If you get off Interstate 75 at exit 73, just three miles west of Troy, Ohio, you might see a few things. There’s a lot of open space, a few trees, wooden farmhouses, barns and silos dotting the skyline; and a giraffe, poking his head up above the tree line and fences. There aren’t many giraffes in Troy. In fact, there’s only one – Sam, at Idle Hour Ranch, an exotic animal farm in the middle of the countryside. In fact, there are a lot of things one can find at Idle Hour Ranch that are unique to the five acres that house Sam and his friends.

Their mission is simple: “To bring the Bible stories to life as only our special animals can,” reads their extensive website, idle-hourranch.com. Their vision is pure: “To be a tool that the Lord has provided to the Church, that is used to help win souls for God’s kingdom.”

If you’re not religious, however, don’t be put off by the Christian-centric altruism. Aside from the seasonal nativity work the ranch does, a visit to Idle Hour mimics a visit to any other zoo – at least one where you get to touch pretty much everything.

| In the beginning |

Idle Hour Ranch started in 1999. A modest business, they supplied exotic animals to live nativity scenes around Christmas. The family rented camels from a man in Indiana.

Michelle Iddings was an animal coordinator at a Christian Life Center’s live nativity scene; and her husband, Brian Iddings, worked for Delphi for 30 years as an engineer until he was laid off in 2009.

In the beginning, as the story goes, there were three horses and two goats. Then came the donkey. After borrowing animals from local suppliers to furnish the nativities for years, their “donkey guy” suddenly refused to let them borrow his animal for the season.

“But, if I owned a donkey, no one could tell me no,” said Michelle.

So, they bought one for themselves.

The next Christmas, Michelle realized how much she loved one of the pairs of sheep they routinely borrowed, so Brian snuck back out and bought them. The next year, Michelle said, “Well, there’s nothing cuter than a baby camel.” And along came the farm’s first camel. As the farm stands today, there are about 200 animals that call Idle Hour Ranch home.

“There are about 81 to 85 of the four-legged stuff,” said Brian. And he would know. It’s almost impossible for Brian to leave the farm property – not that he has any interest in doing so – because of the amount of care he pours over his animals.

The entire farm spans 80 acres, and Brian knows every inch of it. He knows what the mountain lion, Peshewa, likes to eat and when – it’s Tyson chicken quarters, Mazuri large feline dry food, and Ensure Plus. He knows the exact temperature at which it’s safe to let the giraffe, Sam, and the kangaroos out of their heated barns — it’s 70 degrees. Brian knows to keep the prairie dogs, tortoise and cockatoo put away at night so the hawks don’t get them.

“I’m the one that stays home with the animals,” he boasted. “I hate to be away. I hate to leave for any more than an hour or two because I’m always worried about what’s going on at home.” But Brian doesn’t mind. The satisfaction he gets from his work makes the entire, arduous process worthwhile.

“What I really like is the little kids’ smiles,” he grinned. “I tell people if they’re going to bring their kids, bring them up but don’t tell them we’ve got a giraffe. Then you get to see their faces light up … ‘A GIRAFFE!’”

| The animals |

There isn’t a square foot of Idle Hour Ranch one can stand on without spying some sort of exotic animal. Right inside the front gate, guests are greeted by a mob of kangaroos – that really is what a group of kangaroos is called. Brian handed us a handful of bread and showed us how to hold it up to them. The kangaroos ate the wheat bread from our fingers, lips whispering against our fingertips. We left them relaxing on their sides and leaning back on their tails – which they use as a fifth leg – to make our way over to the bunny pen and past the red foxes pacing their enclosure in anticipation of our approach. The ranch encourages all visitors to touch and feel whatever they can. If there’s an animal you can reach, you can touch it.

“The habitats are all designed so that if you can get in trouble, you can’t get near the animal,” Brian explained. “Anything you can touch, it’s designed that way.”

Continuing deeper into the ranch, we wandered past a pen of New Guinea singing dogs, which don’t bark, but rather harmonize their voices. “These dogs are incredibly unique,” said Brian. “In New Guinea, the native children carry the pups around with them. Here, they require some special housing because they can climb tall fences and will ‘follow their wanderlust’ if they’re off leash.”

The goat ramp towers above us, begging children to put handfuls of feed into the pulley system and ratchet it to the top, coaxing the goats up the ramp system overhead to collect their reward. Peshewa the cougar is busy lounging atop the towering structure in the middle of his enclosure. You can’t touch Peshewa, but he’s a sight to see.

The ranch also houses an eclectic collection of exotic animals including muntjac deer, humpback Indian cattle (zebu), potbelly pigs, water buffalo, emu, fallow deer, Sam the giraffe, elk, yaks, sheep, coyotes, mini horses, a bunny hutch, an aviary that houses peacocks in full plumage, ducks, chickens, pigeons, geese and a rooster who isn’t shy about flexing his vocal chords.

There are a few dogs to be seen trotting around. And if you stick your fingers in the fish pond, the scaly creatures will swim to the surface and nibble your fingertips.

| Controversy |

Not everything at Idle Hour Ranch is as relaxed and smooth-sailing as the animals’ attitudes may portray. It would be remiss to cover an exotic animal farm without addressing the opposition to such establishments.

Few have forgotten the Zanesville, Ohio, man, Terry Thompson, who, back in 2011, reportedly let loose his entire collection of exotic animals from their cages and then proceeded to shoot himself. Police officers responded, combed the area and shot the animals at close range. All of the animals were located, except for one monkey that is believed to have been eaten by one of the larger cats. The incident was devastating for the image of exotic animal farmers, even though Thompson’s family had always claimed their animals were personal pets and not for sale or show, so they would not have been subject to the regulations pertaining to exotic animal dealers or zoos.

Previous to the Zanesville incident, there were regulations on native wild animals (through the Ohio Division of Wildlife); animals used in exhibition or for sale (through the U.S. Department of Agriculture); and animal welfare statutes pertaining to all animals and enforced by the local humane societies. Despite the many regulations already in place at the state level as well as in many individual counties, the Humane Society of the United States claimed Ohio had no regulations on exotic animals; and they successfully lobbied for statewide regulations.

“Ohio passed the new exotic animal ban,” said Brian. “Now, they want our cougar. We’ve had him for 10 years, and he’s doing just fine here – he’s perfect.”

The expense, however, of keeping Peshewa within legal boundaries is becoming staggering.

“We registered him as the state required, and we will attempt to get a permit for him as soon as the permits are available. Hopefully, we’ll be able to keep him,” Brian continued, noting all of these measures are costly. “We’ve already paid to have him microchipped. Now, they’re saying the pen’s not big enough, even though it’s bigger than the public zoos require. Ohio says ours has to be bigger than the publicly supported zoos.”

Brian cites a specific group of people responsible for the hardship put upon him and his family and his farm: “It’s the people behind Senate Bill 310.” The bill Brian spoke of severely limits and places restrictive requirements on the possession of “dangerous wild animals and restricted snakes.” Thankfully, Idle Hour Ranch hasn’t been forced to get rid of any of their animals. “Not yet,” said Brian. If forced, they’ll make the cougar pen bigger, but it hasn’t yet come to that.

