Mid-September & October 2026: New
Restaurants and Events Across the
Dayton Area.
By Jason White
The first wave of September events is already in the rearview mirror, and the rest of the month plus October is packed across the greater Dayton area and every suburb I serve. New restaurants are landing in Centerville, Dayton, and the UD corridor, while the fall festival calendar from Tipp City to Fairborn, Xenia, Vandalia, Bellbrook, and Springboro is as full as I have seen it in years.
In this edition: Currito opening on the Miamisburg-Centerville Road corridor, Daily Dose Caffè in the Wright-Dunbar District, and Wat Da Pho Express near the University of Dayton. On the events front: the Sister Cities of Vandalia Oktoberfest, Hairborn in Fairborn, a Beer Fest and Hot Diggity Dog Fest at The Greene, the Tipp City Mum Festival, the Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest, the Lucas Brothers Fall Festival in Bellbrook, Centerville Fall Fest, the Great Ohio Toy Show and Fall Festival in Xenia, the Vandalia Fall Festival, and October Halloween lineups in Fairborn, Xenia, and Springboro.
Here is everything fresh I have not covered before.
New Restaurants and Grand Openings
Currito Opens in Centerville
A new build-your-own burrito and bowl spot has opened along the Miamisburg-Centerville Road corridor at 1024 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, right on the Centerville and Washington Township line. Currito shows up on the newest-restaurants lists for the Dayton area this September, bringing fresh, made-to-order burritos, bowls, and wraps to one of the busiest dining corridors in the southern suburbs. It is a quick, affordable stop for lunch or dinner that the neighborhood has been waiting for.
Daily Dose Caffè: Wright-Dunbar District
A welcome new coffee shop opened this summer in Dayton's Wright-Dunbar District, the west-side neighborhood where the Wright brothers built their first bicycles. Daily Dose Caffè comes from the people behind Yellow Springs Baking Company, and it brings coffee, pastries, and breakfast to a stretch of historic homes and studios that has needed a daily anchor. If you are exploring the district or heading to the Air Force Museum, it is a great place to start the day.
Wat Da Pho Express Near the University of Dayton
Over on Brown Street in the University of Dayton corridor, Wat Da Pho Express is one of the newest Vietnamese spots in the city. Pho, banh mi, and rice plates at student-friendly prices add another solid option near campus, and it has been showing up on the newest-restaurants lists in Dayton this September. For students, young professionals, and anyone catching a game at UD, it is worth a try.
More Coming: Zaxby's First Push Into Ohio
Zaxby's, the Georgia-based chicken chain known for its signature sauces and fried pickles, is pushing into Ohio with a multi-location expansion that includes the Dayton market. The company has announced a broader build-out across Cincinnati, Dayton, and Columbus, and Dayton-area sites are in development. As soon as a location is confirmed here, I will be first to write it up.
From Currito in Centerville to Wat Da Pho Express near UD, new places are landing across the greater Dayton area to start the fall season.
Events on the Calendar This Month and Next
Sister Cities of Vandalia Oktoberfest: September 11-12
Vandalia kicks off the fall season early with the Sister Cities of Vandalia Oktoberfest at the Vandalia Sports Complex, Friday 6 p.m. to midnight and Saturday noon to midnight. Beer, brats, and live music make it a proper early-October-style celebration right in Vandalia, and it is a fun way to get friends together before the big festival weekends.
Hairborn: September 18 in Fairborn
Hairborn is a free rock block party on Fairborn's Main Street from 4 to 10 p.m. Live local rock bands, food trucks, and downtown Fairborn in September. It is a relaxed, family-friendly way to spend a Friday evening right next to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Beer Fest & Hot Diggity Dog Fest at The Greene: September 19
On Saturday, September 19, The Greene in Beavercreek hosts a same-day double-header: a beer fest and the Hot Diggity Dog Fest with creative hot dogs, live music, and plenty of outdoor seating. It lands on Air Force Marathon weekend, so it is a great post-race stop for runners, families, and anyone shopping at the open-air center.
Friday Night Flicks at Russ Nature Reserve: September 25
Greene County Parks & Trails brings a free outdoor movie night to Russ Nature Reserve in Beavercreek on Friday, September 25. This month's feature is Lilo & Stitch, shown on a screen in the woods. Bring a blanket, grab popcorn, and enjoy a family movie night under the trees before the evenings turn cold.
Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest: September 25-27
The Dayton Art Institute's Oktoberfest is one of the most anticipated weekends on the fall calendar, running September 25-27 on the museum grounds at 456 Belmonte Park North. Three days of craft and import beers, brats and sides, live music, and strolling the scenic grounds above the Great Miami River. It sells out of parking early, so plan ahead.
Tipp City Mum Festival: September 26-27
The Tipp City Mum Festival marks its 67th year, September 26-27 at City Park. Mums by the thousands, a parade, live music, rides, and the Run for the Mums 5K on Saturday morning. It is Tipp City at its best, and one of the most family-friendly festivals in the Miami Valley.
Lucas Brothers Fall Festival: September 25 through October 25 in Bellbrook
Stretching a month on weekends, the Lucas Brothers Fall Festival at 3269 Ferry Road in Bellbrook is a local institution. Corn maze, pumpkins, wagon rides, farm animals, and fall treats. It is the kind of place families make an annual trip to, and it is a favorite fall afternoon in the Bellbrook and Sugarcreek community.
Centerville Fall Fest: October 3
Centerville Fall Fest takes over Stubbs Park, 255 W. Spring Valley Pike, on Saturday, October 3 from noon to 8 p.m. Food, crafts, live music, and family-friendly activities, with free admission. It is a signature Heart of Centerville and Washington Township event and one of the best ways to spend an October Saturday in the south suburbs.
Great Ohio Toy Show and Xenia Fall Festival: October 3 and 10
Collectors mark October 3 for the Great Ohio Toy Show at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, with thousands of vintage toys, comic books, and collectibles on the floor. Then October 10 brings the Xenia Fall Festival to historic downtown, with harvest activities and food for the whole family.
Vandalia Fall Festival: October 10
The Vandalia Fall Festival runs Saturday, October 10 from noon to 6 p.m. on the Stonequarry Road campus. Family activities, fall treats, and live music make it a close-to-home way to spend an October afternoon in Vandalia.
Halloween Season: Fairborn, Springboro, and Xenia
October closes out with a full lineup. Fairborn celebrates the Fairborn Halloween Festival October 16-17 with costumes, trunk-or-treat, and games, and then the Fairborn Caramel Apple Festival on October 24. Springboro hosts the Windmill Farm Spooktacular Fall Festival October 23-25 with pumpkins, hayrides, and a corn maze. Back in Xenia, Vintage Market Days runs October 23-25 with antiques and artisan goods, and Kettering closes the season with its Saturday Night Cruise-In on October 24 at the Orthopedic Institute of Dayton.
From the Tipp City Mum Festival and DAI Oktoberfest to Centerville Fall Fest, Vandalia Fall Fest, and the Fairborn Halloween Festival, the fall calendar across the suburbs is full.
Why I Track All of This
I have been doing this for over 20 years, and the communities I serve keep evolving in front of me. A new burrito spot on the Centerville corridor. A coffee shop in the Wright-Dunbar District. The Tipp City Mum Festival in its 67th year. The Art Institute's Oktoberfest filling downtown hotel rooms. A fall calendar that has something every single weekend.
Every opening and every event is a sign of confidence in a community. Restaurants hire local staff and fill sidewalks. Festivals bring neighbors out and put a town on the map. When I look at the suburbs and see this much momentum, it tells me these are places people are choosing to live, invest, and raise families.
For buyers, that context matters. For sellers, it means your home sits in a market that is actively growing. And for anyone considering a move to the Dayton area, this is one of the clearest signals that the region is headed the right way.
Whether you are buying, selling, or just curious about what your home might be worth, I am here to help with straight answers and a strategy that fits your situation.
"From Currito in Centerville to the Tipp City Mum Festival, the Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest, and Halloween season in Fairborn and Springboro, the fall calendar across the greater Dayton area is one of the most alive I have seen. I want my clients to see every bit of it."
Jason White
Two evenings of beer, brats, and live music at the Vandalia Sports Complex, hosted by the Sister Cities of Vandalia. Friday runs 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturday noon to midnight. A proper Oktoberfest right in Vandalia to kick off the season.
