Dayton back on track for Valley Days

DAYTON - Dayton Valley Days is alive and looking for exhibitors.

Set for Sept. 16 and 17, the celebration is seeking vendors to set up craft and food booths with proceeds to go to preserving and restoring Old Town Dayton.

Maxine Nietz of the Arlington Group said she hopes to attract more than 80 booths to the celebration.

"We've already done a large mailing for vendors," she said. "We've also started a process to get a banner across Highway 50."

This year's theme recognizes Dayton's Italian heritage.

"Our research shows that 26 of the original 27 farms were established by Italian families," she said.

In recognition of that, Dayton Valley Days is working with local television outlet CAT-10 to put on a spaghetti sauce contest called LotsaPasta.

Nietz said they are putting together an advertising budget for the event and planning the entertainment.

"We would like to have more focused entertainment in a staged area, where people can perform," she said.

She hopes Dayton's businesses will add to the theme of the event.

"We will try to get the businesses to decorate in the Italian theme and have a wine and cheese booth and feature some of the Italian descendants in our parade," she said.

The Arlington Group recevied the contract to manage Dayton Valley Days in February and has been preparing for the event since.

For 10 years the celebration was operated entirely by volunteers. However, after last year's event, organizers decided it was time to find some help or give it up.

Booth costs are $50 for general crafters, $75 for food booths and $20 for nonprofit organizations.

Dayton Valley Days started in 1989 as a fund-raiser for the artist in residence program at local schools. Four years later, the focus shifted to raising money to restore historic buildings in downtown Dayton.

The $3,500 raised last year nearly paid all the costs to reconstruct the walls of the historic firehouse.

Dayton Valley Days fills the streets of downtown with dozens of crafts and food booths as well as an art show and entertainment such as gun-shooter shows.