5 summer festivals happening this weekend across the region

The 10th annual Thunderfest Cruise-In will be held in downtown Middletown Saturday, July 29, 2023. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

The 10th annual Thunderfest Cruise-In will be held in downtown Middletown Saturday, July 29, 2023. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Closing out the month of July, the area is ready to celebrate another round of summer festivals. From an antique car show and a food truck rally to cultural festivals, here’s what’s happening across the region this weekend.

Here are five planned for Saturday and Sunday. Find more to do at journal-news.com/events.

Fourth on Fourth

WHEN: Friday, July 28

WHERE: 20 E. Fourth St., Franklin

INFO: Franklin’s food truck rally festival on the fourth Friday of every month this summer us returning for July from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. This month’s rally includes The Barking Burger, Tacos El Corita, G’s Wings & Wieners and O’Danny Boy Ice Cream. Live music from Bobby Crawford, a guitarist and singer, will provide live music entertainment for the evening. For more information, visit https://www.franklinohio.org/ or the City of Franklin’s Facebook event page.

Franklin's monthly food truck rally on the fourth Fridays happens at the city's new food truck park on Fourth Street. ZOE HILL/STAFF

icon to expand image

Thunderfest Cruise-In

WHEN: Saturday, July 29

WHERE: The parking lot of the downtown Middletown YMCA and behind the Pendleton Art Center, 1020 Manchester Ave., Middletown

INFO: The Thunderfest Cruise-In is celebrating a decade of car shows in Middletown from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The festival is welcoming classic cars, hot rods, street rods, rat rods, pulling tractors, motorcycles (soft colors only), Jeeps and more for the show. A cackle-fest will go on hourly at the car show, so organizers recommend bringing earplugs. The Butler County Warbirds will play over the lot in downtown Middletown at noon. The event also features vendors, food trucks, raffles, car show prizes and more for the entire family. For more information, visit https://www.thunderfestohio.com/.

The 9th Annual Thunderfest Cruise-In was held in downtown Middletown Saturday, July 30, 2022. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

icon to expand image

Credit: Nick Graham

2023 GreekFest

WHEN: Saturday, July 29

WHERE: Saints Constantine and Helen Orthodox Church, 2500 Grand Ave., Middletown

INFO: The Saints Constantine and Helen GreekFest returns to the church from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Alongside church tours, live music and dancing, the GreekFest will serve up classic Greek dishes including gyros, spanakopita, tiropita, loukoumades and Greek pastries. For more information, visit https://www.gostsconstantineandhelen.org/ or the church’s Facebook event page.

The 44th Annual Greek Festival was held Saturday, July 30, 2011, at Sts. Constantine and Helen Church in Middletown, Ohio.

Credit: Staff photo by Nick Daggy

icon to expand image

Credit: Staff photo by Nick Daggy

Dayton Celtic Festival

WHEN: Friday, July 28 through Sunday, July 30

WHERE: RiverScape MetroPark, 237 E Monument Ave., Dayton

INFO: The Dayton Celtic Festival will take place from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The festival features sights, sounds and tastes of the Celtic heritage. There will be several different activities including live music. Headliners include Gaelic Storm, Doolin’, The Fitzgeralds, Boxing Banjo, Socks in the Frying Pan, The Drowsy Lads, and Davy Holt. There also will be a parade of kilts. For more information, visit www.daytoncelticfestival.com.

Dayton Celtic Fest was held on July 27-29, 2018 in downtown Dayton. Celtic music and dance, beer and food are the stars of one of Dayton's signature festivals of summer. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

icon to expand image

Credit: Tom Gilliam

The Taste

WHEN: Sunday, July 30

WHERE: Fraze Pavilion, 695 Lincoln Park Blvd., Kettering

COST: Tickets can be purchased online in advance for $25 for adults, children 5 and older are $10 and tickets at the gate are $30.

INFO: The 36th annual The Taste festival is returning to the Fraze from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Over a dozen restaurants are participating in this year’s festivities, including local flavors from Butter Café, City Barbeque, Steak Thyme Bar and Grill, Young’s Jersey Dairy and more. Guitarist Chris Bowman will provide live music for the festival. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://fraze.com/the-taste-2023/.

The 36th annual The Taste festival at Fraze Pavilion will be July 30.

Credit: Teesha McClam

icon to expand image

Credit: Teesha McClam

About the Author