‘Before I Die’ festival wants to get you talking about death, end-of-life plans

DAYTON — Talking about death can be scary.

There is no denying it’s going to happen to all of us eventually, but less than 30 percent of us make end-of-life plans, according to Dodd’s Memorials.

That’s why Dodd’s Memorials, Calvary Cemetery, Hospice of Dayton and Routsong Funeral Home and Cremation Services have teamed up to hold the first annual “Before I Die” festival.

The three-day long event will kick off Thursday Oct. 27 and end Saturday Oct. 29 with an all-day symposium at the University of Dayton.

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Activities include Death Cafe conversations, field trips to cemeteries and a kick-off dinner.

“I didn’t know how complicated the end of life was going to be. I didn’t know death was going to be so hard. I wish I had my loved one here to make these decisions and in the fog of grief it’s very difficult ... so we wanted to promote the fact that you can do all of this ahead of time,” Neil Fogarty, president of Dodds Memorials said.

There is a fee for some of the events, like lunch, but many are free. Registration is required for the festival.

For more information about the festival and locations of each event visit here.

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