| *** đAround Town: More than 1,000 dogs will be at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds this weekend Photos of the Fort St. Clair Kennel Club Dog Show in 2024. CONTRIBUTED Credit: CONTRIBUTED You can see more than 1,000 dogs of 150 different breeds this weekend at the Fort St. Clair Kennel Club Dog Show at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. A Puppy Fest is also a part of the event. Click here. đFood & Dining: Guide to food festivals in the Dayton region: First up is Dayton Burger Fest this weekend The Food Pitt is a food truck serving smash burgers, homemade mac and cheese and much more. NATALIE JONES/STAFF Credit: Natalie Jones Dayton Burger Fest taking place Sunday, April 6 kicks off the festival season around the Dayton region. Take a look at our list of various food festivals and events heading your way. Click here. đOpera: âThe grandest of grand operaâ: More than 100 people in âAidaâ at Schuster Center Soprano Laquita Mitchell will portray Aida in the Dayton Opera's presentation. In addition to performing with an array of opera companies, she has also concertized with Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra and New York Philharmonic. Photo courtesy of Zakiah Caldwell Credit: ZAKIAH CALDWELL Dayton Opera is preparing to fill Verdiâs timeless opera âAidaâ with grand spectacle Friday, April 4 and Sunday, April 6 at the Schuster Center. Read more about the showâs passion and pageantry. Click here. đ€Around Town: Dave Chappelle to celebrate Ohioâs Haitians at Saturday show with Wyclef Jean Yellow Springs Comedian Dave Chappelle and Haitian musician Wyclef Jean will celebrate Ohio's Haitian community at a show Saturday, April 5 in Yellow Springs. CONTRIBUTED Emmy and Grammy-winning comedian Dave Chappelle and Grammy-winning Haitian musician Wyclef Jean are teaming up to present a Haitian Appreciation Show Saturday, April 5 at YS Firehouse in Yellow Springs. The show will blend comedy and music and include members of the Haitian community from the Dayton region and beyond. Click here. đŹFilm: Documentary about Orthodox rabbi whoâs also a drag queen coming to The Neon Sabbath Queen" follows Amichai Lau-Lavies journey from radical drag queen to influential Rabbi of a God-optional, artist-driven New York synagogue. CONTRIBUTED Credit: CONTRIBUTED Director Sandi DuBowskiâs documentary âSabbath Queen,â chronicling the 20-year journey in the life of Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, a 39th generation Orthodox rabbi and drag queen, will be shown Tuesday, April 8 at The Neon. As the film delicately juggles faith, identity and politics, Lau-Lavie poignantly ponders this question: How do we reimagine our sacred traditions to achieve peace? Click here. đ¶Music: Brainiac kicks off tour at the Brightside, with Bomb Bunny and The Heartthrobs Brainiac, ahead of its UK tour with Mogwai, will be headlining the Brightside, with special guests Bomb Bunny and The Heartthrobs. Photo credit: Melissa X DeAun/KEXP Credit: MELISSA WAX Daytonâs own Brainiac will play The Brightside Saturday, April 5 with special guests Bomb Bunny and The Heartthrobs. Read more about the popular indie band coming home before heading out on their world tour. Click here. đTheater: A Manga- and anime-inspired show, Front Street artists in Springboro and other regional arts news Dayton Live presents "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live" April 11 at the Schuster Center. CONTRIBUTED Credit: CONTRIBUTED Manga and anime meets musical theater as âPretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Liveâ heads to the Schuster Center Friday, April 11. Additional arts news from across the region includes exhibitions in Dayton and Springboro and an anniversary return of senior troupe Young at Heart Players. Click here. âCommunity Gems: Nominate someone who is making a difference Dayton Daily News Community Gems logo The Dayton Daily News Community Gems initiative highlights people who give their time and effort to improve the lives of their neighbors and community. Do you know someone like this in your community? Follow this link to nominate them. đŹFilm: Funk music documentary airing Tuesday includes Daytonâs impact The Ohio Players as pictured in their 1970s heyday. CONTRIBUTED / FILE Credit: HANDOUT âWe Want The Funk!,â a journey through the history of funk music, premieres at 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 8 on ThinkTV/PBS. The film features the music of James Brown, George Clinton, Sly and the Family Stone and Labelle but also acknowledges Daytonâs impact. Click here. đ¶Music: Country artist Jordan Davis to perform at Nutter Center Jordan Davis performs during Amazon Music Presents Country Heat at Country Radio Seminar on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP) Credit: Amy Harris/Invision/AP Multi-platinum award-winning country artist Jordan Davis will bring his âAinât Enough Road Tourâ to the Nutter Center Thursday, Oct. 16. He announced his tour with help from Peyton Manning and Jim Nantz. Click here. đœïžFood & Dining: 2025 fish fry events in Montgomery, Miami, Greene and Warren counties Email fish fry events information to [email protected] and [email protected]. iSTOCK PHOTO Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto Lenten fish fry