Festival season is once again upon us! We have an ultimate list of all of the best festivals in Columbus Ohio, and festivals in Central Ohio! Food festivals, music festivals, free outdoor fun activities, and more! Lists of the home tours in Columbus, fairs, shopping events, and other fun things to do during the summer. Below is a list of festivals beginning now and running through December 2018. The 2018 Columbus Underground Festival List is presented by the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival, happening on Monday, September 3, 2018.
New festivals this year include: the Italian Heritage Summer Festival in Dublin, a spring/summer version of the Country Living Fair, the first ever Ohio Fairy Gardening Festival being held in Perry, Ohio (worth the drive!), the first Oddities & Curiosities Expo will be held in May, the 2×2 Hip-Hop Festival moves locations and adds Brews over Beats in May. Fore!Fest is coming back this year in May and will be at Bridge Park. A new series of Community Pride events is starting this year. The Lights Fest sets up close to Columbus. Kale & Ale Festival comes to Columbus in June (update, this has been cancelled). The John Glenn Astronomy Park officially opens in June. INKcarceration, a new summer festival combining non-stop live music with tattoos is in July, happening at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield. Also welcome to the first year of What? Music and Arts Festival. Picktown Palooza replaced the Pickerington Violet Festival. Holler comes back as a festival in August. A wine festival comes to Columbus Commons in August. Frontstage Fest is happening in August at the Big Room Bar. Huntington Garden in Schiller Park celebrates 25 years. Art for Life returns in September. The New Albany Classic hung up its helmet and will no longer be happening.
Get out your calendar and start filling it in! Just want music festivals? Check out our event calendar section. If you know of a festival that should be included, comment and let me know and it will be added. This should be a great start to help get your weekends full of fun events all summer long. Enjoy!
- Columbus YP Week – April 23 through 29
- Urban Air Affair, Wake Up Downtown, Logan – NEW! April 26 through April 29
- Columbus Documentary Week – April 26 through May 6
- OhioDance Festival – April 27, 28, and 29
- HoneyFest – NEW! April 28
- Short North Gala – April 28
- 24 Hour Shakespeare – April 28
- Duckling Day – April 28
- SPACE (Small Press Alternative Comics Expo) – April 28 and 29
- Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest – April 28 and 29
- Schmeckfest – April 29
- Heart of Africa, cheetah runs begin, Columbus Zoo – May 1
- Hat Day – May 4
- Paws in the Plaza, Gahanna, first Thursday of the month, May 4 through October 5
- Franklinton Farms Spring Festival – May 5
- Pinchflat – May 5
- Free Comic Book Day – May 5
- Merion Village Yard Sale – May 5
- Green on the Green, Worthington – May 5
- Central Ohio Folk Festival – May 5 & 6
- Spring Flea – May 6
- Columbus Underground Urban Living Tour – May 6
- Powell Street Market – May 6
- CHROMA: Best of CCAD – May 9
- Taste of Dine Originals – May 10
- South Side Slow Ride – May 10
- Columbus Podcast Festival – May 10, 12, 13
- The Flyover Fest – May 10, 11, 12
- CCAD Fashion Show – May 11
- Indianola Informal Carnival – May 11
- GartenMarkt – May 12
- Roots and Roofs, Weinland Park – May 12
- Natural Play Area First Birthday, Blendon Woods Metro Park – May 12
- Alchemy Rising Festival, Medina – May 12 through 14
- All Things Herbal – May 11 and 12
- Columbus Craft Beer Week – May 11 through 19
- Gahanna Herb Day – May 12
- Columbus Oddities & Curiosities Expo – NEW! May 12
- The Ohio Egg Fest – May 12
- Six One Pour – May 12
- Smokehouse Brewing’s Mini Real Ale Festival – No date yet
- The Moonlight Market on Gay Street – May 12
- Pinned – Not happening for 2018
- Beer and Ice Cream Block Party – May 17
- The Whiskey Bear Comedy Festival – May 17-22
- Greasy Dozen Run – May 18, 19, 20
- Brews over Beats – NEW! May 18
- Columbus Psych Fest – May 18
