Updated May 29th, 2024
MetroParks Monthly: Programs & Events for June
Programs
Below you’ll find a list of programs and events for all ages, from children to lifelong learners, in addition to MetroParks must-dos, sustainability tips and information on what’s growing in the parks this month.
Take a deeper dive into your areas of interest by signing up for MetroParks’ email newsletters and following Five Rivers MetroParks on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
Active Outdoors
- Fly Fishing 3: Smallmouth Bass: June 8 – 9 a.m. to noon at offsite location
- Mountain Biking for Older Adults: June 11 – 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Huffman MetroPark
- Try Mountain Biking: June 11 – 4 to 7 p.m. at Huffman MetroPark
- Flatwater Float: June 12 – 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Hiking for Older Adults: June 17 – 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Twin Creek MetroPark
- Swiftwater Rescue for Paddlers: June 22 – 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Eastwood MetroPark
- Great American Campout: June 22 – 3 p.m. to 10 a.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Kayak Exploring: June 25 – 3 to 6 p.m. at Germantown MetroPark
- Mountain Biking Skills Clinic: June 27 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Huffman MetroPark
Youth & Family
- Morning Chores: June 1 – 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Carriage Hill MetroPark
- Nighttime Insect Exploration: June 7 – 8 to 10 p.m. at Germantown MetroPark
- Wildflower Field Identification: June 8 – 1 to 3 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Baby Owl Search: June 8 – 8:30 to 10 p.m. at Englewood MetroPark
- Eastern Bluebird Nestbox Monitoring: June 15 – 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Butterfly Safari: June 15 – 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Sugarcreek MetroPark
- 3rd Year Summer Horse Camp: June 17 – 9 a.m. to noon at Carriage Hill MetroPark
- Woodland Nesting Birds: June 22 – 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Hills & Dales MetroPark
- Dragonfly Discovery: June 22 – 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Together with Fireflies: June 22 – 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Buzzworthy Citizen Science: June 29 – 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Fantastic Fireflies: June 29 – 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Wesleyan MetroPark
Adult Nature Exploration
- Wegerzyn in June: June 5 –6 to 7 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Photography Outing at the Farm: June 8 – 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Family Caregiver Nature Walk: June 8 – 11 a.m. to noon at Englewood MetroPark
- Tour Aullwood: June 12 – 6 to 7 p.m. at Aullwood Gardens MetroPark
- EcoTalk: Development of a Comprehensive Bird Conservation Plan for the State of Ohio: June 18 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
Earth Friendly Living
- Gardening in the Heat: June 1 – 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- DIY Rain Collection Barrel Assembly Workshop: June 2 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 2nd Street Market
- Making an Herb Basket for Patio or Garden: June 7 – 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 2nd Street Market
- Last Chance Veggie Garden Planting: June 8 – 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Pick Your Own: Greens and Herbs: June 12 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Pick Your Own: Greens and Herbs: June 19 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
For Everyone
- Paint-A-Park: June 2 – 2 to 5 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Paint-A-Park: June 22 – noon to 3 p.m. at Wesleyan MetroPark
Special Events
Twin Valley Trail Challenge
Join us at Twin Creek and Germantown MetroParks on Saturday, June 1, to take the Twin Valley Trail Challenge. We will have marked routes where you can hike 1 to 28.7 miles on the Twin Valley Trail, and you can pick your distance. Along the hiking routes will be snack and water stations for you to rest, re-fuel and re-hydrate before tackling your next segment. Learn more.
June Happenings at RiverScape MetroPark
New activities are happening at RiverScape MetroPark all summer long. Grab your lawn chair and dancing shoes and listen to some awesome local bands, enjoy great food from the expanded menu at the RiverScape Café, paddle under the fountains with Taiters Kayak Solutions, or participate in a variety of free fitness classes. There are several special events happening at RiverScape MetroPark in June, too, so be sure to read below for more information.
Summer Music Series
- June 7: 90’s Night featuring The Wet Bandits
- June 13: The Tom Daugherty Orchestra (Big Band)
- June 21: Authorized Personnel (Soul, R&B)
- June 27: Father Son and Friends (Celtic Folk Music)
Sponsored by Jack W. & Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation and Enterprise Roofing.