events are being scheduled across the region. Check out our list here. âŸOutdoors: How the Dayton Dragons Green Team pulls off all the entertainment Dayton Dragons Entertainment Manager Jamie Connor has been a part of the Green Team since the 2018 season. MICHAEL COOPER/STAFF Credit: Michael Cooper The Dayton Dragons Green Team bring energy and entertainment to Day Air Ballpark. From games, skits and dancing to assisting Dayton Dragon mascots Heater and Gem, they are enthusiastic ambassadors committed to creating memorable experiences. Read more about the team here. đAround Town: Good Neighbor House: How to donate food items, participate in golf event and more Good Neighbor House provides essential services, including food, dental, and medical care, to those who need it most.Submitted photo, Good Neighbor House has provided essential services for underserved individuals in the Dayton area for more than 30 years. They could use some volunteers right now. Find out how you can help keep their pantry stocked or participate in their annual golf tournament fundraiser. Click here. đšâđ©âđ§âđŠGem City Family: Ideas for squeezing in a date night when parenting has to happen, too Catching a movie at the Dixie Drive-In. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Looking for fun date nights for the whole family? Take a look at some ideas that are great fit. Click here. đTheater: Dayton nativeâs off-Broadway musical nominated for prestigious Lucille Lortel Awards Dayton native Philip Drennen, a graduate of Kettering Fairmont High School and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, co-wrote the music and lyrics of the new off-Broadway musical "The Big Gay Jamboree." CONTRIBUTED Credit: CONTRIBUTED Dayton native and Kettering Fairmont High School graduate Philip Drennenâs hilarious 2024 off-Broadway musical âThe Big Gay Jamboree,â one of the most joyful shows I saw in New York this season, received five Lucille Lortel Award nominations Wednesday, April 2 including Outstanding Musical. Drennen co-wrote the music and lyrics with the showâs star Marla Mindelle. The Lucille Lortel Awards honor outstanding achievement off-Broadway. Winners will be announced Sunday, May 4. For more information about the production click here. đ§ââïžOutdoors: Fitness Sampler in Dayton: Try classes by local instructors of yoga, boxing, barre and more The Beauty Boost Dayton Fitness Sampler offers a full slate of fitness classes to sample - Memories in a Snap Photography Celebrating women and wellness in an atmosphere of fun, fitness and friendship is top of mind for the Beauty Boost Dayton Fitness Sampler, which will take place Sunday, April 13 at the Marriott at the University of Dayton. Click here. đïžAround Town: 24-hour fast for peace and food justice begins Friday night in Dayton Tony Hall, retired U.S. Congressman and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture. He is the founder of the Hall Hunger Initiative. LYNN HULSEY/Staff Ambassador Tony Hall, founder of the Hall Hunger Initiative, is inviting the community to join him for a 24-hour fast for peace and food justice starting at 5 p.m. Friday, April 4 at the International Peace Museum. The event includes music, food, dance and reflections. Click here. đ·Photos: The Spring 2025 Great Ohio Toy Show, âMy Big Fat Greek Weddingâ movie party at the Eintracht German Club and Cat Show at Montgomery County Fairgrounds Route 68 Promotions hosted The Spring 2025 Great Ohio Toy Show at the Greene County Fairgrounds & Expo Center in Xenia on Saturday, March 29, 2025. The ticketed biannual event featured over 700 tables by vendors all over the United States spread out over seven buildings with vintage, antique, modern, diecast and hobby toys for sale. Food trucks were onsite, and entertainment was provided by DJ Marvel. TOM GILLIAM/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Credit: Tom Gilliam Route 68 Promotions hosted the Spring 2025 Great Ohio Toy Show at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia March 29. The Dayton Dinner Theater hosted the âMy Big Fat Greek Weddingâ Movie Party at the Eintracht German Club in Riverside March 29. Cat Fanciersâ Association Cat Show happened at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds March 29 and 30. âïžICYMI: âDead Man Walkingâ author Sister Helen Prejean coming to Dayton to talk about death penalty Sister Helen Prejean, a longtime anti-execution activist, stands outside the entrance to Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, La., moments after hearing that Jessie Hoffman, Jr., was executed Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Chris Granger/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP) Credit: AP Sister Helen Prejean, author of the best-selling book âDead Man Walking,â will participate in âAnother Evening For Justiceâ Tuesday, April 8 at the Victoria Theatre. Sheâll be joined by Gilbert King, 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner for âDevil in the Grove.â Prejean will reflect on her journey and work as a leading advocate for abolition of the death penalty. Click here. CONNECT WITH ME Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter. I encourage you to keep in touch. Share story tips or feedback about this newsletter by emailing me at [email protected]. | 