The Dayton Regions' Robust Festival Culture

This weekend was one of festivals, a reminder of the strong festival culture in the Miami Valley.

Some of the big ones.

1. Minster Oktoberfest. Up in the northern part of the Miami Valley. This is a very well attended event, drawing visitors up from Dayton. Live German music and a lot of beer. This has been going on since 1974. According to their website it draws 80,000 people! And it is pretty crowded, but very well organized.

2. Spring Valley Potato Festival. Also a product of the 1970s, Spring Valley celebrates fall with a huge street fair. Visit here. (For another German foodway, visit nearby Waynesville for the Saurkraut Festival). A scenic drive throught the hill country and river bottoms beyond Bellbrook takes you there.

3. Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest. Another festival with a German theme. This is a pay-event, but has microbrews, music, and a craft fair. On the grounds of the DAI in beautiful Grafton Hill.
4. Gearfest. Billed as the Adventure Capital of the Midwest, this is a new festival held at Eastwood Park, with live music and an exhibition of various outdoors things. Also the only one with camping (as befits the outdoors theme). Here's the website.

5. Dayton Music Fest. Unlike the others this is a one day (one night) event. See my post below.

So at least five major festivals this weekend, demonstrating what a great place this is if you want to go out and have a good time, both day and night.