Welcome to the last weekend of August! The Columbus Comedy Festival is happening all weekend, with stand-ups spread across MadLab, the Funny Bone, and more, while Nikki Glaser closes out two nights at the Palace on Friday. Saturday brings Caamp to the Schottenstein Center, the 2×2 Hip-Hop Festival back to Franklinton, and a free Tamagotchi pop-up to Polaris.
Sunday winds down with the Columbus International Festival at the fairgrounds, the final Pippin matinee, and the Crew hosting New England at 4:30. Here’s your weekend.
This Weekend At A Glance
| Event | When | Where | Cost |
| Columbus Comedy Festival | Through Sunday | MadLab, Funny Bone & more | Per-show tickets |
| Nikki Glaser | Fri, 7pm | Palace Theatre | Ticketed |
| Pippin (final weekend) | Fri 7pm, Sat 2 & 7pm, Sun 2pm | Garden Theatre | Ticketed |
| And Then There Were None | Thu–Sun, 8pm | Schiller Park Amphitheatre | Free |
| Zoo Lantern Festival | Fri–Sun, 7:30–10:30pm | Columbus Zoo | Ticketed |
| Caamp | Sat, 7pm | Schottenstein Center | Ticketed |
| 2×2 Hip-Hop Festival | Saturday | Land-Grant Brewing, Franklinton | See website |
| Tamagotchi USA Road Trip | Sat 11am–8pm, Sun noon–6pm | Polaris Fashion Place | Free |
| Crew vs. New England Revolution | Sun, 4:30pm | ScottsMiracle-Gro Field | Ticketed |
| Columbus International Festival | Sunday | Franklin County Fairgrounds | Free |
Friday, August 28
🎤 The Columbus Comedy Festival Is Mid-Run
The third annual Columbus Comedy Festival started Thursday and runs through Sunday at venues including MadLab downtown and the Columbus Funny Bone at Easton. This year’s headliners include Nina West, Greg Fitzsimmons, Arnez J., and Connor Ratliff. Tickets are sold per show.
Location: Venues across Columbus
When: Through Sunday, August 30
Cost: Per-show tickets
More info: Columbus Comedy Festival
🎤 Nikki Glaser at the Palace
Nikki Glaser’s The Stunning Tour plays the Palace Theatre Friday at 7pm, the second of her two nights there.
Location: Palace Theatre
When: Friday, 7pm
More info: CAPA
🎭 Pippin’s Final Weekend
Short North Stage closes its run of Pippin at the Garden Theatre this weekend: 7pm Friday, 2 and 7pm Saturday, and a final 2pm matinee Sunday.
Location: Garden Theatre, Short North
When: Fri 7pm, Sat 2 & 7pm, Sun 2pm
More info: Short North Stage
🎭 Free Agatha Christie in Schiller Park
Actors’ Theatre of Columbus continues And Then There Were None at Schiller Park Amphitheatre, Thursday through Sunday at 8pm, with the run going through September 6. Agatha Christie’s mystery strands ten strangers on an island with a killer among them, played out on the outdoor stage as German Village goes dark. General admission is free. Make an evening of it with dinner in German Village first.
Location: Schiller Park Amphitheatre, German Village
When: Thursday–Sunday, 8pm
Cost: Free
More info: Actors’ Theatre of Columbus
🦁 The Zoo Glows After Dark
The Columbus Zoo’s Lantern Festival runs Friday through Sunday evenings, 7:30 to 10:30pm, through October 25. More than 70 sets of LED lanterns light the paths after the zoo closes for the day, and this year’s edition adds the dinosaurs. More on what to expect in our Lantern Festival preview.
Location: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
When: Friday–Sunday, 7:30–10:30pm
Cost: Ticketed
More info: Columbus Zoo
Saturday, August 29
🎵 Caamp at the Schott
Caamp plays the Schottenstein Center Saturday at 7pm, with Arcy Drive and the Sam Fribush Organ Trio also on the bill. Childhood friends Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall started the band in Athens.
Location: Schottenstein Center
When: Saturday, 7pm
More info: Schottenstein Center
🎵 2×2 Hip-Hop Festival Returns to Franklinton
The 2×2 Hip-Hop Festival is back at Land-Grant Brewing Saturday, its first edition since 2019. This year the festival pairs up with Vaded Street Circuit, so show cars share the day with the music.
Location: Land-Grant Brewing, Franklinton
When: Saturday
More info: 2×2 Fest
🎮 A Free Tamagotchi Pop-Up at Polaris
The Tamagotchi USA Road Trip stops at Polaris Fashion Place this weekend, Saturday 11am to 8pm and Sunday noon to 6pm. The traveling pop-up is free to visit.
Location: Polaris Fashion Place
When: Saturday 11am–8pm, Sunday noon–6pm
Cost: Free
More info: Polaris Fashion Place
Sunday, August 30
🌍 Columbus International Festival (Free)
Festa hosts its fourth annual Columbus International Festival at the Franklin County Fairgrounds on Sunday, with a day of international performances, live music, a cultural fashion show, and food and art from central Ohio’s immigrant communities. Admission is free.
Location: Franklin County Fairgrounds
When: Sunday, August 30
Cost: Free
More info: Festa
⚽️ The Crew Host New England
The Crew host the New England Revolution Sunday at 4:30pm at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. It’s the club’s Soccer For All match.
Location: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field
When: Sunday, 4:30pm
More info: Tickets
That’s the weekend. For everything past Sunday, the monthly guide has you covered.
Have fun, Columbus!