- Bike to Work Day – May 18
- Rock on the Range – May 18, 19, 20
- Easton Food Fest – May 18, 19, 20
- North Market Apron Gala – May 19
- OSU’s WestFest – May 19
- Pork-A-Palooza – May 19
- Columbus Taco Fest – May 19
- Tails and Ales Block Party – May 19
- Village Valuables in German Village – May 19
- King Arts Complex 30th Anniversary Gala – May 19
- Dinosaur Island opens at the Columbus Zoo – May 19
- Smart City Columbus Ride and Drive Roadshow – May 19 and 20
- Delaware Arts Festival – May 19 and 20
- Opening Day at Zoombezi Bay – May 19 and 20
- Sunlight Market on Gay Street – May 20
- Goods on Goodale – May 20
- MPACC Arts Opening – May 20
- Asian Festival Dragon Boat Races, West Bank Park – May 20
- Vintage Base Ball on Capitol Square – May 22
- Drauma – Taking a break for 2018
- Midwest Haunters Convention – May 23 – 27
- ZombieWalk – no dates, part of MHC
- Asian Festival – May 26 and 27
- Hills Market Salmon Roast, Hills Market Worthington – May 26
- Ohio Village opening day, 1890s carnival – May 26
- Food Truck Festival, Newark – May 26
- Shadowbox Live’s Which One’s Pink, dedicated to the memory of Stev Guyer, playing at Columbus Commons – May 27
- Green Lawn Abbey Open House – May 28
- The Memorial Tournament – May 28 through June 3
- Art for Franklinton – May 29
- Fore!Fest – NEW! May 31
- Nelsonville Music Festival – May 31 through June 3
JUNE
- Punk in Drublic, Thornville – June 1, 2, 3
- Columbus Community Pride: Back to Our Roots – June 1 through 16
- Summer Sizzle Concert Series, Grove City – most Fridays June 1 through August 17
- Bunbury Music Festival – June 1, 2, 3 (Cincinnati)
- African American Cultural Festival – June 2
- Chicken and Beer Festival – June 2
- Kale & Ale Festival – NEW! June 2 – CANCELLED
- Summer614 – June 2
- World Naked Bike Ride – June 9
- 32nd Annual Music on the Lawn in Grandview – Tuesdays, June 5 through July 31
- Summer Reading Club Kickoff, Main Library – June 2
- Cause Collaborative – No date yet
- Short North/Victorian Village Yard Sale – June 2
- Hubbard Mastery School Bazaar – June 2
- The Lights Fest, Waynesville – June 2
- Alley Islands at Blockfort – June 2
- Tour of Franklinton Cycling Race – No date yet
- North Market Peddler’s Picnic – Sundays June 3 through October 28, check website for exceptions
- Stop and Smell the Roses – no official event this year, peak blooms mid-June
- Midwest Burlesque and Rockabilly Weekend – June 7 through 10
- Rootwire Transformational ARTS Festival, Pomeroy – June 7, 8, 9, 10
- Sommerfest – June 8
- Big Local Art Tent at the Columbus Arts Festival – June 8, 9, 10
- Columbus Arts Festival – June 8, 9, 10
- Ohio Fairy Gardening Festival – NEW! June 9 (Perry, Ohio)
- Snowville Creamery Open House – No date yet
- Clintonville Treasure Hunt – No date yet
- Buckeye Country Superfest – Not returning for 2018
- Moonlight Market on Gay Street – June 9
- World Naked Bike Ride – June 9
- Olde Towne East – Trash to Treasures Yard Sale – June 9
- DAC Sundays at Scioto Summer Concert Series – Sunday evenings, June 10 through July 29
- Granville Art Affair – Not returning for 2018
- Origins Game Fair – June 13 through 17
- Wex Drive-In, Misery – June 14
- Found Footage Festival – June 14
- Washboard Music Festival and Logan’s 200th Birthday – June 14, 15, 16
- CAPA Summer Movie Series – June 15 through August 5
- Grove City Wine and Arts Festival – June 15 and 16
- Country Living Fair (Spring) – NEW! June 15, 16, 17
- Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival – June 15, 16, 17
- Tour de Grandview – June 15
- Duck Creek Log Jam – June 15 and 16
- Columbus PRIDE Festival, June 15 and 16, Brunch on 17
- Columbus Children’s Festival – June 16
- The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure – June 16 through 23
- Worthington Arts Festival – June 16 and 17
- Grandview Digfest – June 16
- Zoofari – June 16
- Goods on Goodale – June 17
- Picnic with the Pops – No dates yet
- Juneteenth Ohio Festival – trying to raise money to bring festival back
- John Glenn Astronomy Park – grand opening – NEW! June 21
