Published August 23, 2023
MetroParks Monthly: Programs & Events for September
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.
PROGRAMS
Active Outdoors
- Fly Fishing 1: Casting: Sept. 9 – 9 a.m. to noon at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Backpacking 2: Overnight Experience: Sept. 9, noon to Sept. 10, 12:15 p.m. at Germantown MetroPark
- Passport to Fishing Kit (pick up): Sept. 10 – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at multiple locations
- Try Mountain Biking: Sept. 12 – 4 to 7 p.m. at MoMBA
- Fly Casting Games: Sept. 13 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Fly Fishing 1: Wading and Reading Water: Sept. 16 at Eastwood MetroPark
Youth & Family
- Woodpecker Watch: Sept. 2 – 10 to 11 a.m. at Taylorsville MetroPark
- Beavers: Sept. 6 – 10 to 11 a.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Tike Hike: Sept. 7 – 10 to 11 a.m. at Hills & Dales MetroPark
- Prairie Wildflower Identification: 9 – 10 a.m. to noon at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Creek Creatures: Sept. 12 – 5 to 6 p.m. at Wesleyan MetroPark
- Backyard Naturalist Training: Sept. 16 – 4 to 6 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Spider Search and Identification: Sept.16 – 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Tike Hike: Sept. 19 – 10 to 11 a.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Pondology: Sept. 21 – 10 to 11 a.m. at Taylorsville MetroPark
- Monarch Health: Sept. 22 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Butterfly Bonanza: Sept. 23 – 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Sugarcreek MetroPark
- Monarch Tagging: Sept. 23 – 1 to 3 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Spider Search: Sept. 23 – 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Hills & Dales MetroPark
- Nature Play: Sept. 25 – 2 to 3 p.m. at Englewood MetroPark
Nature Exploration for Adults
- EcoTalk: Strategies for Avian Research: Sept. 7 – 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Trees of Wegerzyn: Youngest to Oldest: Sept 9 – 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark
- Frogs of Ohio: Sept. 15 – 7 to 9 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Beginning Birding: Sept. 16 – 8 a.m. to noon at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Insect ID and Behavior: Sept. 16 – 1 to 4 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
- Noon at Cox Arboretum: Sept. 23 – noon to 1:30 p.m. at Cox Arboretum MetroPark
Earth Friendly Living
- Pick Your Own Flowers, Greens and Herbs: Sept. 6, Sept. 13, Sept. 20, Sept. 27 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Possum Creek MetroPark
- Bringing Your Outside Plants Inside for the Winter: Sept. 8 – 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. at the 2nd Street Market
For Everyone
- Paint-A-Park: Sept. 3 – 2 to 5 p.m. at Carriage Hill MetroPark
- Family Story Time: Getting Squirrely!: Sept. 15 – 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the 2nd Street Market
- 100 Years and Counting: Fun Games from the Roaring 20s: Sept. 17 – 1 to 3 p.m. at Aullwood Garden MetroPark
- Foraging for Mushrooms: Fall is the Best Time: Sept. 24 – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the 2nd Street Market
Special Events
LAST CHANCE FOR SUMMER FUN
While the kids may already be back in school, there are still chances to squeeze in some summer fun! Our interactive fountains will remain on daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Labor Day. The Fountain Snack Bar will also have delicious soft serve, freshly squeezed lemonade, slushies, and other treats available for purchase during your visit, and will remain open through Sunday, Sept. 3. Here are the hours for the Fountain Snack Bar so you can prepare ahead of your visit:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Paddling rentals will remain available from Taiter’s Kayak Solutions on Tuesdays from 2 to 6 p.m. and Thursdays 4 to 8 p.m. through September. Kayaks will launch from under the Riverside bridge and are just $12 per person, per hour. To learn more about other paddling opportunities with Taiter’s Kayak Solutions, check out their Facebook page.
CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IN YOUR METROPARKS
Starting Sept. 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Americans whose ancestors came from Central and South America, Spain, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Start off the celebration on Thursday, Sept. 14, with Culture Kitchen: Hispanic Heritage Night at the 2nd Street Market. Chef Santi of Napales Mexican Street Food will prepare a three-course meal with dessert provided by Yellow Spring Baking Company’s Karina Tafolla. Enjoy tales from the foodie experts about their culinary journeys from Mexico to Dayton. Space is limited; registration is required.
Programs at the 2nd Street Market are sponsored by Dayton Children’s.
Summer at RiverScape MetroPark culminates with the Puerto Rican, American and Caribbean Organization’s annual Hispanic Heritage Festival on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark. Festivalgoers can enjoy live Latin music, children’s activities, food, vendors and more.
Also during this event, United Rehabilitation Services will drop at least 20,000 rubber ducks into the Great Miami River during its annual Rubber Duck Regatta.
HUNGER ACTION MONTH AT THE 2ND STREET MARKET
Five Rivers MetroParks and The Foodbank are teaming up to make a difference for hungry folks in our community this September, Hunger Action Month. Grab some non-perishable food items and visit the 2nd Street Market to Stuff the Truck on Sept. 2.
This drive will help kids going back to school who are challenged with hunger.
When you drop off your donation, be sure to write a sweet note for kids who are enrolled in The Foodbank’s Backpack Program and a postcard for Vagabond Studio & Gallery’s project for local seniors.
Can’t make this date? Community organizations partnered with The Foodbank will be on site at the Market all month. Learn more.
WEGERZYN GARDENS FOUNDATION ANNUAL GARDEN PARTY – CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
Enjoy this annual fundraiser in support of the Wegerzyn Gardens Foundation on Thursday, Sept. 14, at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. Enjoy drinks, light bites, dinner, live music and more, all in celebration of 50 years of education, exploration and inspiration for the natural world at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. Learn more.
SAVE THE DATE: WAGNER SUBARU OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE OCT. 7 & 8
With something for everyone to enjoy – even the family dog – the annual Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience is Saturday, Oct. 7, and Sunday, Oct. 8, at Eastwood MetroPark. The region’s premier outdoor adventure festival will offer hands-on activities, competitions, demos from the pros, live music, food and much more.
Want to be a part of the team behind-the-scenes? Sign up to volunteer.
The Wagner Subaru Outdoor Experience is presented by Huffy with additional sponsorship from Outside Inc., Mike’s Bike Park, Great Lakes Brewery, Fifty West Brewery, Key-Ads, Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, Cyclotherapy, Kayak Coffee, Best Breed and City Barbeque.
Monthly must-do in your MetroParks:
Complete a Trails Challenge Trail: Participants have until Oct. 31 to check off MetroParks Trails Challenge trails for their chance to win awesome prizes. Hike, paddle, cycle, mountain bike or horseback ride just one or all 28 trails as you explore your MetroParks on your own time and at your own pace. Registration is free. Learn more and register to participate.
Find out what’s falling: As fall approaches, you’ll find many things on the ground to identify, from acorns to leaves of all shapes – and perhaps even colors. Check out the digital version of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Trees of Ohio field guide to learn more about what’s falling.
The great outdoors with grandparents: National Grandparents Day is Sept. 10 and a great way to celebrate is by inviting your grandparents to join you for some quality time in the great outdoors. Visit one of MetroParks’ Heart Healthy trails, including the paved Wolf Creek Trail.
Sustainability Tip: Create your fall planting plan
Many know fall is the time to plant bulbs for the following spring, but it’s also a great time to add native plants to your landscape. These plants have adapted to the environment in which they grow, making them the perfect food and shelter for local wildlife. These plants are also important to pollinators and help filter water and air. Learn how to plant native trees and shrubs in your landscape this year.
September Challenge: Enjoy story time in the great outdoors
The Get Outside Book Club is a free Dayton Metro Library and Five Rivers MetroParks program designed for preschoolers and their caregivers. Taking place Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, activities happen in MetroParks, at your local Dayton Metro Library Branch and in your favorite outdoor natural space.
Learn more about the Get Outside Book Club and access activities at home or in the parks.
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.
