DAYTON, Ohio — Day Air Ballpark trades baseball for more than 1.5 million holiday lights on Friday night, November 13, as the Dayton Dragons open the second season of Deck the Diamond in the heart of downtown’s Water Street District, the team announced.
Opening nights are Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14, presented by 2 News on WDTN and Dayton’s CW, and the event runs on 41 dates through Saturday, January 2, 2027, according to the Dayton Dragons. Every ten minutes, a synchronized music and light show brings the stadium lights alive in time with holiday music.
Each night features s’mores roasting at fire pits around the ballpark, holiday treats and winter cocktails, the Dragons said. Children can meet and take photos with Santa, write letters to him, join a scavenger hunt, make a beaded bracelet or build their own ornament, and families can ride the North Pole Express past photo stops the team calls “Elfie Stations” — all centered on a 44-foot-tall Christmas tree.
“We are thrilled to continue our Deck the Diamond tradition in 2026-2027,” Dragons President Robert Murphy said in the team’s announcement. “After a tremendous first year, we’re excited to re-transform Day Air Ballpark into a winter wonderland, creating even more memories for our community and families in downtown Dayton.”
In November, Deck the Diamond runs every Wednesday through Saturday: 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, according to the Dragons. Starting Wednesday, December 2, it runs nightly through January 2, opening at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays through Sundays and 6 p.m. on other weeknights, and it will be closed on Christmas Day.
Tickets are a single all-in price of $13.50 with no fees for the general public, and $10 for Dragons season ticket holders and sponsors, the team said. All tickets are undated flex tickets that can be used on any public date, sold through Ticketmaster, at the Dragons box office or by calling (937) 228-2287. Day Air Ballpark is a cashless venue, and parking on nearby streets is free at meters starting at 6 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend. The full calendar is at dragonsdeckthediamond.com.
Photo: Texas141, CC BY-SA 3.0