As far as Terry Thompson and the effect his actions had on Idle Hour, Brian has an opinion of his own.

“We’ve got our own opinion on that, which is shared by a lot of Ohioans. We think [Thompson] may have been set up,” said Brian. “Why would the owner, who has the keys in his pocket, cut his cages open? There’s a lot of stuff that was never made public but was in the autopsy report, and a lot of what we read in the media just doesn’t make sense when you think about it.”

It’s a common misconception that the exotic animal ban was passed as a result of what happened at the Zanesville farm. In reality, Governor Kasich had commissioned a task force to study the issue of exotic animal ownership and make recommendations regarding what if any regulations should be adopted. He commissioned that task force in the spring of 2011 – approximately 6 months before the Zanesville incident occurred. Governor Kasich gave the task force a deadline of November 30, 2011, to submit its recommendations to him. The group was literally days away from submitting the final recommendations when the Zanesville incident took place.  The Iddings family is a long-time member of the Ohio Association of Animal Owners (OAAO). Polly Britton, Legislative Agent for the OAAO, was the representative for the exotic animal owners who served on the governor’s task force and kept the Iddings and other OAAO members apprised of what was happening with the Task Force, and later with the legislation and resulting regulations.

| Programs and activities |

There is more to Idle Hour Ranch than a walkabout visit with fancy animals and singing dogs.

The ranch takes donated animals from 4-H kids, which explains why there are some livestock animals mixed in with the other, more exotic, animals on the farm.

“We tell them when we take them in that they’re going to live and die here,” said Brian about the animals brought to him by kids who don’t want their prize stock going to slaughter after the county fairs. “Occasionally, we’ll hear someone say, ‘Hey, that sheep over there looks really bad.’ Well, my grandma looked really bad before she died, too. We make sort of an old folks home for some of the animals.”

There are also pony rides, face painting and a small farm market with animal-made products for sale such as yarn and wool, apparel and gifts, and also food for patrons to feed to the animals as they walk through the ranch. There is a mining sluice for kids to pan for precious stones and the like. This year, a corn maze will be added to the offerings. Idle Hour Ranch offers traveling petting zoos as well, and hosts a great deal of preschools, church groups and field trips on the property. There is also a small children’s play area right in the middle of it all for the youngest animal lovers to bounce around.

“It’s fun,” emphasized Brian. “When the people are here with their big smiles, and they come back and bring their friends, it pumps me up, it’s what keeps us going.”

A visit to the ranch is also a peaceful, relaxing experience. “We’ve actually had people fall asleep in the lounge chairs,” said Brian. Who knows, a visit to Idle Hour may be just the thing to fulfill one or two of the items on your own “bucket list”. It’s close by, in Miami County, and it’s less expensive than the big public zoos. You really ought to come check it out!

Idle Hour Ranch is located at 4845 Fenner Road in Troy. The ranch is open from noon to 6 p.m., Friday through Sunday during the months of June through October. Admission stops at 6 p.m. but there is no real closing time, so visitors are urged to take as much time as they want at the ranch and not feel rushed if they arrive later in the day. Admission for toddlers, two and under, is free; Children, three to 12, is $7; Adults are $10. Weekday group tours are available by appointment only. For more information, visit the website at idle-hourranch.com, email brian@idlehourranch.com or call 937.339.9731 and leave a message. 

Reach DCP freelance writer Emma Jarman at EmmaJarman@DaytonCityPaper.com

Friday, May 17 marks the official start of the outdoor beer festival season with the fourth annual Big Brews and Blues. This event raises money for Diabetes Dayton, a local diabetes advocacy non-profit that helps improve the quality of life for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Big Brews and Blues pairs some of the region’s top local blues talent with craft beers from Ohio and other states in an outdoor, upscale environment (see callout for band line-up and schedule). Each of the six beer stations will feature a flagship beer from an Ohio brewery. In addition, two of the stations will focus solely on self-distributing brands in Ohio. The event is an all-draft tasting, with all beers poured from kegs.

The timing of the event ties in with American Craft Beer Week, a national event promoted by the Brewer’s Association. All beers at Big Brews and Blues will be American craft beers, and the organizers of that event have worked with retail and on-premise organizations throughout the Miami Valley to create specials and promotions throughout the week leading up to the big event on Friday.

The event started four years ago as Fling Fest, a beer tasting and triathlon of indoor and outdoor games: darts, cornhole and disc golf. The idea was to incorporate games that one could play while holding a beer. The event came together in roughly two weeks and was a success. The following year, rebranded as Big Brews and Blues, the event moved to Old River Park – before the University of Dayton purchased the land – and focused on beer, blues and an 18-hole disc golf course. In 2011, Big Brews and Blues moved to its current location at Carillon Park. As the event grew, more space was needed for parking, so the disc golf tourney has become its own event, held north of town each fall.

This year, attendees can look forward to a line-up of all draft beers with a focus on Ohio breweries. As was the case in previous years, guests can redeem multiple tickets for full pours of their favorite beers or can choose smaller samples of a larger variety of styles. In addition, starting at 8 p.m., guests can buy growlers of their favorite remaining beers – the organizers ask that guests do not bring their own growlers, but rather purchase them at the event.

Also new this year are timed tappings that will take place throughout the evening. The timed-release line-up (as of publication date) includes Yellow Springs Brewery’s Bowerbird (a golden strong ale aged on blackberries); Mt Carmel’s Ardennes (a Belgian Quad and the newest addition to their snapshot series); Jackie O’s Mystic Mimosa (brewed with zested grapefruit, orange juice and tangelo); and Great Lakes Rye of the Tiger (the latest addition to GLBC’s hoppy lineup).

Beer geeks will also want to seek out some of the following beers from Ohio and elsewhere, many of which are rarities to find on draft or mark the first tapping in the Dayton market: Elevator Brewing Company’s Big Vic Imperial Mogabi Wheat Ale, Weasel Boy’s Anastasia Russian Imperial Stout, Triple Digit’s Chickow!, Fat Head’s Head Hunter IPA, Anchor Brewing Company’s Flying Cloud San Francisco Stout, Widmer Brothers’ Alchemy Ale, Triton Brewing Company’s Four Barrel Brown and Southern Tier Brewing’s 2X Steam. Cider lovers should hunt down Ace’s Honey Apple Cider. For those interested in learning to brew, stop by the DRAFT table and see their homebrewing demonstrations. As always, beer lists are somewhat subject to change, so look for the details in the event program for a full listing.

In order to understand more about the event and the organization it benefits, DCP sat down to discuss Big Brews and Blues with the event’s two co-chairs – Susan McGovern, Executive Director of Diabetes Dayton, and Dave Boston, proprietor of Boston’s Bistro and Pub. Below are highlights from that conversation.

The proceeds of Big blues and Brews go to
benefit Diabetes Dayton. What is the
mission of this organization?

