Published June 1, 2023
MetroParks Monthly: Programs & Events for June
Below you’ll find a list of programs and events for all ages, from children to life-long 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, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok.
Programs
Active Outdoors
- Passport to Fishing Kit (pre-registered pick up): June 4 – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at multiple locations
- Fly Fishing 1: Gear: June 8 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Flatwater Float: June 8 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Fly Fishing 2: Lake: June 10 – 9 a.m. to noon at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Mountain Bike Experience: June 10 – 10 a.m. to noon at MoMBA
- Kayak 1: June 10 – 10a.m. to 4 p.m. at Eastwood MetroPark
- Try Paddlesports: June 13 – 4 to 7 p.m. at Eastwood MetroPark
- Mountain Biking For Older Adults: June 15 – 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at MoMBA
- Try Mountain Biking: June 15 – 4 to 7 p.m. at MoMBA
- Father and Daughter Fishing Day: June 18 – 1 to 4 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Youth Kayak Camp: Moving Water: June 21 – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Eastwood MetroPark
- Mountain Bike Experience: June 22 – 6 to 8 p.m. at MoMBA
- Mother Son Fishing Day: June 24 – 9 a.m. to noon at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Great American Campout: June 24 – June 25 – 3 p.m. to noon at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Kayak Under the Fountains: June 27 – 5:30 to 6:15 p.m.; 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. ; 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark
- Mountain Biking Skills Clinic: June 27 – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at MoMBA
- SUP for Older Adults: June 28 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Pony rides at the Carriage Hill Riding Center are offered on Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. Pony rides are for children ages 2 to 8 and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Weekend trail rides are offered through October and require pre-registration. Learn more and register.
Youth & Family
- Morning Chores: June 3 – 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Carriage Hill MetroPark
- Woodland Nesting Birds: June 3 – 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Taylorsville MetroPark
- Assessing Biodiversity: June 3 – 4 to 6 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Nighttime Insect Exploration: June 3 – 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Englewood MetroPark
- Tike Hike: June 8 – 10 to 11 a.m. at Germantown MetroPark
- Nestbox Monitoring: June 10 – 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Bee Spotter: June 10 – 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Together With Fireflies: June 10 – 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Tike Hike: June 13 – 10 to 11 a.m. at Sugarcreek MetroPark
- Butterfly Safari: June 17 – 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Sugarcreek MetroPark
- Wild Wetlands: June 17 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Baby Owl Search: June 17 – 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Hills & Dales MetroPark
Nature Exploration for Adults
- Aullwood Wedding Celebration: June 3 – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Aullwood Garden MetroPark
- Picturing Puddles and Ponds: June 10 – 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Plein Air Painting at Aullwood: June 10 – 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Aullwood Garden MetroPark
- Accessible Forest Therapy Walk: June 11 – 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Progressive Garden Tour: June 17 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Common Birds of Ohio: June 24 – 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Stream Fishes of Ohio: June 24 – 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Tour Aullwood: June 28 – 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Aullwood Garden MetroPark
- EcoTalk: June 29 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
Earth Friendly Living
- Sewing Machine Basics: June 1 – 10:30 a.m. to noon at Carriage Hill MetroPark
- Pick Your Own: Greens and Herbs: June 14 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Pick Your Own: Greens and Herbs: June 21 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Vegetable Garden Visits: A Small Garden: June 22 – 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Pick Your Own: Greens and Herbs: June 28 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Sewing Machine Basics: June 30 – 10:30 a.m. to noon at Carriage Hill MetroPark
For Everyone
- Nature Story Time: Let’s Build an Insect: June 1 – 11 to 11:45 a.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Healing Nature Kits (preregistered pick up): June 4 – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at multiple locations
- Paint-A-Park: June 4 – 2 to 5 p.m. at Island MetroPark
- Fiber Arts Meetup: June 6 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Children’s Garden Wonders: Forest and Prairie: June 7 – 10:00a.m. to 10:45 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Paint-A-Park: June 10 – 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Aullwood Garden MetroPark
- Five Senses Exploration: Into the Prairie: June 14 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Children’s Garden Wonders: The Wetland: June 21 – 2 to 2:45 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Mud Day: June 24 – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Bugs Aren’t Scary: Arthropod Appreciation: June 29 – 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
Outdoors and Nature-Based Certifications
- View a list of trainings specifically for those in outdoor recreation and education.
Special Events
Twin Valley Trail Challenge
The 2023 Twin Valley Trail (TVT) Challenge is this Saturday, June 3, National Trails Day! Hikers can choose their own adventure during this free, non-competitive event that covers 1 to the entire 29 miles of the TVT. Aid stations and shuttles are available, in addition to free camping (registration required). Learn more.
Mud Day
Paint, build, smoosh and play in mud during MetroParks’ annual International Mud Day celebration at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. This free event is on Saturday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and for those of all ages. Space is limited and registration is required. Learn more.
Free music, fitness at RiverScape, plus kayak rentals
Summer is in full swing at RiverScape MetroPark with the start of the Summer Music Series on Friday, June 2 with an evening of free bluegrass featuring The Repeating Arms and the Shady Pine. June’s entire Summer Music Series concert lineup can be found here.
Also free to the public are weekly fitness programs, including Zumba, yoga, dance fitness, bootcamp and Tai Chi Qigong. For the fitness schedule, visit our blog.
For those who want to hit the river and experience what it’s like to paddle under the Five Rivers Fountain of Lights, Taiter’s Kayak Solutions offers kayak rentals on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and during select special events through September (weather dependent). Learn more.
Pride Month at the Market
The 2nd Street Market will offer special events, programs and highlights throughout June that support and uplift the LGBTQIA+ community at the Market and in Dayton. Sign up for the 2nd Street Market’s monthly email newsletter and follow it on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on programs, products, vendors, events and other offerings.
Programs at the 2nd Street Market are sponsored by Dayton Children’s.
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
1) Cool off: While there is no swimming in your Five Rivers MetroParks, there are plenty of ways to splash safely. Learn more about water play at RiverScape, Island and Wegerzyn Gardens MetroParks.
2) Visit Englewood MetroPark’s waterfalls: Englewood MetroPark’s 3.8-mile green trail features three beautiful waterfalls nestled through the forest.
3) Five Rivers Fountain of Lights: Walk the Deed’s Point Bridge catch the cool spray from the Fountain of Lights, which operates in 10-minute intervals at the top of the hours. (Monday – Friday: 6:55 a.m. to 10:05 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday: 10:55 a.m. to 10:05 p.m.)
Sustainability Tip:
Pay attention to your plate! Shopping from local growers, introducing more plants into your diet and bringing a reusable shopping bag to the store are just a few ways you can reduce your carbon footprint. Learn more about how to shop, cook and eat more sustainably.
What’s growing:
Be sure to visit Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark this June to spot some beautiful blooms, including garden pinks, wild indigo, lilies, magnolia, peonies, water iris and more. You can also enjoy pollinator-friendly plants, such as milkweed and coneflower.
See what’s started springing up in the Demonstration Garden at Possum Creek MetroPark and get some inspiration for your garden at home.
June Challenge: Check off five MetroParks Trails Challenge Trails
Summer is the perfect time to check off MetroParks Trails Challenge Trails. The MetroParks Trails Challenge incorporates a variety of trails that are natural surface, paved, equestrian and water trails so you can create adventures that most interest you and match your skill set. See if you can check five trails challenge trails off your list this month. Not registered for the MetroParks Trails Challenge yet? Registering is free, easy and allows you a chance to win awesome prizes. Learn more and register.
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.
