesthetic of the place with the blue and white color scheme and paintings of Greek villages on the water. Then we were greeted by Christa, who was nothing but warm and friendly.

We split an order of Greek fries. I ordered a lamb gyro, Greek street style, and of course had to get a piece of baklava. My wife got a Greek salad with chicken. Being gluten-free, my wife has grown tired of most salads… until Greek Street. I think they season their chicken with magic.

Everything was tremendous. There’s a reason that out of 391 reviews on Facebook, they have a 4.9 rating.

Since that visit, it’s been in our regular rotation. If you haven’t checked out Greek Street yet, you’re missing out. Whether it’s a gyro, salad, fries or baklava - I think you’ll find something to love.

Visit their website to order pickup, delivery, or check out the menu.

Do you know an awesome local business or organization that deserves the spotlight? Tell us all about them here.

🙏 THANKS!

That’s all for today. Thank you for reading our first memo!

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

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.