Good morning, Dayton.

Troy-Hayner Cultural Center will host Boo Bash 2026, a free family Halloween event with a 1776 theme on Saturday, Oct.

24, at 301 W. Main St. Kids will enjoy games, crafts, and historical activities including a patriotic checklist for prizes.

The Dayton Daily News looks back on 1976 local stories (including the opening of Wesleyan Nature Center and a vibrant ZZ Top concert at UD Arena) as the city celebrated its bicentennial; a planned Apple Tree restaurant opening in Xenia (dating from the same iconic era) highlights Dayton’s evolving culture.

Fairborn hosts its 15th Halloween Festival this weekend on Main and Central Avenue with amusement rides, 100+ craft and food vendors, live shows and a beer garden.

Events run Friday from 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

A Belmont High School student will have their 5-foot-by-5-foot mural unveiled at a Dayton McDonald’s on Oct.

20 at 3 p.m. as part of McDonald’s Golden Arches Mural Program, with the student receiving $1,000 + the school’s art department getting $500 to fund future projects.

West Carrollton City Council dedicated a section of East Main Street as Gilman Way Tuesday to honor former Mayor Maxine Gilman (the city’s first elected woman official who led local improvements until her death in 2018).

Family and former council members attended the ceremony.

Wednesday night, city commissioners in Dayton approved the Montgomery County Auditor collecting the voter-approved hospital levy to help fund a new public hospital in West Dayton.

Mayor Turner-Sloss said the next step is proposing legislation to accept hospital funds from 2027 and set up its governing board.

Food influencer Johnna French shared creative Halloween snack ideas to help hosts plan festive gatherings later this month; her guidance aims to add a fun + simple twist to treat tables.