BEST OF DAYTON WINNERS 2019-20: Arts, Entertainment and Music

The top three winners in Dayton.com’s Best of Dayton 2019-20 contest in arts, entertainment and music categories.
International rock sensations, The Breeders, played a free concert in their hometown at the Levitt Pavilion Dayton on Friday, Sept. 20 as part of the 2019 Eichelberger Concert Season. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

International rock sensations, The Breeders, played a free concert in their hometown at the Levitt Pavilion Dayton on Friday, Sept. 20 as part of the 2019 Eichelberger Concert Season. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Best of Dayton
By Michelle Fong
Updated Sept 20, 2021
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Anyone who says there’s nothing to do in Dayton is mistaken.

Dayton is fun and funky. It’s artistic and creative.

It has something for everyone.

Any night of the week, there is sure to be a can’t-miss live music show, festival or just a fun event that gets friends together and out of the house.

Let these winners serve as your guide when you’re filling out your weeknight and weekend calendars.

Here are the winners of Best of Dayton 2019-20 in the arts, entertainment and music categories, as voted by the community.

CLICK HERE to nominate and vote in Best of Dayton

BEST ARCADE/GAMING

Underwater themed nine hole mini golf course. Contributed Photo by Alexis Larsen

Credit: HANDOUT

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Credit: HANDOUT

🥇WINNER: Scene75

6196 Poe Ave., Dayton | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Canal Street Arcade & Deli

308 E. 1st St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: DK Effect

1600 E. Third St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

BEST ART GALLERY

“Samurai, Ghosts and Lovers: Yoshitoshi’s Complete 100 Aspects of the Moon,” in on display at the Dayton Art Institute. The exhibition is a rare look at all 100 works in Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s epic series of Japanese woodblock prints. A selection of works from the DAI’s Japanese collection, as well as local and national loans, including rare samurai suits, are also on display. The exhibition will be on view until May 3. LISA POWELL / STAFF

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🥇WINNER: Dayton Art Institute

456 Belmonte Park North, Dayton | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Front Street Studio Gallery

1001 E. 2nd St. Bldg 100, Dayton | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Edward A. Dixon Gallery

12 S. Ludlow St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

BEST BOWLING ALLEY

Xenia’s Kelsey Rose competes at Beaver-Vu Bowl during the Baker Bash on Monday. The Bucs won the Bash by beating Greenon, Centerville and Mechanicsburg in the final round. Greg Billing/CONTRIBUTED

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🥇WINNER: Beaver-Vu Bowl

1238 N. Fairfield Road, Beavercreek | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Poelking Lanes South

8871 Kingsridge Drive, Centerville | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Poelking Woodman Lanes

3200 Woodman Drive, Kettering | Website | Facebook

BEST COMEDY CLUB

Eddie Griffin headlines a show at Funny Bone in Beavercreek, Saturday, February 27, 2010..

Credit: MediaMoments.com / Peter Wine

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Credit: MediaMoments.com / Peter Wine

🥇WINNER: Dayton Funny Bone

88 Plum St., Beavercreek | 937-429-5233 | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Wiley's Comedy Club

101 Pine St., Dayton | 937-224-5653 | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: The Black Box Improv Theater

518 E. 3rd St., Dayton | 937-369-0747 | Website | Facebook

BEST CONCERT VENUE

TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

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🥇WINNER: Rose Music Center at The Heights

6800 Executive Blvd., Huber Heights | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Fraze Pavilion

695 Lincoln Park Blvd., Kettering | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Schuster Center

1 W. 2nd St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

BEST COUNTY FAIR

ajc.com

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🥇WINNER: The Great Darke County Fair

800 Sweitzer St., Greenville | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Montgomery County Fair

645 Infirmary Road, Dayton | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Greene County Fair

120 Fairground Road, Xenia | Website | Facebook

BEST DANCE GROUP

The Celtic Academy of Irish Dance performs at a past St. Patrick's Day celebration. FILE PHOTO

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🥇WINNER: Celtic Academy of Irish Dance

85 Woodman Drive, Dayton | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Dayton Ballet

126 N. Main St., Suite 210, Dayton | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

840 Germantown St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

BEST FESTIVAL

The Dayton Celtic Festival took over downtown at Riverscape MetroPark and the surrounding areas from Friday, July 26 to Sunday July, 28. The free festival featured workshops, vendors, food, beer, children’s activities and Irish music. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