Community Fitness – View Dates
- BootyMix: Mondays – 6 to 7 p.m.
- Tai Chi & Qigong at the River: Tuesdays – 6 to 7 p.m.
- Bootcamp with The Unit: Mondays and Wednesdays – 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- Stay Fit with DCDC: Wednesdays – 6 to 7 p.m.
Fitness in the Park – View Dates
- Yoga: Saturdays – 10 to 11 a.m.
- Zumba: Saturdays – 10 to 11 a.m.
Presented by Kettering Health and sponsored by McGohan Brabender.
Tuesday Programming
- First Tuesdays: Cornhole Tournaments
- Second Tuesdays: Live Local Musicians
- Third Thursdays: Music Bingo
- Fourth Tuesdays: Live Local Musicians
Kayak Rentals with Taiters Kayak Solutions
- Tuesdays – 2 to 6 p.m.
- Thursdays – 4 to 8 p.m.
Special Events
- Dayton Beer 5K: June 1 – 5 to 8 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark
- Dayton City Market: June 2 – noon to 5 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark
- For Dayton by Dayton: June 8 – 4 to 9 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark
Sunset at the Market
Enjoy a special evening at the 2nd Street Market in celebration of all things creative, local and community-based during June’s Sunset at the Market, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 13. Visitors can grab dinner, shop from their favorite vendors and dive into the arts and culture that makes Dayton vibrate, inclusive community.
The Market will host the Word’s Faire Art Bazaar in the pavilion featuring artists and writers tables, spoken word poetry, live music and a host of community organizations sharing their resources.
Service Saturdays
Service Saturdays are perfect volunteer opportunities for those who are on a schedule and have a few hours of weekend availability.
Spend your Saturday morning giving back to the community and the planet while also meeting new people and building your outdoor skills. Services Saturdays are every third Saturday through October, from 9 a.m. to noon. Sign up by visiting MetroParks’ Get Connected site.
Monthly must-do in your MetroParks
Splash around: Cool off this summer by playing in the water at your favorite MetroPark. Island MetroPark is home to a splash pad with several interactive features for kids to play in. The interactive fountains at RiverScape MetroPark are popular on hot summer days, when multiple fountain jets shoot water as high as 20 feet into the air. Experience water in an interactive way as it exists in its natural settings in local waterways in the Children’s Discovery Garden at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. All of these water features are open daily, weather permitting, from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Go fishing with your father figure: Father’s Day is Sunday, June 16, and what better way to spend the day than out on the water. Cedar Lake at Carriage Hill MetroPark, Argonne Lake at Possum Creek MetroPark, Lake George at Twin Creek MetroPark and Eastwood Lake at Eastwood MetroPark are all popular fishing locations. No fishing license? No problem. Read more about MetroParks locations you can fish at without one at metroparks.org/ParkWaysOnline.
You can find locations to fish in every MetroPark except Cox Arboretum, Hills & Dales and Sugarcreek MetroParks.
Watch the sunset: The sun will be setting around 8:40 p.m. all month. Stop by your favorite MetroPark to take an evening stroll and watch the sunset. We recommend checking out the views on the beach at Eastwood MetroPark, along the river at RiverScape MetroPark, by the ponds at Cox Arboretum MetroPark or in the gardens at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark.
Sustainability Tip: Switch to electric lawn equipment. The engines on your gas-powered lawnmower and weed whacker may be small, but they can have big effects on air quality. Using a gas-powered lawnmower for one hour will produce the same amount of emissions as driving your car 100 miles, but switching to an electric mower will reduce your emissions to zero. Make sure to leave a patch of dandelions and other blooming plants in your yard for pollinators, too!
June Challenge: Try paddling.
Dayton region is home to numerous waterways that allow paddlers to enjoy the warm weather on the water. Summer months bring the perfect paddling weather and MetroParks has several opportunities for you to get out on the water, including kayak rentals at RiverScape MetroPark, flatwater floats, try paddling and more.
Please note: Programs and events with limited capacity may fill quickly; however, in some cases waitlists are available. Please contact 937-275-PARK to inquire about being placed on a waitlist. Additionally, programs may be cancelled due to a variety of reasons – including weather conditions – please check our online calendar to check the status of a program or event before attending.