Diabetes Dayton is a local independent diabetes association. We’re not associated with any of the nationals. That’s a constant challenge to educate people that we are not associated with American Diabetes Association (ADA) or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Both are wonderful organizations, but their missions are different. ADA is advocacy and patient and professional literature; JDRF is research to find a cure. We were actually founded 50 years ago with the main intent to offer Camp for Kids with diabetes because at that time, in 1963, the only option for kids with diabetes was to go to a so-called “crippled children’s camp.” So, a couple of doctors, one of whom was the health commissioner at the time, said, “We want a camp just for kids with type 1 diabetes.” So that’s how this agency was born. We became a Dayton affiliate for the ADA for a while, but then the ADA said that any money raised had to go to the parent organization and we wanted our money to stay here. So, as the need grew, the agency grew. And we now still do the camp – this is the 50th anniversary. We actually started a second camp for kids with type 2, which used to be unheard of, and so now we have two camps going: one for type one and type 2. –Susan McGovern

In addition to the kids’ camps, how else do
you help the local community?

We have supply assistance for people who don’t have insurance, so if they need testing supplies, syringes, etc., we can help with that. Ohio is one of four states that do not mandate coverage for diabetes, so you can be declined. You can have coverage and not have your diabetes covered. So, we have a very active supply assistance program so that we can keep people testing, get people insulin into their bodies. We do free education. Again, if you are not fortunate enough to have insurance and you get diagnosed with this disease and you go to the hospital, they’ll bill you about $650. So, we have free accredited classes so people can get that education. Often times, people will take their one allotted education that is covered [by their private insurance], then want some additional information, so they can come back to [our classes]. We don’t charge. We just want to make sure people get the education to know how to deal with this. So we’ve got supply assistance, free education and the diabetes camps. Our slogan is, “Until there’s a cure, we help you live.” We’re not the research organization; we’re the organization that helps people live with this disease every day. -SM

How did the event get started?

[Diabetes Dayton] didn’t have a signature fundraiser. We tried a couple of things. We tried a walk, but JDRF does a walk, so people were confused. We tried a swim meet but nobody came. We tried Zumba and nobody came. We threw a beer event and 800 people came. People asked why a diabetes association was throwing a beer event. If we were throwing a gala, no one would think anything about it, and there’s plenty of alcohol at a gala. This is a very upscale craft beer tasting with a blues festival. So, it’s very specific. And we placed our event at the end of a national beer week so we could capitalize on that. -SM

How will the event tie into American Craft Beer Week?

The event is focusing on all American craft beers, with a focus on Ohio microbreweries.   -SM

All flagship beers will be Ohio beers; those will be half-barrels of all of those beers that will be the mainstay of each one of the booths. Each one of the sponsors gets one half-barrel of Ohio beer. There will be two Ohio self-distributor craft booths that will be all sixth-barrels, with maybe a firkin thrown in to keep it mixed up. Self-distributors include Dayton Beer Company, Yellow Springs, Jackie O’s, Weasel Boy and possibly Columbus Brewing Company, Barley’s and others. –Dave Boston

Will there be events leading up to the festival?

Because we’ve involved retailers and on-premise, we want to encourage them to have a special event, tapping or pricing related to American Craft Beer Week. The goal is to not have a duplication of what we have at the event; and that we can give customers something that’s a little different. Boston’s is going to incorporate their Thursdays tasting, with a brew school event on Saturday as part of American Craft Beer Week and to bookend the Big Brews and Blues Festival. –DB

The following businesses will be offering special promotions during American Craft Beer week: Boston’s Bistro and Pub, Bee-Gee’s Minit Market, Beef O’Brady’s, Belmont Party Supply, Brewtensils, Bottle 121, City Pub in Capri Lanes, The Filling Station, King’s Table, Milano’s, South Park Tavern, Trolley Stop, Tom’s Deli and Wine Works. They all contributed and are supporting the event with a donation for American Craft Beer Week with us. -SM

Big Brews and Blues takes place Friday, May 17 from 5-9 p.m. at Carillon Park. The event is tented, so it takes place rain or shine. Tickets are $30 each or four for $100 in advance or $35 at the door. Details and tickets (as well as a full list of paper ticket outlets) are available at bigbrewsandblues.com.

Band Lineup

5 p.m.    Joe and Jack Waters

6 p.m.    Them Bones

7 p.m.    Johnny Mack and The Heavyweights

8 p.m.     Big Joe  Blues

Reach DCP freelance writer Kevin J. Gray at KevinGray@daytoncitypaper.com

Amongst the 20,000 residents, 40,000 students, 42,000 employees and 7 million visitors in the Greater Downtown Dayton area, you want to find the one seat that was meant just for you. Whether you’re looking for a delectable meal, a cold drink, an intimate conversation or live music, you’ll find your spot in Dayton’s Historic Oregon Arts District. Experiencing a recent rise in both its business and residential community, the Oregon District has become the foothold from which Dayton will launch itself into a new era of hope and prosperity.

Action of this magnitude needs leaders, and Dr. Michael Ervin, co-chair of both the Downtown Dayton Partnership and the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, is one of those leaders. From his renovated home in the building that once housed the Southern Belle in the Oregon District, Ervin can see all of the potential the Oregon District has to offer rolled out before him.

“I looked around up there and I thought, you know, we’ve got to do something downtown to get things rolling again, and I said the Oregon District is the only place that there is critical mass enough,” said Ervin. “So, I said let’s take this one little street and try and concentrate our efforts here, as opposed to just doing stuff all over town and a little here and a little there. I realized if we try to start an arts district down here we could use that to help revitalize the area.”

Ervin felt so strongly about the potential of the Oregon District that he invested a significant amount of his own money for the efforts. “I used some of that money to develop the website for the Oregon District,” said Ervin. “We started doing promotional activities. We started First Friday Art Hops. All of a sudden, everything started flourishing.”

When entrepreneurs Bob and Lisa Mendenhall expressed interest in opening a bar in the Oregon District, Ervin saw the opportunity to bring in people with an interest in cultivating Dayton’s potential and rally the phoenix out of the ashes.

“I walked Bob and Lisa all around the Oregon District, and of course with Bob you have to be very descriptive,” said Ervin. “Back then it was the days where there were a lot of empty stores and we had this vision that we were going to change all of this. And it worked.”

The Mendenhall family re-invests in the Oregon District with Lily’s Bistro

Four years ago, Bob and Lisa Mendenhall bought up the old Nite Owl space on Fifth Street and opened Blind Bob’s: An American Tavern with their son, Nate. Notwithstanding the recession, or perhaps because of it, Blind Bob’s has become a Dayton success story with their “good food, good beer, great parties” approach to running a bar. By developing their venue to be more conducive to live music, they’ve augmented the local music scene and have played host to a constant rotation of local, national and international shows ever since.

When the space across the street from Blind Bob’s became available, Bob and Lisa jumped at the opportunity to reinvest with a new business, this time with their daughter, Emily. Lily’s Bistro, in the building formerly occupied by Boulevard Haus, will boast seasonal fare, artisanal cocktails and multiple shaded, verdant patios. There’s some work to be done first, though.

“Nate infamously said about Blind Bob’s, ‘Just a little elbow grease and some paint!’ And Lily’s is more of that,” said Emily.

“At least we didn’t have to gut it,” added Lisa, reflecting on the massive undertaking they went through to get Blind Bob’s ready to open.

The Mendenhall’s recruited Mariah Gahagan as their executive chef after meeting her at a benefit held at Blind Bob’s last summer to benefit the staff of the former Sidebar where Mariah had been a chef.

