There is no shortage of things to do in the month of May with warmer weather, Mother’s Day, and many events starting to return in-person, your family can have all sorts of fun welcoming the start of Summer! Check out the list below for May family-friendly activities around Greater Dayton!
DOWNTOWN ADVENTURE
:: Saturday, May 21 – 11 am – 5 pm ::
The Downtown Adventure is your chance to explore the city in a downtown-wide scavenger hunt for the chance to win prizes! This fun, go-at-your-own-pace event will be held Saturday, May 21, from 11 am – 5 pm, as part of the 2022 AES Ohio Summer in the City events lineup. The Downtown Adventure starts and ends in the Oregon District. Register your team to explore downtown Dayton to find hidden clues and complete challenges throughout the city. Complete your clue sheet for a chance to win cash prizes. All teams eligible for the Best Team Costume and raffle prizes. Fun for the whole family!
Watch the Downtown Adventure Promotional Video
1. Passport to MetroParks
***DMC Tip*** Registration is not required, so just show up and join the fun!
- Friday, May 6th, 2022
- 6pm-9pm
- Families – all ages
- Free Event
Exciting family friendly evening full of music, food and fun activities! Go on an adventure through the park to learn about events and programs available through Five Rivers MetroParks and even experience some of them that night! Grab a passport and get it stamped at booths along the way to be entered for a chance to win exciting prizes that will help you Get Out and Explore! Round out your evening by grabbing dinner at the food truck rally and catch entertainment by Reyna and The Repeating Arms! Weather Dependent.
2. Mother’s Day Birdhouse with Centerville Parks
***DMC Tip*** Register soon to grab your spot!
- Saturday, May 7th, 2022
- 1:30-2:30pm
- Registration deadline: Saturday, April 30
- $20 residents, $25 nonresidents
Join Centerville Parks Mother’s Day weekend to paint your very own birdhouse! There will be a variety of birdhouses and painting supplies available for moms and kids to choose their favorite! Or, maybe dad and the kids can surprise mom with a one-of-a-kind birdhouse!
3. Art on the Playground
- Saturday, May 7th, 2022
- 11am-3pm
- Families – All Ages
- Free Event
Art on the Playground features a range of hands-on, make-and-take art activities. From clay projects to creating your own beaded jewelry and pinhole camera experiences for the older kids, our youth-oriented artists will help everyone make their very own masterpieces to take home!
Entertainment includes live performances by the Southdale Schulwerk-ORFF Ensemble and the Miami Valley Dance Company. Food vendors include Dogs for Dogs and Gary Tibbs Italian Ice.
4. 2nd Street Market Grand Opening Weekend
- Saturday, May 7th, 2022
- 8am-3pm
- Families – All Ages
- Free Event
Local growers and many new artisans, will join the year-round vendors for one of Dayton’s most unique shopping experiences. You’ll find all your favorite seasonal produce, delicious prepared-food, and handcrafted specialty items all season long.
5. Touch a Truck – Springboro
***DMC Tip*** Sensory sensitive time with no horns, 9:30 – 10 a.m!
- Saturday, May 14th, 2022
- 9:30am – 1pm
- Families – all ages
- Free Event
Police cruisers, fire trucks, backhoes, service vehicles and more! Kids can sit in the driver’s seat, honk horns and get an up close look at all kinds of cool equipment.
6. Springfest in the Burg
- Friday, May 20th- Sunday, May 22nd, 2022
- 5pm Friday – 6pm Sunday
- Families – all ages
- Free Event
Saturday, May 21st starts with the largest parade Miamisburg holds all year at 9:45 am. The festival follows from 10am – 10pm and will be alive with over 100 artisan crafters, free family activities, Funtime Carnival, a full food court, amazing chalk artists, and fun for the whole family all day long. There will also be live music and entertainment all day. Sunday has everything Saturday has to offer from noon until 6 pm.
7. Miami County Food Truck Rally & Competition
- Saturday, May 21st, 2022
- 11pm-9pm
- Families – all ages
- Free Event
Enjoy lunch, dinner or both at this food truck rally and competition! There will be entertainment as well as an outdoor beer and wine garden.
8. Superhero Donut Run @ Centerville High School
- Saturday, May 21st, 2022
- 9am – 12pm
- Family Friendly Event
- Registration Open Now!
There is a kids fun run at 9:20am that includes a finisher medal. Kids can run as many track laps as they want. Don your favorite superhero costume and run to help grant the Special Wishes of Dayton & Southwest Ohio area children who are battling life-threatening illnesses.
9. Centerville Merchant Mart
***DMC Tip*** Don’t forget to sign up for the raffle – there are more than 60 raffle items valued at more than $2000!
- Sunday, May 22nd, 2022
- 11am-6pm
- Families – all ages
- Free Event
Come enjoy Centerville’s own curated upscale market and dining experience at Stubbs Park, organized by The Heart of Centerville Washington Twp. and the city of Centerville. Shop with almost 100 vendors, and enjoy live music, food trucks, drinks, and family-friendly activities while you shop!
10. Memorial Day Weekend Fun at Young’s Dairy
***DMC Tip*** If you haven’t had the chance yet, check out Young’s new Dairy Store that opened in late 2021. Grab some delicious ice-cream and cheese curds. Yum!
- Thursday, May 26th – Monday, May 30th, 2022
- Thurs & Fri: 3pm – 10pm, Sat: 12pm – 11pm, Sun & Mon: 12pm – 10pm
- Families – all ages
- Tickets are $1.25 each or $20 for 20 tickets (number of tickets per ride varies)
- $20 for all-day pass
Carnival Rides will be available in the gravel lot north of the dairy store during Memorial Day Weekend!
11. Roald Dahl’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory @ Schuster Center
- Thursday, May 26th – Saturday, May 28th
- Thurs: 7:30pm, Fri: 8pm, Saturday: 2pm & 8pm
- Ages 6+ (children younger than 6 will not be permitted)
- Ticket pricing available here
Roald Dahl’s amazing tale is now Dayton’s golden ticket! It’s the perfect recipe for a delectable treat: songs from the original film, including “Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man,” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of Hairspray.
12. Heritage Festival at Carillon Park with the Dayton Philharmonic
***DMC Tip*** Don’t miss the Dayton themed carouse or the train rides!
- Sunday, May 29, 2022
- 12pm-5pm
- Families – all ages
- $12 per adult (18-59), $10 per senior (60+), $8 per child (3-17)
- FREE to Dayton History Members
Ring in the Summer on Memorial Day weekend withHeritage Day at Carillon Historical Park. Special activities, costumed interpreters, train rides and more! Draped in patriotic decorations, the Park welcomes thousands of guests each year to this family friendly event.
{Baker’s Dozen} 13. Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA
Saturday, May 7, 2022
12pm–4pm
FREE and open to the public!
The YMCA of Greater Dayton will celebrate Healthy Kids Day at Riverscape, as part of the national initiative to improve the health and well-being of kids. The Y will be hosting kids fitness classes, line dancing, sports skills clinics, ballet, arts and crafts, and other enrichment activities, as well as games from Camp Kern. A Fun Run will allow families to compete in a friendly race. Additionally, prizes and giveaways will be handed out to all of the participants.
