Labor Day blesses us this weekend with a three-day weekend, so this edition runs through Monday. The Greek Festival runs all weekend on High Street. Saturday is the busiest day, with Ohio State’s season opener, a Crew match, and a handful of hometown festivals. Monday belongs to Upper Arlington’s arts festival, a tradition going back to 1966.
This Weekend At A Glance
| Event | When | Where | Cost |
| Columbus Greek Festival | Friday–Monday | Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral | $10 weekend pass |
| CBUS Soul Fest | Friday & Saturday | Bicentennial Park | Free |
| Matsuricon | Friday–Sunday | Greater Columbus Convention Center | Badges |
| And Then There Were None (final weekend) | Friday–Sunday | Schiller Park Amphitheatre | Free |
| Clippers vs. Iowa Cubs | Fri & Sat 7:05pm, Sun 1:05pm | Huntington Park | Ticketed |
| Ohio State vs. Ball State | Sat, 12:30pm | Ohio Stadium | Ticketed |
| Columbus GospelFest | Saturday | Lausche Building, Ohio Expo Center | Free |
| Crew vs. Colorado Rapids | Saturday | ScottsMiracle-Gro Field | Ticketed |
| Biome Bonanza | Saturday | Franklin Park Conservatory | With admission |
| Ohio Cup Vintage Base Ball Festival | Sat & Sun, 9am–5pm | Westerville Sports Complex | Free |
| All Out War: Motorsports Festival | Sat & Sun | Historic Crew Stadium | Ticketed |
| Canal Winchester Labor Day Festival | Saturday–Monday | Canal Winchester | Free |
| West Jefferson Ox Roast | Saturday–Monday | West Jefferson | Free |
| Bexley Summerfest | Sun, 3–8pm | East Main St. & Drexel Ave., Bexley | Free |
| Thurber House: Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz & Ernest Cline | Sunday | Canzani Center | Ticketed |
| Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival | Mon, 10am–5pm | Northam Park, Upper Arlington | Free |
Friday, September 4
🇬🇷 Four Days Of Greek Festival
The Columbus Greek Festival opens Friday at 4pm and doesn’t stop until Monday evening. The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral has thrown this Labor Day weekend party for decades with gyro and souvlaki lines, a pastry shop heavy on the honey, traditional dance performances with an open floor between them, a Greek marketplace, and tours of the cathedral itself. A $10 weekend pass covers all four days, and kids 12 and under get in free.
Location: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 555 N. High Street
When: Fri 4–11pm, Sat 11am–11pm, Sun noon–11pm, Mon 11am–5pm
Cost: $10 weekend pass, kids 12 and under free
More info: Columbus Greek Festival
🎶 CBUS Soul Fest On The Riverfront
Columbus Recreation and Parks brings CBUS Soul Fest to Bicentennial Park Friday and Saturday, and admission is free.
Location: Bicentennial Park, Downtown
When: Friday & Saturday
Cost: Free
More info: CBUS Soul Fest
🎌 Matsuricon Takes The Convention Center
Anime convention Matsuricon runs Friday through Sunday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, bringing panels, gaming, and a whole lot of cosplay downtown.
Location: Greater Columbus Convention Center
When: Friday–Sunday
Cost: Badges required
More info: Matsuricon
🎭 Last Chance For Free Agatha Christie
This is it for And Then There Were None: Actors’ Theatre of Columbus closes its run at Schiller Park Amphitheatre on Sunday, September 6. Ten strangers, one island, and a killer among them. General admission is free. Grab dinner in German Village first and make a night of it.
Location: Schiller Park Amphitheatre, German Village
When: Friday–Sunday evenings, through September 6
Cost: Free
More info: Actors’ Theatre of Columbus
⚾ Clippers All Weekend At Huntington Park
The Clippers close out a six-game homestand against the Iowa Cubs with games all three days: 7:05pm Friday and Saturday, then a 1:05pm Sunday matinee.
