With 225 visual artists, three stages of performances and dozens of food vendors the Columbus Arts Festival is a great welcome-to-summer event produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC). Here are some of the adventures in store for the nearly 500,000 guests coming to the 2023 festival, June 9-11:
Headliners on the Genoa Park Main Stage
Dehd, Ghost Shirt and MojoFlo headline free concerts on Genoa Park Main Stage
With the city skyline offering a beautiful backdrop, the Genoa Park Main Stage will feature music, dance and theater throughout the weekend. On Friday, June 9 the stage hosts runway show Fashion As Art featuring Columbus-area fashion designers followed by Columbus’ neo funk favorite MojoFlo. On Saturday, June 10, the Festival welcomes local power pop group Ghost Shirt opening for Chicago-based indie rock trio Dehd. Main stage performances are supported by Huntington. Full performance schedule here.
Artists live painting murals at Scrawl 2022
Scrawl 2022
Scribble Mini Mural Festival
Columbus’ live painting mural festival, Scrawl, will bring a mini version called “Scribble” to the Columbus Arts Festival, sponsored by Deloitte. Throughout the Festival weekend, 12 Columbus-area artists will create murals along the fences surrounding Bicentennial Park on the east side of the river. Featured artists include Andy Clarkson, Bridgette Barnes, Dane Khy, Evelyn McBride, Elizabeth Miller, Jennifer Morley, Danny Painter, Sarah Schlup, Andy Smith, Jay Snyder, Technocolor Art and WXVVY. Learn more about Scribble here: franklintonartsdistrict.com/scribble.html.
Created in 2011, the Emerging Festival Artist program is for artists who have limited or no experience exhibiting at national festivals. Artists must be residents of Franklin or the surrounding counties. The 2023 Columbus Arts Festival will feature the largest Emerging Festival Artist class to date, with 18 central Ohio artists showcasing their work. The Emerging Festival Artist program is supported by the Paul-Henri and Erika Bourguignon Charitable Trust.
Film returns to the Festival this year! Find the film stage, supported by Gateway Film Center and Greater Columbus Film Commission, in the triangle park west of the river. On Friday and Saturday you can see Broad & High episodes, student animation, local filmmakers’ work, classic Looney Tunes, and the 2009 feature Where The Wild Things Are.
This year the Festival has partnered with Columbus’ High Bank Distillery to feature a trio of boozy slushies crafted with their award-winning spirits. Available at three beverage booths at the Festival, High Bank’s Signature Slushies include a Cranberry Lime Cosmo, Whiskey Vanilla Root Beer and a Whiskey Bramble.
In addition to a beer garden with shaded seating and fun group games, Rhinegeist brewed a hoppy wheat ale named “Sketch” especially for the Columbus Arts Festival. Sketch will be available at the beer garden and select beverage booths at the Festival. Guests eager to try it will also find it at select locations where Rhinegeist is on tap in Columbus.
Columbus Arts Festival Hours:
Friday, June 9 from 11 am to 10:30 pm
Saturday, June 10 from 10 am to 10:30 pm
Sunday, June 11 from 10 am to 5 pm
Parking: The Festival is located along the Scioto Mile, Columbus’ signature riverfront park, along the Rich and Main Street bridges, in Dorrian Green Park and in front of COSI, the Center of Science and Industry. If you are able to walk a few blocks, street, surface lot and garage parking is generally less expensive farther out from the Festival. Use the ParkColumbus app to find options.