“When Lisa and I interviewed Mariah, it was just a natural fit,” said Emily.

“It just seemed really right,” said Gahagan. “We’re all on the same page. We want to use a lot of local products. Whenever I write a menu, it’s, ‘What do I want to eat? What am I excited about right now?’ Everything that we’re offering will be memorable. It’s very accessible to everyone, but maybe a little different than what you can get elsewhere in the area.”

“It’s fresh, fun, seasonal,” said Emily. “We’re going to do the menu four times a year and change out the beer and the wine and the cocktails to reflect the seasons as well. There’s my wine list, which has been a serious labor of love. I love so many of these big, red wines, but in summer I really want to feature these fun different white and rosé wines. Drinking rosé on the patio, it’s so delicious outside. I’m balancing the stuff that people know and expect with some new things and I that’s the same with the menu. It’s playful.”

They’ve picked a lively place to play. Lily’s will be sharing their corner of Fifth Street with one of the Oregon District’s most time-revered establishments, Oregon Express, along with a fellow newcomer, Salar.

“I think everyone realizes that just bringing more people down here is good for everyone,” said Gahagan. “We’re all very different businesses.”

“We never would have done anything somewhere else,” said Emily. “We like the Oregon District. Everyone has been so helpful and so supportive. We eat at Roost and talk to Dana and Beth. I ask Rob from Thai 9 questions every day. Amy at Jay’s. Everyone is super helpful.”

“It was like that when we did Blind Bob’s, too,” added Lisa.

“It really is becoming our community,” said Emily. “Lisa and Bob were struck by the Oregon District when we moved to Ohio in ’89. Lisa always thought, ‘Oh, I’d love to live here, but I probably never will.’ Now you live here, you have two businesses, you’re such a part of this community. It makes sense to expand more in the community you’re already a part of.”

“We chose to come back to Dayton. We like it!” said Bob.

The Oregon District builds steam and solidifies its reputation as a destination

“Dayton is a tight-knit community — a community that embraces art, small businesses and the community resources,” said Jesy Anderson, co-owner of Sew Dayton. “The city is growing and life has been sprouting up everywhere.”

“You can feel the heart of Dayton when you come to the Oregon District,” said Estevan Loya, owner of Eclectic Essentials. “Here, we’re family-owned businesses, we’re local entrepreneurs. The Oregon District is people from Dayton who are trying to make their dollars work here in the local community.”

“With the opening of three new restaurants and a brewery, we hope to see the Oregon District become much more of a vibrant destination in the region,” said Harry Trubounis, proprietor of the soon-to-open Salar Restaurant and Lounge.

“We hope to contribute by bringing the rich heritage of brewing back to Dayton after more than 60 years without a brewery,” said Shane Juhl, Brewmaster and General Manager of Toxic Brew Company. “By establishing a local craft brewery, we will add to the other great destination spots in the Oregon District. We have received great support from most of the businesses and residents of the Oregon District, from encouraging words to letters of support and even tidbits of business advice and knowledge of the Oregon District.”

“We are new to the Oregon District,” said Jim Collins, owner of Gem City Tattoo Club. “Quite a few folks stopped in and welcomed us.”

“The community is full of independents who really invest both their time and money into the city,” said Drew Trick, owner of Lucky’s Taproom and Eatery. “It is not only a matter of making a living, but bettering the services and options available in Dayton.”

“I thought I was going to ride bikes and work in a bike shop,” said Alex Staiger, who took over Omega Music together with his brother, Greg, after their father passed away in 2010. “But I wanted to help out and help my dad succeed at the store.”

“We moved to Dayton from Boston almost five years ago,” said Amelia O’Dowd, co-owner with Brian Eastman of BRIM hat shop. “In Boston, we could never have afforded to buy a house, buy a commercial building or open a business — let alone all three. This city is very affordable. It’s a real crossroads for music and culture, which makes for a lot of diversity in a small, manageable city. There are a lot of things that Dayton doesn’t have right now, but much of what we don’t have indicates an appetite. I tell people all the time that Dayton is for dreamers. If you have a big idea, if there is something you want that another city has, if you see a void, these are signs of things we need. The cost is low; this is a city where you can afford to chase down your dreams. That doesn’t mean it will be easy. It will be hard work, but more often than not if you want it, chances are there is probably an appetite for it in Dayton and if you get out there and do it, the community will reward you.”

“In a creative, funky way, we’re figuring out commerce and how it comes alive,” said Ervin.

“We’re celebrating 30 years in September,” said Joe Bavarro, owner of Oregon Express Bar and Restaurant. “We were the young guys on the block. Now we’re the old guys on the block. One of the reasons we’re still down here is the people who come in. We have great customers. They’re like family.”

“Various Bonnett family members have lived in the Oregon District continuously since the ‘40s, so we’re part of both the business and residential communities,” said Kevin Bonnett, owner of Bonnett’s Book Store. “We do what neighbors do – keep an eye out for trouble, shop local, ask for a ride to the grocery when the car is broken down. We always try to support the Oregon District as a whole. I think everyone else here does the same.”

 ARCADE LIBRARY COVER STORY: PART A

By Paul Noah
Publisher, Dayton City Paper

Just after the $187 million library levy passed, Hollywood storyboard artist and long-time friend J. Todd Anderson met with me in early December 2012 and insisted I permit him to proceed and author his fanciful Dayton Arcade Library cover story finally published on March 5 of this year.  Prior to then, none of us at the Dayton City Paper had any contact whatsoever with the Montgomery County Library board of directors or Dayton Arcade owner Gunther Berg.

“Are you serious?” was all that was eloquently asked by Mr. Berg in an email to J. Todd the next day, March 6. I spoke with Gunther Berg for the first time the day after that and have since learned much about him and his world-class team of architects and developers. In addition to clarifying facts, I have also learned and have personally concluded there is much myth and misconception in this region about Gunther Berg.

What is not myth is since purchasing the Dayton Arcade four years ago, Mr. Berg’s group has accrued over $300,000 in unpaid property related taxes, in addition to having allowed the façade of part of the five-building complex at the corner of Fourth and Ludlow Streets to decay to the point that the City of Dayton had to barricade the sidewalks below for safety reasons. The good news is all of the above is now in remedy process with City of Dayton.

Beyond minor nuisances the city argues exist within the Arcade, the buildings are structurally sound and renovation-ready. We have learned there is nothing current technology cannot permit for the Arcade renovation.

J. Todd told an interesting story in March, and to follow is a no-holds-barred interview with Gunther Berg.  However, we feel it is important to express our vision of the necessary timeline to resurrect the Dayton Arcade beyond its former glory, to thrive in perpetuity as the new home of the Dayton Metro Library’s main branch.

Shortly after our March 5 cover story, Dayton Metro Library director Tim Kambitsch agreed to listen if I returned with a solid argument as to how the Arcade could be a viable alternative to their current library reconstruction plan. I ended the conversation commenting, “I’m Dorothy, you’re the wizard and I will bring back the witch’s broom,” determined to present what I had come to learn as to how the Arcade Library concept could work.

