The Columbus Arts Festival returns to the downtown riverfront June 6-8, bringing three days of art, live music, theater and dance, fashion, local food and drink, and hands-on activities for everyone. Here are eight reasons to visit the festival this year!
1. More Than 250 Local and National Artists
Browse through hundreds of artists’ work, lined up along the riverfront and over the Main and Rich Street bridges, featuring painting to photography, sculpture to jewelry, ceramics to wood-working, and much more. Artists come from across the country for the Festival, and more than 70 artists come directly from Ohio.
2. Free Concerts & Performances
The Festival features four stages of live music, dance, theatre, and spoken word throughout the weekend. See Columbus-based bands at the Big Local Arts Stage. Catch local poets and storytellers at the Word is Art & Acoustic Lounge. Watch local bands plus dance and theater companies perform on the Genoa Park Main Stage and Bicentennial Park Stage. On Friday, June 6, see a fashion show from local designers followed by Queen tribute band Mr. Fahrenheit & The Loverboys at Genoa Park. On Saturday morning, June 7, BalletMet performs a selection of works from Black Voices at Bicentennial Park; later that evening Honey and Blue finish out the day there. The Big Local Arts Stage is headlined by DANA on Friday, plus Joey Aich & The Head Band and DJ Moxy Martinez on Saturday.
Credit McKenzi Swineheart.
3. Hands-On Activities for Kids and Families
At the all-ages Kids Hands-On Activity Village, volunteers from local cultural organizations help Festival-goers experience painting, silkscreening, printmaking, set decorating and more fun activities. Plus, with the Children’s and Teen Art Gallery nearby, younger ones can purchase their own art at the kid-sized and kid-priced gallery.
4. A Fashion Show
Fashion as Art, a runway show featuring Columbus designers and models, returns to the Genoa Park Stage on Friday, June 6 at 7:45 p.m. Four local designers will showcase eight looks each, accompanied by music from DJ Moxy Martinez.
5. The Big Local Arts Village
The Festival-favorite Big Local Arts Village sits at the Franklinton entrance, where over 80 Columbus-based artists and creatives showcase and sell their work. Watch live metalworking, Japanese calligraphy, woodturning, and stained glass demonstrations, too.
6. Boozy Slushies and Beers
Columbus’ award-winning High Bank Distillery has crafted a pair of boozy slushies using their award-winning whiskey and vodka. Perfect for cooling off while strolling the festival grounds. And thanks to Rhinegeist, Festival guests can relax in the shade of the beer garden, close to the Big Local Arts Village, with a refreshing Ohio-made brew. Also available this year are non-alcoholic brews from Go Brewing and canned wines!
7. More Than 40 Food Trucks & Carts
You won’t leave hungry from the Arts Festival! From fried chicken, burgers, and barbecue to a wide range of international fare, plus vegetarian and vegan eats, the Festival features something for everyone. Be sure to cool off with a lemon shake-up or scoop of Graeter’s ice cream!
8. Plenty of Photo Ops
With the rows of artist booths, exciting performances, the stunning bridges and scenic riverfront, the entire Columbus Arts Festival is one big photo op! For the best photo at the Fest, head to the giant selfie frame on the west side of the Scioto near the Rich Street Bridge to snap a photo with the city’s skyline as a backdrop.
Learn more and plan your visit at ColumbusArtsFestival.org, and follow Columbus Arts Festival on Facebook or @columbusartsfest on Instagram.
