SIDESHOW X

DAYTON'S FREE ART AND MUSIC SHOW

This weekend, the "Old" Yellow Cab building will be filled with art pieces of all varieties, live music wafting throughout the building and parking lot and mounds of laughter building up from comedians’ sets. The annual Sideshow exhibition is back for its 10th year, and this celebration is not one to be missed.

HOW TO GO

What: Sideshow X, two nights of art, music, photography, comedy, local brews and food, and much more.
When: May 8, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. and May 9, 3 p.m.-1 a.m.
Where: Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St. (directions)
For more information: Check out daytonsideshow.org or Dayton Sideshow's Facebook page. For more information on the Yellow Cab Building, visit yellowcabtavern.com.

5 REASONS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT SIDESHOW

1. It’s the 10th anniversary. What started as a one-day local art exhibit in the Cannery has grown into one of Dayton’s premier venues for budding artists of all media to show their work, often for the first time. The show’s originator, Laurana Wong, wanted to provide a place to show any and all forms of art, and it’s stayed that way over the years, and expanded. Since 10 years ago, live music and comedy acts have been added, and the event was extended to two days to include as many art and music showcases as possible.
2. It’s family-friendly. In the past couple of years, a kid’s art gallery has been added to exhibit works by local artists under 18. This year, Sideshow will feature an entire space for the kid’s gallery, with an area for young ones to create art right then and there, making the event exciting for all age groups.
3. It’s free, and volunteer-driven. This isn’t anyone’s day job; Sideshow is put on every year by a group of extremely committed volunteers. The entire weekend is free to one and all; where else can you see over 100 local artists and musicians for free? Sideshow is paid for by several fundraisers throughout the year, including CraftyCon and the Sideshow preview show, which takes place Friday May 1, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., and costs $5 to view some of the art ahead of time and check out a few of the bands that will be playing.
4. Food trucks. Local brews on tap. Need we say more?
5. Sideshow was the catalyst for several Dayton staples: Without Sideshow, there would arguably be no shows or food truck rallies at the "Old" Yellow Cab Building, as organizers purchased the former cab building after putting on several Sideshows there, said Jeff Opt, a self-proclaimed “community do-er” and one of Sideshow’s organizers since the beginning. The Dayton Circus Creative Collective also formed in 2006 out of Sideshow, and they, then, helped build the downtown Garden Station into a space for community art gatherings. “It’s hard to imagine, looking back, at what that first show accomplished, but that’s one of the reasons we keep doing it,” Opt said.