On April 17, I “brought back the broom” as I stood in front of the Dayton Metro Library Board of Trustees’ public meeting and challenged them to temporarily press the “pause” button on their current Downtown Dayton main branch plan and to consider an amazing – but more importantly, realistic – alternative location option, an historic building that would cost significantly less than the current $67 million plan that would also serve as the catalyst for the continued revitalization of Downtown Dayton: The Dayton Arcade Library.

My motivation logic was simple: the premise behind last November’s library levy was flawed in that no prior comprehensive study was ever engaged in to consider such alternate historic building options. Therefore, their patrons were never given a true, viable historic location option in their surveys. Based on what I have learned about current technology, there is nothing in the levy language that cannot be fulfilled by a Dayton Arcade Library.  And finally, it can be done for significantly less cost, be cheaper to maintain over time and survive longer than any new building construction.

Further, Mayoral candidate A.J. Wagner pointed out at this meeting a mechanism where the spending deadline related to the recent sale of library bonds can be extended for a short period of time without legally compromising the process.

How much time? Only 90 days. We wholeheartedly believe there is no harm in asking the Library Board of Trustees to grant 90 days to conduct a comprehensive study to consider the Dayton Arcade as a viable historic building location. And finally, this study will be privately funded where no taxpayer money will be spent in this process. Therefore, why not?

The following five steps are the “Road Map” toward the future Dayton Arcade Library:

STEP 1: The public demands Library Board support.
Please agree to a quick, hard look. We need a fair, honest crack at this that includes key premises:

a.     Time – Give us a reasonable time period to test out the Arcade Library feasibility – no more than 90 days.

b.     Information – The library and its consultant team needs to provide the complete, current and transparent set of background information on the current library program including but not limited to all specifications, code requirements, the planning process to date, budget, etc.

c.      Cooperation – The library staff and consultant team should be available to the Arcade planning team to work side by side and to always act and respond with transparent due diligence.

STEP 2: A volunteer advisory committee must be formed.
I have no doubt the Montgomery County community can summon up great, bold leaders to volunteer and step to the plate – within days if necessary – to form an Arcade Library Advisory Committee for the purpose of acquiring a broad range of public perspectives in the planning process and to build community support.

STEP 3: A study planning team must be created with Library Board approval.
There is a company called The Dayton Arcade Development Group (DADG) that will assemble a world-class study/planning team to conduct the study. DADG will also pay for this study! DADG will offer their suggestions of persons of world-class caliber to make up the final five-member study planning team. No suggested study planning team candidate can become a member of this exclusive five-member team without final approval by an appointed representative of the Library Board of Trustees. Given his role in the current library plan, the Dayton City Paper suggests the Board of Trustees select Mr. John Fabelo of LWC of Dayton to represent the Board of Trustees in the study planning team selection process by personally approving the final five DADG suggested team members.

The roles of the five key study planning team members are as follows:

1.     Library Consultant

2.     Planner/Architect – More specifically, someone experienced at public facilities and who especially has a strong track record of adaptive reuse of historic buildings.

3.     Construction Estimator – Someone with a proven track record of providing accurate cost estimates for adaptive reuse of historic buildings.

4.     Finance advisor – Someone with a clear track record of experience at creative public and private finance, historic tax credits, etc.

5.     Development Manager

STEP 4: Timeline and budget 

DADG will ultimately need to put together a detailed process schedule, timeline and budget. It is my understanding the study cost will be at least $50,000. However, even if the final cost exceeds $100,000, I have been promised by the Dayton Arcade Development Group – as they have also told the Dayton Daily News – they are completely committed to going forward and paying for this entire study process! There will be no taxpayer cost for this study whatsoever!

STEP 5: Deliverables 

The study planning team will deliver the final report within 90 days to the Board of Trustees. The report will consist of five comprehensive target topic answers:

a.      The complete concept plan – This plan will identify how the Arcade will meet every library program, including – but not limited to – code, specification, use and other promises found in the levy. It will also include solutions for what to do with the old main library branch.

b.      A conceptual budget and financing plan – A comprehensive roadmap will be laid out in terms of how the Arcade Library project will be financed, including historic credits and more, yielding a final cost significantly less than the $67 million dollars currently slated for the downtown main branch.

c.      The catalytic impact plan – This will be a summary of direct and indirect benefits in Downtown Dayton and surrounding communities.

d.      Models for comparison – Examples will be presented of other successful library adaptive reuse projects, such as Fort Piqua. There are over a dozen rock-solid, similar examples, including public libraries in Boston and New York.

e.      The schedule – The schedule as to how this project can move forward will be as clearly laid out.

The report from Step 5 above will show the Dayton Arcade Library plan will work. Or it won’t.  The Library Board of Trustees should have no fear of waiting no more than 90 days for that report.

Finally, we are so confident the above road map is comprehensive, we invite anyone to poke holes in it as long as you are specifically telling us why fulfilling steps 1 through 5 isn’t a correct road map toward an appropriate final report. You’re certainly welcome to argue against the Arcade Library solution itself if you wish. However, what we’re specifically inviting here are arguments against the structural integrity of the road map itself – and nothing more – from anyone with true industry-related qualifications, experience, expertise and authority.
If you believe the above road map is worthwhile, please sign our petition at DaytonCityPaper.com/ArcadeLibrary.

Reach DCP Publisher Paul Noahat publisher@DaytonCityPaper.com

This year’s auction features 118 artworks by local artists. “Good food, adult beverages and art. What more could a person want,” said audience member Linda Lombard. A long time supporter of DVAC, Lombard has attended the auction every year since its beginning. “There seem to be auctions at almost every event, but there is nothing like the DVAC auction,” she said. “Regional working artists provide an amazing array of art in almost every medium. The number of works and the quality are not matched at any other auction event.”

The Dayton Visual Arts Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the region’s visual arts community. Eva Buttacavoli, DVAC’s executive director, is excited about the quality and diversity of the artwork. “The work is stunning this year,” she said. Buttacavoli handpicked several of the donated works during studio visits with contributing artists. “There is always something new to see, something fresh and creative,” she said.

Pat Antonick, an artist known for her sculptures and textiles, was unsure of which piece to donate. Through a studio visit, Buttacavoli was able to recommend an artwork that would offer a fresh perspective to the auction audience. The selected artwork is an acrylic painting of flat abstracted forms, striking in its perspective, geometry and mid-range palette. “It was stunning. The palette is very fresh, but what struck me most of all is that people know Pat’s work – large-scale quilts and found object sculptures – but this was so different that it will excite and surprise people who know her work,” Buttacavoli said.

Emerging and established artists contributed a variety of media, subject matter and price ranges. Stand-out works are plentiful and include a fiery red landscape by Pam Adams with an opening bid of $120, a paper sculpture by Yasue Sakoaka starting at $60, a bronze necklace featuring an abstract red stone pendant by David Brand at $210, a color collage of a levitating log cabin over a river by Jud Yalkut at $180 and an acrylic painting of geometric forms by John Laird opening at $60. These pieces, along with approximately 100 more, will be a part of the event’s silent auction, taking place all night.

Buttacavoli emphasized the quality of the artists participating. “These are professional, hardworking artists in our community that are continuously honing their skills through attending workshops, classes, residencies, networking and continuing a dialogue about their artwork with other artists,” she said. These skills are further developed at the auction, in which participating artists reach an audience of over 600 viewers and buyers, network with collectors and fellow artists and get feedback on their artwork.

