This weekend, the arts will officially take over Columbus.
The Columbus Arts Festival runs from June 6-8 and is on track to be one of the largest ever. Hundreds of thousands of people come to downtown Columbus each June to enjoy a weekend filled with fun, creativity, and imagination. The festival hours are Friday from 11 a.m. until 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. until 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
The festival encompasses all kinds of art, from painting and sculpting to spoken word and classical music. The Columbus Arts Festival is free to the public and completely funded by sponsors. With hundreds of artists, tons food vendors, three entertainment stages, and an entire kid zone. The Festival will be located along the riverfront, it’s the perfect place to spend the day with your friends or family.
What’s New at the 2025 Columbus Arts Festival?
The Columbus Arts Festival is back June 6–8, and this year’s lineup of new features makes the return even more exciting. Expect the usual creative energy — plus a few fresh additions that make the fest feel bigger, brighter, and more welcoming than ever.
The Fashion As Art runway show is returning to the Genoa Park Main Stage, this time with a fresh lineup of designers and a soundtrack by DJ Moxy Martinez. And for the first time, Franklinton Arts District will host an Art Garden in West Bank Park with live mural painting and pieces from past Scrawl festivals available for purchase.
Accessibility also gets a big boost this year. Along with returning features like the sensory-friendly tent and mobile universal changing station, new additions include an extra calming space, a downloadable sensory map, and a kid-friendly “social story” to help families prep for the weekend.
Evenings on Rich Street will be lit — literally — thanks to a new immersive projection installation by Mural ReMix and Bell Tree Productions, happening near the Big Local Arts Stage. Over at the GCAC booth, you can test your arts knowledge with a fun quiz show (prizes included), and snag mural stickers, festival fans, and the 2025 limited-edition tee designed by local artist Lucie Shearer.
Festival guests can also enjoy new non-alcoholic beers from Go Brewing, and refill their reusable bottles at a new portable water station, part of ongoing sustainability efforts.
As always, the performers, designers, and artists are all Columbus-based, keeping the hometown spirit strong all weekend long.
Transportation and Parking
Getting to the Columbus Arts Festival (June 6–8) is easier than ever, whether you’re biking, busing, scootering, or rolling up in your car. With plenty of options on both sides of the Scioto and smart tools to plan ahead, there’s no excuse not to join the fun downtown.
Bike
Pedal your way to the fest using the downtown bike lanes or the scenic Scioto Greenways. Free monitored bike parking is available courtesy of Franklinton Cycle Works at South Civic Center Drive and West Rich Street. The corral is open during Festival hours, but bring your lock — bikes must be secured and walked through the grounds. You’ll also find Veo bike share stations nearby on both sides of the river.
Bus
COTA is a solid choice if you want to skip parking altogether. Buses will be running all weekend with stops along High, Front, and Broad Streets — and evening riders can take advantage of extended night service. Fares are just $2, or grab a day pass for $4.50. Use exact change or download the Transit app to make your trip even easier.
Rideshare
Prefer a quick drop-off? Rideshare pickup and drop-off zones are recommended at two easy-access spots: COSI (333 W. Broad St.) and The Junto (77 E. Belle St.). Both locations are just steps away from all the action.
Electric Scooters
Scooters are fair game — just know that you’ll need to park them outside the Festival footprint. Geofencing will stop scooters from operating inside the grounds, so plan to dismount and walk in. Scooters are great for getting close, not cruising the booths.
Parking
Plenty of garages and surface lots are available near the Festival. Some of our favorites include:
- Columbus Commons garages
- Starling Street garages on the Scioto Peninsula
- RiverSouth garage (Front & Rich)
- LeVeque Tower garage (Broad & Front)
- National Veterans Memorial & Museum lot (across from COSI)
- Gravity garage (West Broad)
- Scioto Peninsula Underground garage (beneath Dorrian Green)
- River & Rich garage (Rich & McDowell in Franklinton)
For metered street parking, use nearby kiosks or download the ParkColumbus app. The app shows available spots, lets you pay from your phone, and even sends reminders before your time runs out. Heads up — rates may be higher during special events, and not all garages appear in the app.
Need ADA-accessible options? Designated spaces are available on streets and in garages on a first-come, first-served basis. Or skip parking entirely with a rideshare to one of the nearby drop zones.
Need more planning tips? Check out the full guide to Festival transportation at columbusartsfestival.org.
Entertainment, Food, & Drinks
When it comes to beverages, nothing hits quite like an ice cold lemon shake-up when you’re walking around enjoying art. Beverage stations throughout the Festival site will be serving beer, wine and frozen cocktails, as well as smoothies and fresh-squeezed lemonade (obviously).
Food options are amazing this year. You’ll find some of your favorite local vendors throughout the festival, including Cousins Maine Lobster, Schmidt’s, Graeter’s, Tortilla Street Food, and so many more. You can find a map of all of the food & drink vendors right here.
As for entertainment, let’s just say this festival is jam-packed with some incredible artists. There will be all kinds of performances, including live music, dancing, storytelling, poetry, and more. You can check out the full, detailed line-up of all performances right here.
Artists
The Artist Market will have over 230 exhibiting artists waiting to talk you through their art. You’ll find pieces at nearly all price points, plus, the artists will be on hand to answer any questions you might have.
“Once again, our lineup of exhibiting artists represents some of the top creators from across the country,” said Alexis Perrone, Arts Festival director. “We’re excited to see central Ohio well represented by dozens of established artists and 19 Emerging Festival Artists. Pair that with 10 of last year’s award-winners returning, and the 2025 Columbus Arts Festival will be a can’t-miss weekend for our community.”
One of the best things about the Columbus Arts Festival is how it encourages newer artists to shine. The Emerging Festival Artists program gives a platform to 19 Columbus-based artists that were selected by a jury panel.
Get out there and enjoy some art, Columbus!
For more information about the Columbus Arts Festival, please click here. All images via Columbus Arts Festival Facebook.
