Published May 8, 2023

Sample MetroParks’ summer festivals, programs during Passport to MetroParks May 26

Five Rivers MetroParks will host its free annual summer kick-off festival, Passport to MetroParks, on Friday, May 26, from 6 to 9 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E. Monument Ave.

Live music, food trucks, family activities and more will be part of the event that includes a sneak peak of some of Dayton’s largest cultural festivals.

Representatives from the Dayton Celtic Festival, Hispanic Heritage Festival and Dayton African American Cultural Festival will be on site with activities, information about the festivals and more.

Additionally, MetroParks staff will be on site leading more than a dozen activities and games that highlight the variety of recreation, education, conservation and volunteer opportunities Five Rivers MetroParks has to offer. Activities include:

Scavenger hunt
Photobooth
Meet MetroParks rangers, Master Recyclers, live animal ambassadors and crawling critters.
Climbing wall
Crafts and games

Participants can earn a stamp in their event passport for each activity they complete. Those who earn one stamp in each of the five categories will be entered to win prizes, including three Huffy children’s bikes (winner’s choice), three $250 MetroParks program passes, a family season pass to the MetroParks Ice Rink and 2nd Street Market Bucks. Fill your passport with more stamps for the chance to win additional prizes. Winners will be announced by June 30.

“While we do have exciting things happening each season, we call summer our ‘busy season’ because there is so much to do during the summer in your MetroParks,” said RiverScape program coordinator Rachel Baney. “Passport to MetroParks is a fun way to fit a little bit of everything into one evening, giving people the opportunity to figure out what to try during the summer, whether it’s paddling a river or attending a festival – or both.”

From 7:30 to 9 p.m., enjoy dance performances by Celtic Academy of Irish Dance and McGovern Irish Dance, followed by Dulahan. Grab a bite from El Buen Taco, Smokin’ Dews BBQ & Shakes and I Heart Ice Cream.

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