Downtown Columbus skyline during the spring
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Experience Columbus Blog

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Author
Mandy Shunnarah

Mandy Shunnarah (they/them) is an Alabama-born transplant to Columbus, Ohio. When they're not attending the city's queer events, they can usually be found reading, roller skating, petting their eight cats, or enjoying a latte at many of the city's fine coffee establishments. Their first book, Midwest Shreds: Skaters and Skateparks in Middle America, is forthcoming from Belt Publishing. Read more at mandyshunnarah.com

LGBTQ+ Authors of Columbus

Columbus has long been a gay-friendly city, though more recently its reputation as a writers’ town is growing too. At the Columbus Book Festival, you can experience a cross-section of both! The festival, featuring local and nationally recognized…

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Behind the Buzz with Stonewall Columbus

Columbus has been quietly racking up the accolades and it’s time we stop keeping it to ourselves. In our series, Behind the Buzz, we’re unveiling the people, places and experiences that make our city worthy and deserving of all the hype. Keep reading…

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LGBTQ+ Bands and Musical Artists in Columbus

You heard it from Midwest emo first: Ohio is for lovers. Especially music lovers! Given that Columbus is a queer haven in the Midwest, it only makes sense to shout out the Columbus queer music scene. Meet 20 talented musicians and bands that span the…

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LGBTQ-Owned Business Spotlight: Bake Me Happy

When Letha Pugh was growing up in North Dakota and deciding to go into the medical field, she couldn’t have predicted her background would have perfectly set her up to own several restaurants and a nonprofit in Columbus—but that’s precisely what…

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LGBTQ-Owned Business Spotlight: The Kitchen

More than 20 years ago, best friends Jen Lindsey and Anne Boninsegna bonded over cooking together for their friends. Now, the pair own The Kitchen, a catering company and events venue offering one of Columbus’s most unique dining experiences. Jen…

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