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.
BEST ARCADE/GAMING
Credit: HANDOUT
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
🥇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
🥇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
Credit: MediaMoments.com / Peter Wine
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
🥇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
🥇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
🥇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
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
🥇WINNER: Dayton Celtic Festival
SECOND PLACE: Troy Strawberry Festival
THIRD PLACE: Yellow Springs Street Fair
BEST FISH FRY
🥇WINNER: Kettering Alter High School
SECOND PLACE: Carroll High School in Dayton
THIRD PLACE: Our Lady of the Rosary
BEST FOOD TRUCK EVENT
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
🥇WINNER: Yellow Cab Food Truck Rallies
SECOND PLACE: Bites in the Heights at Rose Music Center
THIRD PLACE: Miami County Food Truck Rally
BEST GALA
Credit: E.L. Hubbard
Credit: E.L. Hubbard
🥇WINNER: Dayton Art Institute Art Ball
SECOND PLACE: Humane Society of Greater Dayton Pet Afflaire
THIRD PLACE: Wright State ArtsGala
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
🥇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
🥇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
🥇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
🥇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
🥇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
🥇WINNER: Gateway to the Oregon District mural
SECOND PLACE: Love You — Suicide Awareness mural
THIRD PLACE: Dayton Funk mural
BEST MUSEUM
🥇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
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
🥇WINNER: Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest
SECOND PLACE: Minster Oktoberfest
THIRD PLACE: Springboro Oktoberfest
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
🥇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
🥇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
Credit: Lisa Powell
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
Credit: Tom Gilliam
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
🥇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
Credit: Tom Gilliam
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
>> Bars, Beer & Nightlife winners
>> Shopping & Services winners
About the Author