This weekend, the arts will officially take over Columbus.
The Columbus Arts Festival runs from June 9-11 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 225+ 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 Columbus Arts Festival?
As a result of ongoing construction in Bicentennial Park, the Festival’s main stage will be relocated to Genoa Park. Embraced by the picturesque city skyline, the Genoa Park Main Stage will become a vibrant hub for music, dance, and theater performances throughout the weekend, creating a captivating experience for attendees.
Excitingly, the Festival has joined forces with the always delicious High Bank Distillery to offer a delightful selection of boozy slushies made with their renowned spirits. Festival-goers can savor the refreshing High Bank Signature Slushies, including Cranberry Lime Cosmo, Whiskey Vanilla Root Beer, Whiskey Bramble, available at three dedicated beverage booths throughout the event.
This year, the exclusive Patron Party, presented by J.P. Morgan Chase, kicks off the Festival at its fresh new venue, The Junto, a brand new, modern lifestyle hotel on the Scioto Peninsula (77 Belle St.). If you’ve snagged tickets, aka the Patron Package, you can enjoy a night of cocktails, hors d’oevres, and live performances on Friday night. You can learn more about the Patron Package at columbusartsfestival.org/visit/patron-package.
To see what else is new this year, please click here.
Transportation and Parking
Parking
There are so many ways to get to the Columbus Arts Festival. If you’re driving, parking is available at several locations near the Scioto Mile. Park at:
COTA Bus
Don’t feel like driving? No problem. COTA will be running all weekend long and you can buy a day pass for just $4.50. You can pay with cash on the bus or download the COTA transit app.
Bicycle
If you’d like to bike to the festival, it’s totally encouraged. Bike parking is available on the east side of the river at South Civic Center Drive at West Rich Street. The bike corral is monitored, but guests should secure their bikes. The Festival has partnered with Franklinton Cycle Works to provide free bike parking during Festival hours.
The Columbus Arts Festival is one of my favorite things about living in this city. There’s so much to do and see and it’s always incredibly well done. We’ve given you the info you’ll need to get started planning your weekend, but if you really want to dive in and be ready for anything, don’t hesitate to download the official Columbus Arts Festival Guidebook.
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 Mikey’s Late Night Slice, 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. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true Columbus festival without the incomparable music of MoJoFlo, as well as several other local acts. There will be all kinds of performances, including 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 225 accomplished 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. 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 18 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.