A free rock-and-roll block party on Fairborn's Main Street from 4 to 10 p.m. Live local rock bands, food trucks, and a relaxed September evening in downtown Fairborn.
A same-day double-header at The Greene: a beer fest plus a hot dog festival with creative dawgs, live music, and outdoor seating. A fun post-marathon stop for Beavercreek on race weekend.
A free outdoor movie night at Russ Nature Reserve. Blankets, popcorn, family movie time under the trees as the evenings cool off. Doors open before dark.
The Dayton Art Institute's signature fall celebration, three days of beers from local and national breweries, brats and sides, live music, and combing the grounds around the museum. One of the most anticipated weekends on the Dayton calendar.
Tipp City's signature festival, 67 years running. Mums by the thousands, a parade, live music, rides, and the Run for the Mums 5K on Saturday morning in downtown Tipp City.
A Bellbrook-area institution running through late October. Corn maze, pumpkins, wagon rides, farm animals, and fall family fun on the weekends at Lucas Brothers Farm on Ferry Road.
Centerville's fall festival at Stubbs Park from noon to 8 p.m. with food, crafts, live music, and family activities. Part of the Heart of Centerville and Washington Township lineup, and admission is free.
Toy collectors travel for this one. Thousands of vintage toys, comic books, and collectibles on the floor at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia. A fun, nostalgic stop for collectors and browsers alike.
A family fall celebration in historic downtown Xenia with harvest activities, food, and community fun for all ages.
A Saturday fall festival on the Stonequarry Road campus from noon to 6 p.m. Family activities, food, and a close-to-home way to spend an October afternoon in Vandalia.
Fairborn gets spooky for a weekend with costumes, trunk-or-treat, games, and family fun in mid-October, weeks before Halloween weekend.
A fall festival at the Windmill Farm in Springboro with pumpkins, hayrides, a corn maze, and spooky season fun for the whole family.
The vintage and handmade market pop-up returns to the Xenia area for a weekend of antiques, artisan goods, vintage clothing, and food trucks.
A beloved Fairborn tradition: caramel apples in every variety, fall treats, and a sweet way to celebrate the season in Greene County.
The final cruise-in of the season in Kettering, classic cars, music, and food, 4 to 7 p.m. outdoors before the weather turns.
A new fast-casual burrito and bowl spot along the Miamisburg-Centerville Road corridor opened this September, showing up on the newest-restaurants lists for the Dayton area. Build-your-own burritos, bowls, and wraps with fresh, made-to-order ingredients give the Centerville and Washington Township stretch a quick, affordable lunch and dinner option.
A new coffee shop from the folks behind Yellow Springs Baking Company opened in the Wright-Dunbar District this summer. Daily Dose serves coffee, pastries, and breakfast among the century-old homes of Ohio's aviation birthplace neighborhood, a welcome reason to linger on the west side.
A new Vietnamese spot on Brown Street in the University of Dayton corridor, listed among the newest restaurants in Dayton this September. Pho, banh mi, and rice plates at student-friendly prices add another option near the UD campus.
- Currito: Centerville / Washington Twp Build-Your-Own Burritos & Bowls 1024 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Centerville
- Daily Dose Caffè: Dayton Coffee Shop & Bakery Wright-Dunbar District, Dayton
- Wat Da Pho Express: Dayton Vietnamese 1047 Brown Street, near the University of Dayton
- Sister Cities of Vandalia Oktoberfest September 11-12 Vandalia Sports Complex, Vandalia
- Hairborn: Fairborn September 18 103 W. Main Street, Fairborn
- Beer Fest & Hot Diggity Dog Fest: The Greene September 19 The Greene Town Center, Beavercreek
- Friday Night Flicks: Lilo & Stitch September 25 Russ Nature Reserve, 2380 Kemp Road, Beavercreek
- Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest September 25-27 456 Belmonte Park N., Dayton
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Let's ConnectA full fall season across the greater Dayton area.
Currito in Centerville. Daily Dose Caffè in the Wright-Dunbar District. The Tipp City Mum Festival, Dayton Art Institute Oktoberfest, Centerville Fall Fest, Vandalia Fall Fest, and Halloween season in Fairborn, Xenia, and Springboro. I keep track of every opening and event so my clients have the full picture of every community I serve.