Location: Huntington Park, Arena District
When: Fri & Sat 7:05pm, Sun 1:05pm
Cost: Ticketed
More info: Columbus Clippers
Saturday, September 5
🏈 Ohio State Hosts Ball State
Ohio State opens its season against Ball State Saturday at 12:30pm at Ohio Stadium.
Location: Ohio Stadium
When: Saturday, 12:30pm
Cost: Ticketed
More info: Ohio State Buckeyes
🎵 GospelFest’s 42nd Year
The 42nd annual Columbus GospelFest fills the Lausche Building at the Ohio Expo Center on Saturday, free to attend.
Location: Lausche Building, Ohio Expo Center
When: Saturday
Cost: Free
More info: Columbus GospelFest
⚽ The Crew Host Colorado
The Crew take on the Colorado Rapids Saturday at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.
Location: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, Astor Park
When: Saturday
Cost: Ticketed
More info: Columbus Crew
🌿 Biome Bonanza At The Conservatory
Franklin Park Conservatory’s Biome Bonanza lands Saturday, this one built around the scents of the Himalayas, and it’s included with regular admission.
Location: Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
When: Saturday
Cost: Included with admission
More info: Franklin Park Conservatory
⚾ Base Ball Like It’s The 1860s
The Ohio Cup Vintage Base Ball Festival brings more than 30 teams to the Westerville Sports Complex Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 5pm, playing by 1860s rules, which means no gloves and underhand pitching. It’s free to watch, and it ranks among the largest vintage base ball gatherings anywhere.
Location: Westerville Sports Complex
When: Saturday & Sunday, 9am–5pm
Cost: Free
More info: Ohio History Connection
🏁 Motorsports At Historic Crew Stadium
All Out War: Motorsports Festival takes over Historic Crew Stadium Saturday and Sunday.
Location: Historic Crew Stadium
When: Saturday & Sunday
Cost: Ticketed
More info: Historic Crew Stadium
🎡 Canal Winchester’s Labor Day Festival
Canal Winchester’s Labor Day Festival runs Saturday through Monday with rides, food, and free admission. The organizers call it the oldest and largest Labor Day festival in Ohio.
Location: Downtown Canal Winchester
When: Saturday–Monday
Cost: Free admission
More info: Canal Winchester Labor Day Festival
🐂 The West Jefferson Ox Roast
A short drive west on Broad Street, the West Jefferson Ox Roast runs Saturday through Monday, with the parade stepping off Saturday at noon.
Location: West Jefferson
When: Saturday–Monday, parade Saturday at noon
Cost: Free
More info: West Jefferson Community Association
Sunday, September 6
🌳 Bexley Summerfest
Bexley closes the summer with Summerfest on Sunday from 3 to 8pm at East Main Street and Drexel Avenue. Free to attend.
Location: East Main Street & Drexel Avenue, Bexley
When: Sunday, 3–8pm
Cost: Free
More info: City of Bexley
📚 A Thurber House Evening With Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz
Thurber House hosts writer Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz Sunday at CCAD’s Canzani Center, an evening shared with Ready Player One author Ernest Cline.
Location: Canzani Center, CCAD
When: Sunday
Cost: Ticketed
More info: Thurber House
Monday, September 7 (Labor Day)
🎨 Upper Arlington’s Labor Day Arts Festival
Upper Arlington has spent Labor Day this way since 1966. The arts festival fills the lot adjacent to Northam Park, between the library, Tremont Elementary, and the Tremont Pool, from 10am to 5pm with fine artists, hands-on art activities, and live music. Admission is free, and the city runs it whatever the sky does. Parking near the park is tight, so use the free shuttle from Wellington School at 3650 Reed Road; it loops about every 15 minutes.
Location: Northam Park, Upper Arlington
When: Monday, 10am–5pm
Cost: Free
More info: City of Upper Arlington
Monday is also last call at the Greek Festival, which winds down from 11am to 5pm, and both Canal Winchester’s festival and the Ox Roast keep going through the holiday.
That’s the long weekend. For everything past Labor Day, the monthly guide has you covered.
Have fun, Columbus!