🥇WINNER: Dayton Celtic Festival

Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Troy Strawberry Festival

Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Yellow Springs Street Fair

Website | Facebook

BEST FISH FRY

Jeff Hecht (from left), Paul Westhafer, Todd Post and Ted Hecht fry fish at the Alter Fish Fry in Kettering on Feb. 23. CONTRIBUTED

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🥇WINNER: Kettering Alter High School

Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Carroll High School in Dayton

Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Our Lady of the Rosary

Website | Facebook

BEST FOOD TRUCK EVENT

Monthly brunch food truck rallies returned to the Yellow Cab in Dayton on Sunday, April 7. The food trucks in attendance included El Meson, Drunken Waffle, Twisted Taco, Greek Street Food Truck, Son of a Biscuit, EAT, Bricky Barrels Smoked BBQ LLC, Billie Gold Bubble Tea and Sweets on the Streets. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

🥇WINNER: Yellow Cab Food Truck Rallies

Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Bites in the Heights at Rose Music Center

Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Miami County Food Truck Rally

Website | Facebook

BEST GALA

Dayton Art Institute Art Ball 2019 took place on Saturday, June 8, 2019. (Photos by E.L. Hubbard, contributing photographer)

Credit: E.L. Hubbard

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Credit: E.L. Hubbard

🥇WINNER: Dayton Art Institute Art Ball

Website

SECOND PLACE: Humane Society of Greater Dayton Pet Afflaire

Website

THIRD PLACE: Wright State ArtsGala

Website

BEST GOLF COURSE

🥇WINNER: Yankee Trace

10000 Yankee St., Centerville | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: NCR Country Club

4435 Dogwood Trail, Kettering | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Beavercreek Golf Club

2800 New Germany Trebein Road, Beavercreek | Website | Facebook

BEST HAUNTED ATTRACTION

Land of Illusion s Haunted Nights includes six haunted attractions in one Scream Park. CONTRIBUTED/E.L. HUBBARD

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🥇WINNER: Land of Illusion

8762 Thomas Road, Middletown | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Lewisburg Haunted Cave

4392 Swishers Mill Road, Lewisburg | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Kings Island Haunt

6300 Kings Island Drive, Kings Mill | Website | Facebook

BEST HOLIDAY TRADITION

ajc.com

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🥇WINNER: The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill

75 Water St., Clifton | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: A Carillon Christmas

1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Rike's Christmas windows at the Schuster Center

1 W. 2nd St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

BEST INTERACTIVE GAMING VENUE

Bitter winter cold doesn’t slow the swing of one of the hundreds of happy duffers who made their way to West Chester Township’s Top Golf attraction. The three-story driving range includes state-of-the-art heaters that keeps golfers 20-degrees warmer than outside temperature.

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🥇WINNER: Top Golf

9568 Water Front Drive, West Chester | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Wild Axe Throwing

3251 Seajay Drive, Beavercreek | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Breakout Games Dayton

8120 Washington Village Drive, Washington Twp. | Website | Facebook

BEST LOCAL ARTIST

Leslea Hipp (right) of the Mural Machine works on a mural of cats on the side of Lily's Bistro in Dayton's Oregon District. CONTRIBUTED

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🥇WINNER: Leslea Hipp

SECOND PLACE: Tiffany Clark

THIRD PLACE: Michelle Carr

BEST LOCAL BAND/MUSICIAN

🥇WINNER: Summer Highway Band

SECOND PLACE: Until Rust

THIRD PLACE: The Fries Band

BEST LOCAL PODCAST

🥇WINNER: Fifth & Ludlow

SECOND PLACE: The Brohio Podcast

THIRD PLACE: Hall Around Town (Scott Hall)

BEST LOCAL THEATER GROUP

Human Race Theatre Company's Sweeney Todd.

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🥇WINNER: The Human Race Theatre Company

126 N. Main St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Dayton Playhouse

1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Black Box Improv Theater

513 E. 3rd St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

BEST MOVIE THEATER

🥇WINNER: Cinemark at The Greene

4489 Glengarry Drive, Beavercreek | Website

SECOND PLACE: The Neon

130 E. 5th St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Cinépolis Dayton

10251 Penny Lane, Miamisburg | Website

BEST MURAL

Tiffany Clark, founder of the Mural Machine, is creating a new mural at the entrance of the Oregon District in Dayton. LISA POWELL / STAFF

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🥇WINNER: Gateway to the Oregon District mural

SECOND PLACE: Love You — Suicide Awareness mural

THIRD PLACE: Dayton Funk mural

BEST MUSEUM

Students from the Yellow Springs Community Learning Center gathered around the Apollo 15 command module in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in July, shortly before the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing July 20. CHUCK HAMLIN / STAFF