One of the most entertaining and adrenaline-pumping parts of the evening is the live auction. This year’s event features a dozen works, including a dense floral charcoal drawing by Jennifer Rosengarten, a glass piece by Thomas Chapman, mixed-media works by Amy Deal, Ron Hundt and Aka Pereyma, prints by Kazuko Radtke and Katherine Kadish, oil paintings by M.B. Hopkins and Beth Duke, a wood piece Tom Keen and acrylic paintings by Richard Mantia and Betsie Molinsky.

Dayton-area artist Jean Koeller has been involved with DVAC since its inception in 1991 and has participated in the auction almost every year since. “I feel like the auction is one time that a lot of people come out and see artists work. It’s a good event and it’s growing,” she said. “There is a certain quality of work that is always there.”

Koeller, whose numerous commissions, group shows, presence in private and public collections, artist awards and her commercial gallery representation has established her as a significant regional artist, is an advocate for DVAC and the opportunities it has given her. “I believe in DVAC’s mission,” she said. “DVAC is artist-centric and is invested in working with artists; that shows in the quality of the work.” Koeller also has seen DVAC help her career. “I’ve gotten opportunities through DVAC…They keep my name out there – I don’t know how else to do that without them,” she said. “I appreciate DVAC keeping artists motivated and supported.” Koeller’s contribution each year is a way to express her gratitude and keep the organization’s support for artists going strong.

The auction is an event open to everyone, including those who have not previously collected art or those intimidated by the bidding experience. To ensure all guests have a positive experience, the DVAC staff are organizing a series of lead-up educational events as well as training a team of volunteers whose expertise will be available during the auction. Approximately 70 volunteers will be on hand throughout the space, and the silent auction will have dedicated volunteers with a deep knowledge of the artists and the artwork available to answer questions and help navigate the process of participating.

Rich Barker, a photographer living in downtown Dayton and an auction volunteer, became active in the Dayton Visual Arts Center a year ago when DVAC, Rosewood Arts Center and the Springfield Museum of Art presented a series of artist development talks titled Getting in the Game. Barker and his partner, Rachel Dillabaugh, have been volunteering at DVAC since. “It opened our eyes,” he said. “We were just making art for ourselves and then we realized that we could make a career out of it and be a part of a larger artists community; I didn’t realize that was an option.” He has benefited from connecting with other artists, buyers and being more involved in Dayton’s creative community. Barker has made relationships with other art organizations and now participates in events with the Dayton Circus Collective and assists in managing the darkroom at Rosewood Arts Centre. “We like giving back to the community and promoting local artists,” he said.

DVAC’s mission is to support artists and their community in the region. Most artists chose to donate their proceeds to DVAC, choosing to support the nonprofit. “This is our family – it’s a mutually supportive relationship,” she said. DVAC operates on a modest budget, a majority of which is allocated to programming and exhibitions for local artists; essentially, proceeds from the auction cycle right back into supporting the artists. Every dollar counts, and even the artworks that fetch a modest price – a deal for the lucky winning audience member – still have a huge impact on DVAC’s future health. “Let me tell you how far we can make $200 go!” said Buttacavoli.

Koeller, who has gallery representation and a strong collector base, has seen her work go for less than it would in a commercial environment. “It’s hard to predict how much something will sell for; you have to let go. It’s important for DVAC, and it is more funding than they would have otherwise; every little bit counts.”

To gear up for the event, Buttacavoli is leading Art Fitness Training, a guidance session for anyone that would like help easing into having conversations about contemporary artwork. “Art Fitness Training will be a fun, interactive way for people to learn what to look for in a work of art, how to build a collection, how to talk about their art purchase with their friends, how to assess a ‘good’ piece and what value they should put on it – in other words, how to make informed decisions at the auction and get that much more fun out of the event,” Buttacavoli said. The Art Fitness Training is free and takes place on Wednesday, April 24 from 6 – 8 p.m.

Everyone can have an impact on Dayton’s visual arts – whether a donating artist, a buyer or an observer, participation is what sustains Dayton’s legacy and future in the visual arts. For over two decades, the Dayton Visual Arts Center has succeeded in building bridges between artists and the community and the continued success of the annual art auction is proof of these accomplishments. Celebrate Dayton arts on April 26 at the 19th Annual Dayton Visual Arts Center Art Auction or stop by the Dayton Visual Arts Center to preview select auction artworks through April 24. Grab your wallet and make your bid!

The 19th Annual Dayton Visual Arts Center Art Auction takes place on Friday, April 26 at the Ponitz Center at Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St. The silent auction begins at 6:30 p.m. and the live auction begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $50 for DVAC members or $65 general admission. Visit the Auction Preview exhibition at DVAC through Wednesday, April 24, at 118 N. Jefferson St. in Dayton or visit dvacartauction.com. Call DVAC at 937.224.3822 for more information. 

The best film festivals offer attendees an experience beyond merely paying to watch a film on a big screen in a packed house. Films can transport us to other places and states of mind, but a festival screening does the impossible – it inserts us into multiple places all seemingly at once. We watch from the seats, we sit in the cockpits of planes, drivers’ seats of cars in freeway chases and, then – thanks to filmmaker Q&A’s – we can get inside the heads of directors, behind the lens with cinematographers, in discussions with producers and film editors.

No one understands this better than Ron Kaplan, founder and director of Reel Stuff Aviation Resources LLC, which contracts with the Air Force Museum Foundation Inc. to produce the Reel Stuff Aviation Film Festival. Kaplan worked on the Air Force Museum staff, even serving as executive director. He has produced the museum’s annual Hall of Fame induction and enshrinement ceremony celebrating the top aviators, and from 2008-2010 produced a Reel Stuff Film Festival as a fundraising event for the foundation with screenings throughout the Dayton community that reached out to community sponsors.

His latest partnership with the AFM Foundation, the First Annual Reel Stuff Film Festival of Aviation, kicks off on Thursday, April 11 and continues through Sunday, April 14, with Kaplan curating a program featuring 12 films – some with multiple screening opportunities. But the added benefit is a stellar collection of 14 presenters who will be on hand to introduce the films and be available afterward for extensive follow-up sessions where audiences will have the chance, DVD-bonus-features style, to get answers to questions surrounding the subjects and/or the filmmaking process, which with aviation films is an open-horizon that few outside the fields of either flight or cinematography can fathom on their own.

Kaplan lives and breathes this stuff, both the real and the reel. Between the annual festivals, he scours the world for films on flight, tracking down multiple copies of films in a variety of formats to discover the optimum presentation for audiences. The true talent though is not just in finding that one DVD, which fulfills the promise of quality, but Kaplan also manages the daunting task of maintaining an extensive network of filmmakers, festival programmers, distributers and fans around the world.

And thanks to cultivating such relationships, the festival’s first day will include a special, non-military aviation treat, the Midwest premiere of “First in Flight,” a Wright brothers dramatization presented by director Brandon Hess and producer Tara Tucker. Tucker is the filmmaking daughter of famed airshow pilot Sean Tucker, and as the story from Kaplan goes, when Hess approached Tara to work on “First in Flight,” he wasn’t even aware of the Tucker connection. Now, fortunately, audiences will have the chance to hear them spin the tale of the film’s birth and find out other fascinating tidbits about their alternative perspective on the Wright brothers.

