Miami Valley Summer Concerts and Festivals 2025
Major Parks and Venues “Free and Nearly Free”
Bring your own seating to all venues except Dayton RiverScape
Collected and compiled by Chuck Bauer
Beavercreek Lofino Park Summer Concert Series 2025: 640 Grange Hall Rd Good Line up, of Sunday concerts at 7 PM, but only one hour. Easy in and out. Ruby and I go there most Sunday evenings. https://beavercreekohio.gov/807/Summer-Concert-Series
Beavercreek The Greene Concert Series 2025: Good line up of Saturday "Concert Series”. Park in the south parking garage. Go through the tunnel and go to the left. Set up on the upper walkway or on the grass overlooking the stage. https://thegreene.com/events/ go to for more details.
https://www.daytonlocal.com/music/live-music-at-the-greene/
Centerville 3 Entertainment Parks Summer Concert Series 2025:
Stubbs Park; 255 W. Spring Valley Road, concerts, 7 to 9 PM, has been upgraded and reopened for 2025. The lower lot is primarily for handicapped parking. The best procedure is to drop off your passengers and then go to the north rear grass area for parking. They open the rear gate after the concerts to exit through the Plat. Check your map for easy passage.
Cornerstone Park Pavilion, (Friday or Saturday concerts 6:30 to 8:30 PM) , 5210 Cornerstone North Blvd, behind Costco and Cooper's Hawk Winery overlooking the lake.
Uptown Music Series (Friday or Saturday concerts 6:30 to 8:30 PM) on the patio at the northeast corner of Franklin (725) and Main (48) streets .
https://www.centervilleohio.gov/181/Music
Dayton RiverScape MetroPark Concert Series 2025: Excellent line up of entertainment. If you cannot find street parking go to Second Street Market for parking on second street or in back. I never miss the Celtic Festival July 25,26,27. Also enjoy the fountains over the river, on the hour.
Dayton Levitt Pavilion Concert Series 2025 134 South Main St.: Excellent line up, 42 concerts (Thur, Fri, Sat) for 16 weeks. starting May 30 2025 Detail of performance are on the internet. On street parking is generally difficult. https://levittdayton.org/concert-schedule/ go to view full concert schedule and details, or on my attachment.
Kettering The Fraze Pavilion “Free and Nearly Free” 2025: Full line up of entertainment, including 9 Free Festivals and 3- $10 & $15 concerts, “Free and Nearly at the Fraze” https://fraze.com/category/concerts-and-events/ for full lineup and event details Must be Fraze.com
https://fraze.com/category/concerts-and-events/free-fraze/ Free Festivals
https://fraze.com/category/concerts-and-events/friday-night-concerts/ Friday Night Concerts $10&$15
Kettering Civic Band Concert Series 2025; at Polen Farm 5099 Bigger Rd; Three; Thursday night concerts at 7:00 PM. This is a great mid week break. https://www.ketteringcivicband.org/event-calendar
Miamisburg Riverfront Park Concert Series 2025; 1 Water St / Main St: Concerts start early June through August. Riverfront Park Good groups. 7:00 to 9:00 PM https://www.playmiamisburg.com/star-city-concert-series/
Springfield Summer Arts Festival Concert Series 2025: Six weeks (Thur through Sun) starts mid June. Very Good! https://www.springfieldartscouncil.org/fest25/
Poultry Days Versailles, June 13-15
Canal Music Fest Tipp City, June 14
Dayton Celtic Festival Dayton, RiverScape July 25-27 Great weekend entertainment
Fort Rowdy Gathering – Covington –8/30-9/1* My Review Sunday afternoon/evening best entertainment. Also check out the encampment stage. Small town festival.
Ohio StearnWheel Festival Marietta Sept 5-7, 2025 https://sternwheel.org/ Great and Historic
9/6-9/7 – Beavercreek Popcorn Festival – Beavercreek Elevis Tribute Group Saturday 6;00 PM
Miami Valley Bike Trails: There are over 400 miles of bike trails in the Dayton area. Search Bing, never Google “Miami Valley Bike Ways” Maps are readily available at park offices or https://www.mvrpc.org/transportation/bikeways-pedestrians/bikeways-map https://www.mvrpc.org/sites/default/files/trails_map_2020-full_web.pdf
Miami Valley Water and River Trails: The “Miami Conservancy District” has mapped, developed and manages the Great Miami, Stillwater and Mad rivers for recreational purposes. The State of Ohio has done the same for the Little Miami. The Little Miami is a state park south from Spring Valley just south of Xenia to the Ohio River. https://www.mcdwater.org/river-fun/ https://www.mcdwater.org/river-fun/river-trails https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/parks/parkmaps/littlemiamiparkmap.pdf
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR): Find a Destination
By Properties is meant any facility owned or controlled by the ODNR.
Below is a web site that takes you to possibly all the properties controlled by the ODNR. https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property Go/locate “Type of Property” (center left), Left click on “All Property Types X”. A list of property types appears. Select “State Parks” as an example. On the left is a list of parks, on the right is a map of Ohio. Put the curer on a park on the left; it’s located on map will be indicated with a Green Teardrop. The only problem there is no total order to the lists. Besides State Parks, other recreational properties such as State Forests, State Nature Preserves, State Senic Rivers, and State Wildlife Areas are listed. Also check out the Facilities and Activities lists. As the header says Find a Destination
My favorite state parks
Jesse Owens State Park and Wildlife Area, Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area;
60,000+ acres of ReCreation Lands in south eastern Ohio has been purchased by Ohio from AEP in increments in 2019,20,21,22 (total perches). There are 350 ponds and small lakes (teaming with fish), 293 camp sites in 5 camp areas. Camping is FREE but considered PRIMITIVE, (no water, no electric, no improved trailer pads, pit/vault latrines) Water is available in McConnelsville (about 7 to 10 miles) at Muskingum River Parkway Lock #7 699 N Riverside Dr. Take 10th St south (¼ mil) from Main St, (Oh 60/78). A short hose will help. https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/wildlife-area-maps/appalachianhills.pdf
Caesar Creek State Park; The largest lake in the immediate area. Great hiking area, & Caesar Creek Gorge, The north river for kayaks, Visitors Center and much more . https://caesarcreekstatepark.com/maps/
Cowin Lake State Park; A plesent day. Sailboat races every Sunday at 1:00 PM. Great picnicking areas. https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/parks/parkmaps/cowanlakeparkmap.pdf
John Bryant State Park and Clifton George; A very present and picturesque area. A great hiking path along the Little Miami River. https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/john-bryan-state-park https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/parks/parkmaps/johnbryanparkmap.pdf
Little Miami River Stale Park; South of Spring Valley to the Ohio River. A unique combination of water and bike/hiking trails
https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/little-miami-state-park