The Columbus Arts Festival is back June 12 through 14, and while longtime attendees can expect plenty of returning favorites, this year’s festival is also introducing a handful of new experiences across downtown Columbus.
Produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council, the annual festival typically draws more than 400,000 visitors to the downtown riverfront each summer. And for 2026, organizers are adding everything from immersive art installations and rooftop-style jazz brunch vibes to expanded accessibility features and new food experiences.
One of the biggest additions this year is Re:Visions, an interactive lighting installation from Mural ReMix, Bell Tree Productions, and the Franklinton Arts District. The installation will transform the railroad underpass near the Rich Street Stage into an immersive art experience on Friday and Saturday nights.
Music fans will also want to keep an eye on Sunday’s lineup.
Columbus Jazz and Byron Stripling will bring a big band jazz brunch performance to the Bicentennial Park Stage at noon on Sunday, complete with nearby Bellini service for anyone looking to fully lean into brunch mode.
The festival’s popular Fashion As Art runway show also returns Friday night at Genoa Park, featuring Columbus designers Aspen Grazier, Kaia Armstrong, Logan Baldauf, and Tracy Powell, alongside music from DJ Moxy Martinez.
For visitors looking to get hands-on, this year’s festival includes a new Legal Walls activation in West Bank Park, where guests can create their own spray paint art alongside local artists throughout the weekend. Participating artists include MOOG, TSEW, LISP, FLIP, TWACK, and KETCHUP, among others.
There are also several new community-focused additions this year.
Columbus Food Rescue will collect unused but safe-to-eat food from festival vendors on Sunday and redirect it to local shelters. Organizers are also continuing sustainability efforts with the return of refillable water stations through the city’s Water for Everyone Today initiative.
Accessibility updates are expanding as well. The festival has added a detailed accessibility map highlighting sensory-heavy areas, along with returning calming tents, sensory-friendly spaces, and a mobile universal changing station for families.
This year’s festival includes the return of Rhinegeist beer booths, with expanded non-alcoholic options like Ghost Haze and Ghost Pils available throughout the weekend. Visitors can also stop by the traveling Big Bite Tour, which is bringing national food and beverage brands to Columbus as part of its multi-city summer tour.
Festivalgoers can also kick off Saturday morning with a free yoga session in Bicentennial Park hosted by Replenish Well, though attendees are encouraged to register in advance and bring their own mats.
As always, the Columbus Arts Festival will feature hundreds of artists, live performances across multiple stages, local food vendors, and interactive activities throughout downtown and the Scioto Mile.
The festival runs Friday, June 12 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More information, schedules, accessibility details, and volunteer opportunities are available at Columbus Arts Festival.
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