What’s on Your Bucket List?
What would you like to do before you die? Many people create a bucket list of goals and experiences they’d like to achieve during their lifetimes.
If the Before I Die Festival Ohio taking place in Dayton October 27-29, 2022, isn’t on your list, add it now! With 11 events focused on death awareness and planning for end-of-life issues, this Festival needs to be on everyone’s to-do list.
The Before I Die Festival Ohio offers creative activities and events that spur conversation around our inevitable mortality. The goal is to help people think and talk openly about death and dying in an upbeat space and take steps to plan ahead. Highlights include:
- A Dia de los Meurtos dinner in Calvary Cemetery on October 27 (register in advance $20)
- Tours at two cemeteries and Death Café discussions at two funeral homes October 27 and 28.
- Showings of the documentaries Being Mortal (Oct. 27) and Living While Dying (Oct. 29).
- A daylong symposium at the University of Dayton Curran Building on a range of end-of-life topics on Saturday, October 29. (register in advance $35)
While most events are free, those event that include food have a small charge. See the full schedule of events and register online at https://beforeidieohio.com/event/.
“People who have a loved one die without planning ahead tell me ‘I didn’t know how complicated this was going to be’ and ‘I wish I had my loved one here to help me make these decisions,’” said Neil Fogarty with Dodds Memorials, coordinator of the Before I Die Festival Ohio. “We want to let folks know you can make these decisions ahead of time and avoid burdening a loved one who’s lost in the fog of grief.”
Death Cafe host Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death®
Speakers at the event include downsizing experts, financial and estate planners, funeral directors, hospice and tissue bank representatives, and special guest speaker, Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®. Rubin is a pioneering death educator who uses humor, film clips and outside the box activities to teach about planning for end-of-life. She was one of the first people to hold a Death Café in the United States and the only person to hold a Before I Die Festival five years in a row.
The full schedule of events follows. For online registration, speakers, and other information about the Before I Die Festival Ohio, visit https://beforeidieohio.com/.
Click here to watch a news story about the upcoming Festival on WHIO-TV.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, October 27, 2022
11:00am -12:00 pm Downsizing and Legacy
Where: Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 East Stroop Road, Kettering, OH
Speaker: Denise Swick/Gail Rubin
Event Synopsis: A conversation about downsizing with Denise Swick, Licensed Realtor with a new division devoted to senior relocation and downsizing consulting, and Gail Rubin, author of Kicking the Bucket List: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.
12:00pm- 1:30 Death Cafe
Where: Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 East Stroop Road, Kettering, OH
Facilitators: Gail Rubin, Death Cafe pioneer, Erika Knox, Funeral Director, Neil Fogarty, President, Dodds Memorials
Open Discussion/Answering your Questions
2:30-4:00 Being Mortal Documentary Viewing
Where: Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton
Speaker: Kim Vesey, President, Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton
Event Synopsis: Viewing of the PBS FRONTLINE documentary, Being Mortal
5:00pm-6:00pm Calvary Cemetery Evening Tour
Where: Calvary Cemetery
Speaker: Scott Wright
Event Synopsis: A historical look at the cemetery and the famous permanent residents there
6:00pm-6:30pm COVID Remembrance Moment
Where: Calvary Cemetery
Speaker: Neil Fogarty
Event Synopsis: Moment of remembrance for those passed
6:30pm-7:00pm Festival Kickoff
Where: Calvary Cemetery
Speaker: Neil Fogarty
Event Synopsis: Introduction to the Festival and background on Before I Die Festivals
7:00pm – 9:00pm Dia De Los Muertos Dinner
Where: Calvary Cemetery
Cater: La Catrina in Troy
Event Synopsis: Dinner – register for $20
Friday, October 28, 2022
10:00am-12:00pm Death Cafe
Where: Anderson Funeral Home
Facilitators: Gail Rubin, Rebekah Giuffre, Neil Fogarty
Open Discussion/Answering your Questions
12:30pm-1:30pm Anderson Celebration Center Tour
Where: Anderson Funeral Home
Speaker: Rebekah Giuffre
Event Synopsis: Behind-the-scenes tour of their center and crematory
2:30pm – 4:30 pm Woodland Cemetery Historical Tour
Where: Woodland Cemetery Dayton
Speaker: Angie Hoschouer
Event Synopsis: Historical tour of the grounds, one of the five oldest rural garden cemeteries in the US, and the resting places of famous individuals, including powered flight pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright and humorist Irma Bombeck.
5:30pm – 7:30 pm Movie Night at the Funeral Home – Coco
Where: Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 East Stroop Road, Kettering, OH
Speaker: Gail Rubin
Event Synopsis: Gail Rubin will introduce the animated film Coco and its themes of family and remembrance of our ancestors. Popcorn and drinks will be served at this free event.
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Symposium
Where: Meyer Room University of Dayton Curran Building
8:30 am -9:00 am Registration
9:00 am – 9:15 am Welcome
9:15 am – 11:15 am Think you’re ready? Session 1- plan for the end then go on living
11:15 am – 12:00 pm Monumental Stories Presentation
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm What you need to know about Hospice care
2:00pm – 3:30 pm Think you’re ready? Session 2 – Leaving a loving legacy to your family
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm Break
4:00 pm- 5:00 pm Living while Dying Documentary with Discussion
The sponsors of the Before I Die Festival Ohio
- Dodds Memorials
- Calvary Cemetery
- Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton
- Routsong Funeral Home and Cremation Services
- Swick Real Estate Group
- KeyBank
- University of Dayton Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
- Rock of Ages®
- Woodland Historic Cemetery & Arboretum
- Anderson Funeral Homes
