Dayton Holiday Festival continues to celebrate 50th anniversary all month long

DAYTON — The 50th Dayton Holiday Festival will continue to offer family-friendly events all through December.

>> PHOTOS: Dayton Holiday Festival continues to celebrate 50th anniversary all month long

Downtown Jingle Lights

The annual holiday festival features an interactive light show that is set to music, which can be found along East Monument Avenue and Main Street. Speakers have been installed on these streets for people to listen to the music while watching the Downtown Jingle Lights.

Noontime Entertainment Program

Musical acts from throughout the Miami Valley will perform a mix of holiday songs starting at 12 p.m. each day:

December 13: Danny Voris
December 14: SaxTone
December 15: Horace Mann Choir
December 16: Young Professionals Choral Collective

MetroParks Ice Rink

Guests can skate every day at the RiverScape MetroPark and “enjoy delicious treats from the concession area,” a spokesperson for the event told. The outdoor ice rink will be covered by a pavilion to help shield from certain weather conditions. Patrons can visit their website to learn more about the event.

Memory Lane on Main

While on Main Street, visitors can “look back at 50 years of magical memories along Memory Lane on Main,” the spokesperson said. Memory Lane on Main displays historical photographs and “other memories” posted in the windows of businesses facing Main Street.

Whimsical Windows Contest

Residents can also vote for the Whimsical Windows Contest where businesses around downtown have transformed their storefront windows to display “winter wonderlands,” according to the spokesperson. Voters will be deciding who decorated their storefronts the best. People can vote on Dayton.com.

The business with the most votes on Friday, December 30th, will be deemed the winner and win a cash prize.

Visitors can also enter a raffle while touring the different displays on Main Street. Elves will be hidden among some of the decorated windows and all visitors have to do to enter the raffle is to text a photo of the elf to 937-668-7227.

The winner of the raffle will get Downtown Dollars, which is an e-gift card program that can be used at more than 80 participating locations in Downtown Dayton, according to their website.

Family Movie Series

The festival will also feature family movies, hosted at The Neon on East Fifth Street:

December 10: Elf
December 17: White Christmas

Visitors should note that the movies are subject to change and should contact the theater for confirmation at 937-222-8452.

Uno’s Pizza with Santa

Guests can also feast with Santa Claus by calling 937-910-8000 to make a reservation. People can eat Uno’s Pizza with Santa from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the following dates:

December 10
December 11
December 17
December 18

Virginia Kettering’s Train Display

Residents can view a one-of-a-kind model train display in the Stratacache Tower lobby on the intersection of Second Street and Main Street. Viewers can see the display in the building lobby Monday through Saturday or from the exterior window at any time. The model train was donated by Mrs. Virginia Kettering.

Rike’s Holiday Windows

From now until December 31st, people can view Rike’s department store holiday window displays. The decoration has moved indoors and can be found at Schuster Center Wintergarden on Second Street and Main Street. People can visit the display Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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