2025-2026 Season a smash

Hamilton (OH) – The elastic nature of time strikes again.

Seems both like yesterday and a lifetime ago that the Fitton Center kicked off its 2025-2026 season with a fun-tastic Season Launch event – FUN & GAMES – in conjunction with the fabulous Play Time exhibition opening.

We galloped into September with the old-world excitement of the Ohio Renaissance Festival to begin the Celebrating Self luncheon speaker series (and all got commemorative Ren Fest books in the process). Our monthly Wednesday afternoon series also took us to 16^th century China to learn about ancient healing arts with One City One Book, cranked up the local music for Jam!lton and put a bow on the first half of the year with Carrie O’Neal Brenner’s Wrap it Up!

Travel Butler County CEO Tracy Kocher rang in the new year with all the innovative ways her organization promotes Hamilton as a tourism destination. Jimmy Longbottom charmed us with ducks from Longbottom Bird Rescue in February. March brought Muses: The Women of Music Hall – who sustained the iconic venue for 150 years. April brought local radio legend Jay Gilbert to Hamilton for April Fools on the 50^th anniversary of the WEBN Fools Day Parade.

September also saw the start of the beloved Fitton Family Friday series with the first of two Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati performances: Henny Penny, followed in December by Reindeer Games. In between, the Dayton Ballet asked the musical question Who Wants to be a Dancer? while Lexington Children’s Theatre presented Stuart Little.

Cap’n Kraken sailed into 2026 with his Yo Ho Ho Pirate Show and we joined the My Nose Turns Red Circus in February. March revealed The Wonders of Wiggly River and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park brought us to the home stretch with The Tortoise and the Hare.

Our John Coltrane tribute – Giant Steps – opened the Jazz & Cabaret series in October. The Hot Magnolias lived up to their name with the Mardi Gras Party in February, while May brought a full compliment of queens to the Fitton Center for The Drag Show.

We took the Fitton Showstoppers series to a new level. October’s opening act – The Conjurors – did so well here they booked a summer gig at famed Carnegie Hall not long after they amazed and delighted Hamilton. Bryan Wallick performed a beautiful homecoming concert, captivating the crowd with his virtuosity on the Steinway grand piano.

Snow gave us too much of a white Christmas - don’t worry, we’ve booked The Ultra Sonics to try again for Christmas 2026 – and pushed the Born in the USA show featuring Just Strange Brothers back to April, before we hosted a sold-out Crimes of the Centuries podcast recording in February, enjoyed Shaken Not Stirred with the Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra (featuring a gorgeous Hammond B2 organ), experienced a Rock-n-Roll Revival with the Newbees and closed the season with Just Vince and the Fellas triumphant Motown! performance.

In addition to Play Time, our visual arts season included the Rock & Root exhibition, the Push & Pull exhibition and the 10^th Biennial Member Show, which remains on view through June 26.

While performances and galleries may be the most visible things we do, they only hint at all the ways the Fitton Center engages the city, county and region. Education, outreach and community engagement remain paramount to our plans. Plus, we look forward to the continued growth and development the Fitton at the Foundry satellite teaching studio at Liberty Center, as well the inaugural Fitton Stage Academy.

Stay tuned for announcements regarding the 2026-2027 season coming this week.

Thank you for your ongoing patronage and support.

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is located at 101 S. Monument Avenue on the Riverfront in downtown Hamilton, Ohio.

Building Community Excellence through the Arts and Culture