There will be a presentation of William Wellman’s silent classic, “Wings,” the first film to win a Best Picture Academy Award. Wellman’s son, William Wellman Jr., a noted historian and actor on both the big (“Black Caesar” and “It’s Alive”) and small screen (everything from “The Brady Bunch” to “CSI”), will be in attendance for this digitally remastered exhibition.

For those who missed the recent one-week only release of Paramount Picture’s 3-D “Top Gun,” have no fear. Reel Stuff offers two opportunities to catch it in all of its larger-than-life detail. The first screening (April 13 at 6:30 p.m.) will feature Clay Lacy – the film’s aerial cinematographer – as well as Barry Sandrew, the founder and CCO/CTO of Legend 3-D, the company that converted the film into the dynamic 3-D format, which also combines giant screen and high-definition capacity. “Top Gun” is one of those titles with the broadest of crossover appeal. Directed by the late Tony Scott, the movie set the bar not only for its aerial sequences, but it helped to usher in a stylistic movement that embraced music and music video elements to the more traditional action-oriented fare of its day, and it cemented the presence of Tom Cruise in the Hollywood pantheon.

For the real/reel aviation buffs though, the likely centerpiece of the schedule might be the back-to-back events on Saturday afternoon revolving around the Memphis Belle. Oscar winner William Wyler’s original film (1944) documenting the legendary B-17 aircraft, which happens to be undergoing a full restoration at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, screens at 12:30 p.m. Wyler’s daughter, Catherine, performs double duty, presenting both her father’s film and the 1990 “Memphis Belle” feature film from Warner Brothers, which she helped to produce.

Another aspect that separates this year’s Reel Stuff Film Festival is that the event is undergoing a significant bit of rebranding. The 2013 edition is the First Annual run in what is expected to be the festival’s new home at the Air Force Museum Theatre on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. This kick-off also serves as the grand reopening of the theater following an $800,000 face-lift for the giant-screen space which seats 400.

Mary Bruggeman, the theater operations chief, proudly trumpets the many enhancements to the theater which will make it a destination for aviation enthusiasts and fans of film for years to come. Careful consideration went into the renovation plan to capitalize on the current and anticipated technology in terms of digital projection and large-screen formats, but just as much attention was paid to the museum’s focus on education and entertainment programming options.

Digital technology fuels the industry, and confounds the purists who fear the end of the era of film projection, but from both an exhibition perspective and a growing rationale based on efficiency, digital just makes common and business sense. The two-projector system used at the theater features crisp 4K images that can be drawn from content on specially formatted hard drives (that are the size of a DVD case rather than huge platters of film which were costly to ship and set up), DVD or Blu-Ray, or even directly from a laptop with the appropriate connecting cables. These expanded options mean not only greater availability overall for content, but also much reduced rental and licensing rates for the premium level titles that might premiere at the museum theater and settle in for longer runs.

This guarantees, for Bruggeman, that the theater will be able to plan and implement programming for families and the aviation enthusiasts with greater ease. While leading a recent walk through, for example, she name-checked the 2008 3-D animated feature “Fly Me to the Moon” as a possibility for a weekend family feature and it would indeed be a fun selection, especially if paired with something like the Georges Méliès short “A Trip to the Moon” from 1902. Film programming is trickier for Bruggeman though because unlike with the festival, screenings end up competing for time with the museum’s other offerings. But the mind reels over the potential.

Of course, the main attraction is the theater itself, which, thanks to the collaboration with D3-D Cinema, can handle higher frame rates – like the format seen in “The Hobbit” – along with the true 4K/3-D playback options that push the theater’s capabilities beyond those of most mainstream multiplexes. Eighteen speakers line the sides and back of the theater with separate clusters – with subwoofers – in each corner as well as behind the screen. No doubt, audiences will be able to feel takeoffs and aerial sequences like never before. Accessibility features are also available – hearing impaired and visually impaired audio devices and individual closed captioning.

The walk-through included a special sneak peek of the space, a test drive of both the facility and the digital projectors. All of the technical specifications melt away in the face of the shock and awe of the spectacle. The 60-foot by 80-foot screen – the installation of which involved knocking a hole in the side of the building just to get it inside – is larger than most of the current film formats available, but given time, the industry will no doubt catch up. Until then, nothing is lost as the frames are letter-boxed. The images are as crisp and vivid, especially those transferred and remastered from black and white prints. The first two rows of seats were removed to allow for a larger presentation stage, which means that, from a viewing perspective, there’s really not a bad seat in the entire house. Whether second row front-and-center or from the back row, audiences will not have to strain or stretch one bit.

While discussing the wide range of programming options available for an aviation film festival, it became apparent that Reel Stuff is not simply an annual event exclusively linked to our region. Kaplan’s vision is intriguingly in line with that of the ReelAbilities, which has a home festival base in New York, but now partners with groups in 13 cities across the country – Visionaries+Voices and Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled (LADD) just teamed up to host a festival in Cincinnati – to promote the arts and artists in the disabilities community. And in each city, there’s a different theme or focus, which guides the development of that region’s film program.

Aviation offers a similar kind of open-framed approach. The sky’s the limit and while so much of the film programming Kaplan has put together over the last few years has been U.S.-specific, he’s finding that he’s fielding more and more inquiry from abroad, an untapped source, waiting to perhaps trigger international partnerships and festival opportunities. The first steps though might open an exchange for regional audiences to discover stories of flight from sister cities and/ or fraternal connections with aviation clubs seeking new horizons. But for now, this first flight in the new home appears to be ready for a smooth takeoff.

The First Annual Reel Stuff Film Festival takes place Thursday, April 11 through Sunday, April 14 at the Nation Museum of the Unied States Air Force, 1100 Spaatz St. For more Reel Stuff information and festival updates, visit airforcemuseum.com/reelstuff or reelstufffilmfest.com. 

Reach DCP film critic T.T. Stern-Enzi at Film@DaytonCityPaper.com

Schedule of events

Reach DCP freelance writer Mark Luedtke at MarkLuedtke@daytoncitypaper.com

My overeager feet nearly trip themselves. The parking lot at the Nutter Center feels like a vast ocean and I am anxious to reach the horizon. Charging forward, the air is abuzz with excitement. I pass a guy with green hair smoking a cigarette casually talking to a zombie. Through the doors, the volume is turned up several notches. I am immediately in line. In front of me there is a man in his 50s having a very serious debate over “Batman Year One” with his pre-teen son. Behind me is Wonder Woman who’s stoked about the guest list. Suddenly, a very tall and threatening Darth Vader walks past me. He is followed by four Storm Troopers in military formation. Here I can geek out with excitement and have no fear of judgment. For I am amongst my people, and my people are totally awesome.

Gem City Comic Con (GCCC) is Dayton, Ohio’s largest comic book convention. This year, the action will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 23 and 24. For the first time, the 2013 GCCC will be held this year at the Ervin J. Nutter Center in Fairborn. In years past, GCCC had been held directly on the Wright State University campus. This move to a larger venue speaks for the growth of the event.

