The Levitt Pavilion builds community with music  

Every year in the Gem City, the Levitt Pavilion hosts over 50 free concerts for the public. This outdoor venue has been called Dayton’s “Living Room,” and up to 80,000 people come each year, some as far as Sweden and Japan, to enjoy a wide variety of music. 

 “Some days when I’m getting off from work and I drive by and I see that the lawn is full of people, I go and I just sit down. It’s an opportunity for me to just relax my mind,” says Tina Mobley, who works with the Montgomery County Office of Reentry and enjoys their jazz and funk concerts.    

For Daria Dillard Stone and four generations of her family, the Levitt Pavilion has been a godsend, especially for her 92-year-old mother.    

“Mama loves music. And even though she can’t walk, she can’t get up and dance. She was in that lawn chair, moving and grooving…music will always be something momma will enjoy.”  

Mortimer Levitt  

Dayton is one of eight permanent Levitt Pavilions in the U.S. The pavilions are named after Mortimer Levitt who grew up in Brooklyn during the depression. His father, an immigrant, was a street vendor at Coney Island and could not afford tickets to arts and cultural events for the family.  

Levitt eventually become a very successful businessman in the fashion industry and believed that all people should have access to free outdoor music. In 1974, he donated to the first Levitt Pavilion in Westport, CT with the stipulation that there would be no charge for tickets, giving many the opportunity he did not have growing up.  

“It’s really nice to be able to be in a space where again, there’s no barriers, right? There’s like, no class, no race, no organization, none of the things. It’s just you and me and hearts connecting through the sounds of the drums or whatever music is playing,” raved Joy Johnson, a muralist from Dayton.     

Levitt community by design   

Lisa Wagner, the Executive Director of the Levitt Pavilion explains, “All of that happens organically, but it’s about the design. That’s why there aren’t any fixed seats. That’s why you’re bringing your own blanket and your own chair and that way there’s that fluidity through the lawn. So, there’s a reason why for everything. 

Wagner says even the stage is a certain height and the dance floor is right next to it so the artists can really connect with the audience.   

The first year Wagner recalls when three-time grammy nominee Ruthie Foster played at the Pavilion. After the concert Foster wanted to talk with Wagner, who was concerned that there was an issue.  Wagner recalls what Foster said to her, 

 “’I play a lot of venues, but the venues that I play, white folk with white folk, black folks with black folk. Whatever y’all are doing here in Dayton, Ohio, I have to be a part of this.’”  

Bringing music to the people  

Wagner curates’ diverse styles, and talent, from country and hip hop to blues and gospel. After the pandemic, Wagner and her team realized that cost was just one factor for access to concerts. Other barriers included transportation and internet access.  

 “So, taking music into historically marginalized neighborhoods and meeting people where they are became critical to our mission too,” said Wagner. 

They began offering 10 pop-up concerts in the community with trusted community members like the Omega CDC. One concert was at the Food Bank parking lot during a large food distribution where Wagner said the staff and volunteers were dancing as they filled people’s cars with food, helping to destigmatize food insecurity with music.   

The Levitt attracts investment    

The Levitt Pavilion and the concerts attracted more investment in downtown. When the agreement for the Levitt was first signed, it helped the city leverage the development called The Nine.  “There was a nine-block radius, literally with Levitt in the Center that became a part of a revitalization kind of project,” shared Wagner.   

For developers like Windsor CEO Alexius Dorsey, the Levitt played an important role in the company’s decision to invest $125 million in Dayton.  Brooke Reinke, the Director of Marketing explains, “I think what really sparked his interest with the Levitt Pavilion is the arts and the community and bringing people together.” 

The 70-80,000 people who attend each year have helped generate over $8 million for downtown businesses since it opened in 2018. But Wagner still admits it is challenging to create and maintain the revenue stream.  The current funding is 20%, given from the Levitt Foundation, the other 80% raised locally through corporate sponsorship and other donors.   

To raise additional funds, the Dayton Levitt started a new event three years ago during the off season. “It’s called Up Close and it’s a secret concert and a secret location with secret artists.” Wagner says it’s been very popular.  

There are also potential new challenges on the horizon with an expedited expiration date for funds.  The 20% Levitt Foundation funding level, which was originally set for 50 years, will actually be sunset in 2041. But the Levitt Pavilion is already working on some plans.    

“We as an organization made a concerted effort that we were going to start an endowment so that in the end, we’re hoping to replace the Levitt Family Foundation with that endowment.”   

Montgomery County Commissioner Mary McDonald believes arts and culture transform communities by supporting 4,500 jobs, generating $6 million in local tax revenue and infusing $142 million into the local economy. She helped organize the inaugural 2026 Montgomery County Arts Forum in April and announced at the event that the commissioners are sponsoring the Funk Concert Series at the Levitt Pavilion this year.    

McDonald emphasized, “The arts are not a luxury. They are an economic development driver. As your commissioner, I am committed to strengthening and elevating arts and culture for all who call Montgomery County home.” 

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. We would like to hear your thoughts and/or experiences on the Levitt Pavilion. What impact do they have for Dayton and for artists and musicans? Your feedback helps us improve our work. We welcome your thougths and ideas!

Emiko Moore – Multi-Media Journalist

Emiko Moore is a graduate of Ohio State University has been a freelance producer for NBC News for the last 20 years, covering stories in southwest Ohio and in the tri-state area. She also hosted The Lebanon City Show and was a print journalist for the Western Star, focusing on Warren County. Prior to moving back to her hometown of Lebanon, OH, she worked in NYC for NBC TODAY and NHK, Japan Broadcasting Corporation. As a volunteer with Building Bridges Community Conversations, Ishinomaki Playground Project, and Miller Ecological Park, she believes it takes continuous work to strengthen communities. She is excited about journalism that explores the issues while highlighting solutions to bring about positive change.