Friday Night in Dayton 2026

When Sherlockians come to Dayton, Ohio, somehow we're always somewhere else.

Mentally, we're with our Baker Street friends, fellow irregulars in service of Sherlock Holmes. Physically, our hotels are always, technically, somewhere else. In the recent past, that was Clayton, Ohio at the old, dilapidated hotel. This year, after something like two decades, we've returned to Fairborn, Ohio and the Doubletree, which used to be a Holiday Inn. And they really seem happy we're here.

After checking in, getting the luggage to the room, etc., I wandered to where the dealers were setting up their wares for Saturday, and several early arrivals were just hanging out. Kyndall Potts, a key player in the Holmes, Doyle, & Friends weekend let me know that in addition to the visual elements welcoming us to the hotel, the bar was featuring a Sherlockian cocktail, "the Great Mogul," named after a diamond in a Basil Rathbone movie. And I'd be having one of those before the evening was over, to be sure.

Many conversations ensued, but as I'd had an early lunch, I wandered over to a nearby group of restaurants and had a ramen bowl at Hoshi Ramen, my first dinner of the evening, as when I returned to the hotel, I quickly fell into conversation with friends who would soon decide to try Tandoori Crust Pizza, a pizza/Indian fusion place, where normal pizzas and things like the butter chicken pizza shared the menu.

So many folks to greet on any arrival night for a Sherlockian conference, so many conversations to be had. Getting to see people you'd only socialized with online previously. The ongoing speculations of the hobby's future and the generations to come. Maybe some chat about that one Sherlockian that gets on everyone's nerves. But mostly our delight in being together again and all the myriad ways we celebrate our love of that one great detective Sherlock Holmes, who keeps some of us very, very busy.

I could go into greater detail, name names, go deep on some great topics that were discussed, but there's a Waffle House breakfast with my name on it and a foray of the 221st Southumberland Waffleers into the Ohio world, so I will adieu for now. More to come.