- London Cobra Auto Show – June 21, 22, 23
- Powell Festival – June 22 and 23
- Comfest – June 22, 23, 24
- Easton Art Affair – June 22, 23, 24
- Sunlight Market on Gay Street – June 24
- Columbus Food & Wine Festival – June 29 and 30
- Hilltop Bean Dinner – June 30
- Grandview Hop – June 30
- Fenlon Five Year Celebration, Easton – June 30
- Farm Fair, Canal Market District in Newark – June 30
- Olentangy Summer Bash – June 30
JULY
- Red White & Boom – July 3
- Doo Dah Parade – July 4
- AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days – July 6, 7, 8
- Pokémon North American International Championships – July 6, 7, 8
- SpringsFest in Yellow Springs – July 7
- 4th & 4th Fest – No Longer Happening
- Picktown Palooza – July 11, 12, 13, 14
- South Side Family Expo at Barack Recreation Center – July 12
- The Heritage Concert Series, Mayme Moore Park – July 12 through August 16 on Thursdays
- Young Writers Short Play Festival, MadLab Theatre – July 13 through 28
- Downtown Live, Columbus Commons, Thursdays July 12, 19, 26
- North Market Ohio Wine Festival – July 13 and 14
- Italian Heritage Summer Festival, Coffman Park in Dublin – July 13, 14, 15
- INKcarceration Festival – Mansfield – NEW! July 13, 14, 15
- Ohio Brew Week (Athens) – July 13 through 21
- Moonlight Market on Gay Street – July 14
- Summer Jam West – July 14
- Cultural Wall Music Festival, held in Jefferson Park – July 14 and 15
- Westerville Music and Arts Festival – July 14 and 15
- Dino Weekend at the Zoo – July 14 and 15
- Youth Lemonade Day – July 14 and 15
- Franklin County Fair – July 14 through 21
- Powell Street Market – July 15
- Wex Drive-In, Batman (Tim Burton, 1989) – July 19
- Lancaster Festival – July 19 through 28
- PromoWest Fest – Not Happening for 2018
- Sommerfest – July 20
- TrotCon – July 20, 21, 22
- Jazz and Ribs Fest – July 20, 21, 22
- 11th Annual Gardening & Arts Festival, Scioto Gardens, Delaware – July 21
- Art Crawl in German Village – July 21
- Taste of Hungary Festival – July 21
- Making Midwest Fest – July 21 and 22
- Sunlight Market on Gay Street – July 22
- Goods on Goodale – July 22
- Lazy Daze of Summer Festival – probably not happening
- Union County Fair – July 22 through July 28
- Ohio State Fair – July 25 through August 5
- Taste of Powell – July 26
- Taste of Worthington – July 27
- World Bazaar, Westerville – July 27
- Canal Winchester Blues and Ribfest – July 27 and 28
- 2X2 Hip-Hop Festival – July 28
- Grandview Hop – July 28
- Jazz at the AMP – July 28
- Whitehall Food Truck & Fun Fest – July 28
- All Disabilities Fest and Columbus Gospel Fest – July 28
- Downtown Hog Roast – July 28
- Somali Cultural Day – July 28
- What? Music and Arts Festival – NEW! July 28
- Potter Palooza Weekend – July 31 through August 4
AUGUST
- Park Street Fest – Probably not happening
- Holler Festival – No date yet
- The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival, Thornville – August 2, 3, 4
- Pelotonia 10 Years – August 3, 4, 5
- Dublin Irish Festival – August 3, 4, 5
- Mayor Andrew J. Ginther’s FamJam – August 4
- Jazz at the AMP – August 4
- Hippie Fest, Hocking Hills – August 4 and 5
- Huntington Garden in Schiller Park’s 25th Anniversary – August 5
- All Ohio Balloon Festival – August 9, 10, 11
- FFOCOL – Film Festival of Columbus – August 9 through 12
- ProMusica Summer Concert Series – August 9 through 12
- Rivers Trails and Ales Festival, Marietta, August 9 through 12
- Arts in Uptown Festival – August 10
- Grove City EcoFest – August 11
- Frontstage Fest – NEW! August 11
- Bourbon Tasting, Grove City – August 11
- North Market Farmers’ Festival – August 11
- Moonlight Market on Gay Street – August 11
- Columbus Summer Beerfest – August 11
- Hot Rod Hula Hop – Tiki Themed event – August 11
- Festival Latino – August 11 and 12
- Buckeye Kosher Community BBQ Festival – August 12
- Wex Drive-In, The Fifth Element – August 14
- Taste the Future – August 14
- Sommerfest – August 17
- Columbus Food Truck Festival – August 17 and 18
- Columbus Duck Race – August 18
- WELLFest – August 18
- FMMF Fashion Meets Music Festival – No dates yet
