Urban Nights Axed, Plan to Reboot Downtown Dayton Events
Plans are in the works to shake things up in 2015 with a fresh schedule of events designed to bring fun and excitement back to downtown Dayton.
Urban Nights Axed, Plan to Reboot Downtown Dayton Events
The organization responsible for promoting downtown has responded to recent criticism by cancelling the twice yearly Urban Nights and replacing it with smaller, more frequent events. The Downtown Dayton Partnership (DDP) is also planning changes to First Friday, and "The Square Is Where", a series of summer events held over lunchtime in Courthourse Square.
Sandra Gudorf, President of the DDP, believes events are an important part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a public-private partnership that supports key initiatives to revitalize Dayton’s urban core.
“The feedback we’ve collected from downtown businesses, residents, galleries and performing arts organizations, and other past Urban Nights participants indicated we needed to look at how we can use the content of Urban Nights and make it a more sustainable experience” Gudorf said. “The purpose of Urban Nights - showcasing downtown’s arts, music, dining, shopping, nightlife and housing options - will still be part of the new event strategy. The nature of those events, the specific locations and the types of activities will be presented in a fresh, new format.”
The steering committee is in the process of developing a calendar of events and reaching out for activity suggestions. The schedule includes kicking off the summer season with an arts event on May 8, in conjunction with special events planned at the Dayton Visual Arts Center, K12/Tejas Gallery, RiverScape MetroPark and Sideshow X at the “Old” Yellow Cab Building.
The DDP will be making further announcements about their plans later this spring.