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🥇WINNER: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

1100 Spaatz St., Wright-Patterson Air Force Base | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Dayton Art Institute

456 Belmonte Park North, Dayton | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

2600 DeWeese Pkwy., Dayton | Website | Facebook

BEST OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION

The 49th annual Oktoberfest took place at the Dayton Art Institute at 456 Belmonte Park N. on Friday Sept. 27 through Sunday Sept. 29. The 3-day event, voted best festival in Dayton.com’s Best of 2018 contest, includes artisan booths, plenty of food, kid-friendly activities, music on two stages and lots and lots of international, domestic and craft beer and wine. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

🥇WINNER: Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest

Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Minster Oktoberfest

Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Springboro Oktoberfest

Website

BEST PLACE FOR A BACHELOR PARTY

🥇WINNER: Top Golf

9568 Water Front Drive, West Chester | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Diamonds Cabaret

960 Miamisburg- Centerville Road, Miami Twp. | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Wild Axe Throwing

3251 Seajay Drive, Beavercreek | Website | Facebook

BEST PLACE FOR A BACHELORETTE PARTY

After 15 years, Club Masque closed permanently at 34 S. Jefferson St. in downtown Dayton after its last show on Saturday, Jan. 25. The final show, hosted by Carrie J. Summers, included a list of Masque favorites: Mocha Lisa, Scarlett Moon, Alexandria Bellterra, Johnny Justice, and Emilie Viktoria, Jareje Rashad, Amaya Sexton, Katrina Reelfish, Sky Black, Kayla Fame, and Kar Kar O’Daniels. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

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🥇WINNER: Masque

Currently closed and seeking to reopen in new location | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Raise Your Brush

169 N Main St,, Centerville | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: The Barrel House

417 E. Third St., Dayton | 937-222-4795 | Website | Facebook

BEST PLACE FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY

A military ID means a free go-kart ride and game card discounts at Scene75 Entertainment Center.

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🥇WINNER: Scene75

6196 Poe Ave., Dayton | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

2600 DeWeese Pkwy., Dayton | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Magic Castle

4990 Wilmington Pike, Kettering | Website | Facebook

BEST PLACE TO ENTERTAIN THE KIDS

Mindy Peterson of Findlay and her daughters Rachel, 7, Renee, 2 and Ruby, 1, create music in Design Zone, an interactive exhibition at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. LISA POWELL / STAFF

Credit: Lisa Powell

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Credit: Lisa Powell

🥇WINNER: Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

2600 DeWeese Pkwy., Dayton | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Young's Jersey Dairy

6880 Springfield Xenia Road, Yellow Springs | 937-325-0629 | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Scene75

6196 Poe Ave., Dayton | Website | Facebook

BEST PLACE TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC

MojoFlo performed a free concert at downtown Dayton's Levitt Pavilion on Friday, July 19. The neo funk group is as known for their captivating stage performance as their infectious rhythms and catchy lyrics. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

🥇WINNER: Levitt Pavilion Dayton

134 S. Main St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Blind Bob's

430 E. Fifth St., Dayton | 937-938-6405 | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Yellow Cab Tavern

700 E. 4th St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

BEST PLACE TO PLAY POOL

Kings Table is a great place to relax and catch up with family or friends with drinks, food and a game of pool. JIM INGRAM/CONTRIBUTED

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🥇WINNER: Kings Table Bar & Grill

2348 Grange Hall Road, Beavercreek | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Airway Billiards

2611 Needmore Road, Dayton | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Mack’s Tavern

381 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Washington Twp. | 937-813-7217 | Website | Facebook

HONORABLE MENTION: Southern Belle

134 N. Patterson Blvd., Dayton | Facebook

BEST ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION

The Dublin Pub, located at 300 Wayne Ave. in Dayton’s Oregon District, has one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day events in the state of Ohio. The event spans two days and includes live music and entertainment, as well as traditional Irish food and beers. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

🥇WINNER: Dublin Pub

300 Wayne Ave., Dayton | 937-224-7822 | Website | Facebook

SECOND PLACE: Flanagan's Pub

101 E. Stewart St., Dayton | Website | Facebook

THIRD PLACE: Harrigan's Tavern

4070 Marshall Road, Kettering | Website | Facebook

BEST OF DAYTON WINNERS IN OTHER CATEGORIES

>> Food & Dining winners

>> Bars, Beer & Nightlife winners

>> Shopping & Services winners

>> Fitness, Outdoors & Recreation winners

>> People & Places winners

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About the Author

Michelle Fong