- Fête en Blanc – no date yet
- Slip ‘N Fly Fest, Mansfield – August 17, 18, 19
- Cruise the Ville – August 18
- WAG! Dog Festival – August 18
- Peach Fest ’18 at Lynd Fruit Farm – August 18
- Weinland Park Community Festival – August 18
- African Village Arts Festival – August 18
- TEA 43206 – August 18
- Ganther’s Place Harvest and Jazz Festival – August 18
- CrestFest – August 18
- Sunlight Market on Gay Street – August 19
- Goods on Goodale – August 19
- The Coffee ColLab – August 24
- Breakaway Music Festival – August 24, 25, 26
- MatsuriCon – August 24, 25, 26
- Craft Brew at the Zoo – August 24
- Block Party Art Bazaar – August 24
- Grandview Hop – August 25
- Columbus Summer Wine Festival – August 25
- India Festival – August 25
- Egyptian Festival – No date yet
- Urban Scrawl – August 25 and 26
- VIVO Music Festival – August 29 through September 2
- WCOL Country Jam + Campout – August 30, 31, September 1
- Greek Festival – August 31 through September 3
SEPTEMBER
- Melanincholy Festival in Milo-Grogan – moved to September
- HotLicks Blues Fest, Granville – September 1
- Bike the CBus – September 1
- Canal Winchester Labor Day Festival – September 1, 2, 3
- Shadowbox Live’s Evolutionaries, at Columbus Commons – September 2
- Ohio Renaissance Festival – September 1 through October 28, Saturdays, Sundays, Labor Day Monday
- Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival – September 3
- Macedonian Festival at St. Marys Macedonian Orthodox Cathedral in Reynoldsburg – September 7, 8, 9
- Oktoberfest – September 7, 8, 9
- Ohio Bacon Fest – Not happening for 2018
- Moonlight Market on Gay Street – September 8
- Hot Times Community Festival – September 7, 8, 9
- Old Hilliardfest Art and Street Fair – September 8
- Powell Street Market – Sept 9
- Merion Village Festival – September 9
- Clintonville Arts and Music Festival – no date yet
- Columbus Garden Railroad Society, Self Guided Garden Tours – September 9
- Great Westerville Food Truck Fest – September 9
- Slice of Columbus – September 12
- Buckeye Game Fest – September 13, 14, 15, 16
- Country Living Fair – September 14, 15, 16
- Oktoberfest at Germania – September 14, 15, 16
- Columbus Caribbean Festival – September 14, 15, 16
- Scoot-A-Que – September 14, 15, 16
- Backwoods Fest – September 14, 15, 16
- Art for Life – September 15
- Spirits and Spells – September 15
- Uptown Untapped – September 15
- Old Worthington Market Day – September 15
- Ohiolina Music Festival – Taking 2018 off
- Grove City Arts in the Alley – September 15 and 16
- Delaware County Fair – September 15 through 22
- Sunlight Market on Gay Street – September 16
- SneakerFreaks – September 16
- Goods on Goodale – September 16
- Ohio Lesbian Festival – September 20, 21, 22, 23
- Little Brown Jug, Delaware – September 20
- Creekside Hops and Vines – September 22
- Experience Clintonville Days – September 22 and 23
- Union County Covered Bridge and Bluegrass Festival – September 22, 22, 23
- New Albany Classic – No longer happening
- Lynd’s Annual PumpkinPalooza – No date listed yet, usually end of September
- Hempfest – No date yet
- Cartoon Crossroads Columbus – September 27 and September 30
- Creative Control Fest – September 28 and 29
- Grandview Hop – September 29
- GDEX – September 29 and 30
- Chalk the Block – September 29
- Water Lantern Festival on Scioto Mile – NEW! September 29
- Harvest Fair, Columbus Commons – September 29
- Columbus International Festival – September 29 and 30
- Columbus Open Studio & Stage Tour – September 29 and 30
- Columbus CoffeeFest – September 29 and 30
OCTOBER
- Taste of Italy – October 1
- All American Quarter Horse Congress – October 2 through 28
- Mac and Cheese Festival/Fundraiser – October 5
- Columbus Italian Festival – October 5, 6, 7
- Grove City Oktoberfest – October 6
- 934 Fest – October 6
- Sunlight Market on Gay Street – October 7
- Moonlight Market on Gay Street – October 13
- Monster Bash – October 13
- Ohio 24 Hour Horror Marathon – October 13 and 14 (unconfirmed)
- Fashion Week Columbus – October 14 through 20
