3 summer festivals happening this weekend across the Dayton area

Opening day of The Ohio Challenge hot air balloon festival featured s balloon glow, fireworks and skydivers from Team Fastrax, craft vendors, food and more Friday night, July 15, 2022 at Smith Park in Middletown. Sean Askren's Airheads balloon was inflated and glowed during the fireworks. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Opening day of The Ohio Challenge hot air balloon festival featured s balloon glow, fireworks and skydivers from Team Fastrax, craft vendors, food and more Friday night, July 15, 2022 at Smith Park in Middletown. Sean Askren's Airheads balloon was inflated and glowed during the fireworks. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF
What to Know
By
July 17, 2023
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The Dayton summer festival scene is taking flight, spicing things up and getting groovy this weekend with three returning festivals. From skydiving and hot air balloon rides to garlic eating contests, here’s what’s happening across the Dayton area this week.

Check out these five summer festivals coming up July 21-23.

ExploreSUMMER FESTIVAL GUIDE: Your look at events happening across the Dayton area

The Ohio Challenge

WHEN: Friday, July 21 through Sunday, July 23

WHERE: Smith Park, 500 Tytus Ave., Middletown

COST: Walk-in admission is $5 for ages 13 and up. Children 12 and under are free. Parking is $15 and includes a shuttle to the park and admission for the whole car. VIP parking inside the park is $35. Helicopter rides are $25 per person, tethered hot air balloon rides are $20 per person and historic plane rides range from $89-$189.

INFO: The annual hot air balloon and skydiving festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The Ohio Challenge features over 20 hot air balloons. On Friday and Saturday evening, the balloons will be grounded and lit for the balloon glow show. Throughout the weekend, visitors can also check out a car show, an evening firework display, a plane show, a vendor fair, a carnival and mid-air performances by professional skydivers. For more information, visit https://ohiochallenge.com/ or Ohio Challenge’s Facebook page.

Opening day of The Ohio Challenge hot air balloon festival featured s balloon glow, fireworks and skydivers from Team Fastrax, craft vendors, food and more Friday night, July 15, 2022 at Smith Park in Middletown. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

icon to expand image

Credit: Nick Graham

Garlic Fest 2023

WHEN: Saturday, July 22

WHERE: Courthouse Square, 23 N. Main St., Dayton

INFO: Downtown Dayton is celebrating all things garlic from noon to 8 p.m. The free food festival features over a dozen food vendors, a garlic eating contest, craft vendors and more. Mamma DiSalvo’s will hold a meatball eating contest at the festival, and vendors will sell garlic-inspired treats including garlic beer, honey garlic ice cream and garlic chimichurri salmon cakes. For more information, visit the Dayton Garlic Fest on Facebook.

ExploreThe Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival turns 20: Activities added to schedule

Dayton Blues Festival

WHEN: Sunday, July 23

WHERE: Levitt Pavilion, 134 S. Main St., Dayton

INFO: The blues are back! The Dayton Blues Festival will return to Levitt Pavilion Sunday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Acts this year include Jewel & The Rough Cuts, The Doug Hart Band, The Brad Hatfield Band, Joe Waters and the Back Porch Band, and Curtis Sanford presents “Young Guns.” The festival will also feature DJ Eric “Mr. Magic” Barnes and will be emceed by Stan “The Man” Brooks. For more information, visit www.levittdayton.org of the city of Dayton’s Facebook page.

Visitors to Levitt Pavilion were singing and dancing to the "Blues" during the Dayton "Blues" Festival on Sunday, July 24. Five bands entertained the crowd during the free concert which was sponsored by the City of Dayton Department of Recreation. DAVID A. MOODIE/CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

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About the Author

Zoë is an All Media Journalist with Dayton.com. She earned her BA in communication from the University of Dayton and has four years in the journalism industry, including bylines in national and local news. She previously worked as a reporting intern for Dayton Daily News.