Daytonians have been known to travel thousands of miles to attend comic book conventions, spending hours on end to create the perfect costume and stand in line for ages with the dedication of only the most extreme devotees. But, surprisingly, a lot of these local people do not know about Gem City Comic Con. This convention, which is held right here in our backyard, has been steadily growing year by year.

Nine years ago, Jesse Noble had been like any other local comic book enthusiast. He was tired of having to travel so far to get to the nearest comic book convention. One day, on a whim, Noble bought a huge collection of comics – this was a good deal for the money, but it was also an absurdly large amount. Having more comics than he needed, Noble decided to get rid of that stash the fun way: he decided to run a convention. Already working for Wright State University, he had access to the perfect venue and thus Gem City Comic Con was born.

Noble had been to comic book conventions before. From this he was able to see and learn from the mistakes of others. “I wanted the con to be about comics first,” said Noble. He intentionally steered away from big-named guests who tend to steal the focus at these events. Anyone who comes to GCCC as a guest is always working in comics somehow and they are not presented as the main focus of the convention. Some of the more noted guests might get their own panel for questions from fans, but out on the promotional floor all tables are created equal. It’s up to the individuals to present themselves and their work.

For the last eight years, GCCC had been held on the Wright State campus using the Student Union. This is made up of several large banquet halls and a few smaller rooms. For one weekend a year, here you could find comics for sale from both local vendors and outside collectors. There were artists displaying their work and trying to get word out about their projects. They had card tournaments and celebrity artists signing autographs. In the side rooms you’d find discussion panels about different art techniques, Q & A sessions or maybe lectures about breaking into the biz. All around this would flow eager fans, many of them dressed in full costume. These dedicated comic book supporters are the driving force behind the growth of this con.

The coolest thing about GCCC is that the fans themselves lead the direction of the convention. “This is the fans’ show, I’m just a custodian,” laughed Noble. It is the fans who push for certain artists and series. These fans are the ones who determine which events are more popular than others. It’s about what the fans want … and the fans want more.

“We have doubled our sellers, quadrupled our artists and we add about two new guests every year,” said Noble. Within these years, they’ve extended the card tournament, filled up both the selling room and the artists’ alley, as well as added more panels, including Comic Book Jeopardy. “I’d say we’ve increased a thousand percent compared to that very first year,” Noble estimated.

There are some big and exciting changes in store for this year’s convention, which will be taking place on the first floor of the Nutter Center. “The Student Union worked well, except we outgrew it,” Noble said. “The new move was always our goal. This jump to the Nutter Center is part of the natural evolution. It’s been a slow but steady growth.”

This year, with the new, larger location, GCCC will be hosting its first ever costume contest. “People have been showing up in costumes every year since it started, but this is the first year where we actually had the space to host a contest,” said Noble. There will be a contest for adults on Saturday and one for children on Sunday. Both of these will be judged by the professional costumer Phoenix Kasai.

This new location has also allowed space for 50 new exhibitors who are selling top-notch work cheaply while trying to get exposure. The Nutter Center has allowed for double the amount of panels from previous years. Some of these panels, “give you the unique opportunity to sit in a semi-intimate environment where you can ask questions to your favorite creators,” said Noble. “On Saturday, about half of the panels will be devoted to ‘Learning With Pictures’ which is a teacher-operated program that aims to help children learn through graphic art.”

The very popular “Magic The Gathering” card tournament, hosted by Bell, Book and Comic, has added one-third more seating thanks to this new location. This year promises to have upped the quality of the prizes as well. “[Wizards of the Coast, who publish ‘Magic The Gathering’] are officially supporting the tournament,” said Noble. This should mean some seriously cool prizes for tournament winners. There will be several “Magic the Gathering” competitions running consistently throughout Saturday starting at 11 a.m.  For Sunday, there will be some alternative games such as “Heroclix” and “Fantasy Flight-Star Wars” at 1 p.m., followed by Yu-Gi-Oh at 2 p.m.

Considering all this, it’s fair to say that what had started as an attempt to sell some comics has turned into quite the undertaking. With all the organizing, work and stress, why keep doing it? What makes it all worth it?

“My Dad always works the door for me. Every year he says that we didn’t advertise so nobody will come … But then every year we find a line of people waiting for the doors to open.” People who are eager, excited and grateful for a comic book convention in Dayton, Ohio. Noble also enjoys seeing the people in costumes, which had not been expected at first, as there had never been an official costume contest prior to this year. “The enthusiasm of the fans is what really keeps it going,” Noble said.

There has also been some success from exposure for artists who had started with displaying at GCCC early in their careers. “It’s extremely rewarding when people come back after they’ve made it, like artist Sean Foley. He’s a professional illustrator who started independent, but now works for Marvel. Seeing him reap the rewards of his hard work and the fact that he comes back every year is gratifying,” said Noble.

As you might imagine, one of the benefits of running a convention is that you get to hang out with the guests behind the scenes. “Over dinner Saturday, we all get together to eat and talk about books, etc. You get an idea of the behind-the-scenes workings, which is really cool. Some of the older guests can talk about the legends from the heyday of Marvel who they knew and worked with,” said Noble. “Chris Claremont came one year and told a story about talking to Stan Lee about a new adding a new character to ‘X-Men.’ That character became Wolverine.”

Something that is extra special to Noble is the Hero’s Initiative auction. This will be a live charity auction Saturday from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. It will be hosted by Frank Raynor and Bill Gladman in Berry Room 2 at the Nutter Center as part of the event. “Artists have donated original artwork for the cause and it’s run by official members of the organization,” explained Noble. Hero’s Initiative aims to help creators in need. “They assist retired artists and writers who have no health care, as well as current creators [who fall into trouble],” said Noble. Josh Meters, one of Noble’s friends from Columbus, had been an up-and-comer getting published for Top Cow books when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. “Hero’s Initiative helped Josh financially and even assisted him in finding work when his health began to improve. He got a gig with Death Dealer thanks to them,” said Noble. With the rate of growth for this convention it is fair to be worried that it might eventually outgrow our city altogether. I’ve seen that happen before with other conventions that ultimately ended up in bigger cities. Noble assured me, “This is Dayton’s convention. We are technically outside of the city right now but we have no intention of ever leaving the Miami Valley.” So rest assured, Gem City Comic Con is all ours and it’s not going anywhere.

This is a convention for my people, the people of Dayton. We demanded, we deserved and every year it grows larger. I asked Noble about his hopes for the future of this convention. “To be consistently better,” he said. “Few more guests, more attendee pop culture fans.”

I’ll openly admit to being a geek and I’ll also let loose that I’ve been to more than my share of conventions. I fully understand Noble’s frustration nine years ago at Dayton’s complete lack of comic book conventions. I respect his ambition at starting a convention himself and I admire his success thus far. Jesse Noble has done something Dayton had only dreamed of for so long. “This convention competes with Columbus, Pittsburgh and Chicago,” Noble said. “Here we are front and center, Dayton, Ohio.”

Gem City Comic Con takes place March 23-24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ervin J. Nutter Center, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway in Fairborn. Admission is $15 for the full weekend or $8 for a one-day pass. For more information, visit gemcitycomiccon.com.