- Westerville Pumpkin Glow – October 18-21 and 25-28
- Fall Harvest Days at Hoover YMCA Park – no date yet
- HighBall Halloween – October 26 and 27
- Creepside – October 27
- Weinfest – October 27
- MidWest BunFest – October 27
- HAUNTED Fest – October 27 (unconfirmed)
- Bark in the Park, Ganther’s Place – October 27
- TRAUMA – Halloween Fetish Party – No date yet
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
- Slice of Clintonville – November 1
- Craftin’ Outlaws – November 10
- Wildlights – November 17 through January 6
- Holiday Lighting Ceremony at Easton – November 16
- Dragon Lights Columbus – November 23 through January 6
- Holiday Open House and Tree Illumination Ceremony, Worthington – November 25
- Main Library Holiday Open House – November 28
- Winterfair – November 30 through December 1, 2
- Frank Fetch Park Tree Lighting – December 1
- Winterfest – December 1
- The Merry Krampus – December 2
- Krampus Walk – December 2
- Clintonville Holidayville – December 2
- Village Lights – December 2
- Ohio Statehouse Holiday Festival and Tree Lighting – December 6
- Lighting of the Luminaries, Ganther’s Place – December 8
- New Year’s Eve – December 31
- First Night Columbus – December 31
- And plenty of other events in the CU Event Calendar!
House and Garden Tours
- Columbus Underground Urban Living Tour – May 6
- Tour de Highland West – no date yet
- Bexley Women’s Club House & Garden Tour – June 3
- Westgate Home & Garden Tour – June 9
- Old Oaks Home and Garden Tour – June 10
- Haus und Garten Tour, German Village – June 23 and 24
- Merion Village Garden Tour – July 8
- Summer Tour of Historic Homes – Olde Towne East – July 15
- WesterFlora Garden Tour – July 22
- Ganther’s Place Garden Tour – July 29
- Clintonville Homes Tour – No Longer Happening
- Sustainable Living Home and Garden Tour – September 15
- Short North Tour of Homes – September 15 (preview) and September 16 (tour day)
Local Food Festivals
- Utica Ice Cream Festival – May 26, 27, 28
- Van Wert Peony Festival – June 1, 2, 3
- Newark Strawberry Festival – June 1, 2, 3
- Taste of Worthington – July 27
- Deshler Corn City Festival – August 4 and 5
- North Ridgeville Corn Festival – August 10, 11, 12
- Lexington Blueberry Festival – August 16 through 19
- Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival – on pause until 2019
- Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival – August 18 and 19
- Millersport Sweet Corn Festival – August 29 through September 1
- Obetz Zucchinifest – August 31 through September 3
- Fredericktown Tomato Show – September 5 through 8
- Marion Popcorn Festival – September 6, 7, 8
- Lithopolis Honeyfest – September 7 and 8
- Mantua Potato Festival – September 7, 8, 9
- Ohio Pawpaw Festival – September 14, 15, 16
- Preble County Pork Festival – September 15 and 16
- Jackson County Apple Festival – September 18 through 22
- Ohio Fish and Shrimp Festival – September 21, 22, 23
- Barnesville Pumpkin Festival – September 27 through 30
- Lebanon Country Applefest – September 29
- Spring Valley Potato Festival – No date yet
- Ohio Gourd Festival (Delaware County) – October 5, 6, 7
- Ohio Sauerkraut Festival – October 13 and 14
- Circleville Pumpkin Show – October 17 through 20
- Van Wert County Apple Festival – October 19 and 20
- Ohio Smoked Meats and BBQ Festival, Nelsonville – October 20 and 21
Every effort has been made to ensure dates are correct, however: Please note, dates are subject to change.
The Columbus Underground 2018 Columbus Festival List is presented by The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival. The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival hosts 25,000 visitors participating in interactive performances and activities, purchasing art from more than 100 artists working in a wide range of media and enjoying refreshments from a variety of vendors. And it all happens because of our great volunteers! 2018 marks the 52nd Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival as well as the Centennial Celebration for the City of Upper Arlington. Visit uaoh.net for more information.