Downtown hosts free festival, race, STEM activities to kick off March Madness
Since 2011, Dayton has been home to the opening round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. Nicknamed the “NCAA First Four,” the kickoff to March Madness begins at the University of Dayton Arena where teams compete for a shot at the championship. The Big Hoopla is the organizing committee responsible for keeping these games in Dayton (at least through 2026).
To celebrate, The Big Hoopla has partnered with several entities in the community to present activities for the NCAA Selection Sunday on March 13, when it will be announced which teams will make their way to the Gem City and play for a shot at the championship, as have 105 other college men’s basketball teams before them.
Fifth Street will be closed to vehicular traffic this weekend for the Hoopla Family Festival from 2-7 p.m. Sunday. The free event will feature interactive displays by the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, offering coloring, LEGO building and more. The Dayton Metro Library will have a book giveaway, Connect E-Sports will offer Mario Kart video game races, K12 Gallery & TEJAS K-12 will have a painting activity, and other entertainment includes Pop-A-Shot and basketball games, a hula hoop workshop, and more.
Live entertainment for the afternoon includes Curious Animals, The Menus, Clark Manson and Todd the Fox. The NCAA Selection Sunday announcements will be broadcast, along with other sports news and events, and the local businesses in the Oregon District will be serving brunch, selling retail merchandise, and other products and services offered in the business corridor. Free parking is available in nearby garages, and the RTA Flyer will be running a limited service route to help guests easily get from one destination to the next.
Start the day with the Hoopla 4 Miler, a 4-mile race that starts and finishes at Welcome Stadium. Online registration is still available; check-in starts at 8 a.m. Sunday, and the race begins at 9 a.m.
Nearby at the Dayton Convention Center, the Hoopla STEM Challenge features a free basketball “hot shot” competition and education contest with prizes awarded for each shot made. The event is open to boys and girls grades K–8 and will take place from noon to 6 p.m. The event ties together the excitement and passion for college basketball to the power of STEM education. Regional and national partners will be on-site to engage students with hands-on science, technology, engineering and math demonstrations.
