This weekend, the arts will officially take over Columbus.
The Columbus Arts Festival runs from June 7-9 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 Columbus Arts Festival?
The Columbus Arts Festival is back with a bang this year, and there’s plenty of new excitement in store! The Bicentennial Park Stage makes its grand return after a year off due to fountain construction, featuring spoken word and acoustic music on Friday, and music throughout the weekend.
For a unique art-meets-fashion experience, don’t miss the Fashion as Art runway show at Genoa Park, showcasing local designers and their stunning creations. The festival also boasts an impressive lineup of all Columbus-based performers, ensuring a local flair in every act. Plus, new accessibility accommodations include a mobile universal changing station and a sensory-friendly tent, making the event more inclusive for all attendees.
There’s more! Mural ReMix will transform Rich Street with immersive lighting and projections, while the Emerging Festival Artist program highlights 22 new local talents. Sustainability efforts are in full swing with a new portable water fountain and composting buckets for food trucks.
For families, the Memorial Tournament offers a giant paint-by-numbers mural, and MLS brings its All-Star Summer Roadshow for some interactive soccer fun. Don’t forget to grab the festival’s collectible T-shirt and check out the GCAC booth for art activities and festival swag. With so much to see and do, the Columbus Arts Festival promises a weekend of creativity, community, and endless fun!
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 Angela Perley, 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 250 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.
“We’re thrilled to see another robust lineup of exhibiting artists taking shape for the 2024 Festival,” said Alexis Perrone, Arts Festival director. “We’re once again set to welcome outstanding artists from all over the country, as well as a full slate of last year’s award-winners and the largest Emerging Festival Artist class ever. I think Festival-goers will be excited to see favorite returning artists as well as a number of new faces.”
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.
