Comfest

4.3 (75 reviews)

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Heather D.

Great festival to go to if you're a hippie and you're into free love. You get to hear some good local music and have some good local eats. Make sure you come early so you can find some parking because there is no parking available you have to park on the street or pay to park somewhere so be prepared to spend about an hour to find parking. Make sure to bring some extra money with you to explore the local crafts that are on display and available for purchase. You can bring a blanket so you can sit down for a while and enjoy as many bands as you want in a row or bring your stroller if you have children it's all allowed.

Shawnie K.

When I go to Comfest, I have flashbacks to the South Park episode where all the hippies take over town during the Hippie Jam Fest... well, this isn't quite that extreme, but it has it's moments. I quite embrace this festival for what it stands (peace, love, and justice) AND for the weekend full of contunuous live music. I love live music, so this is the perfect opportunity to experience the array of awesome (and not-so-awesome) musicians central Ohio has to offer--- and for FREE. You pay out the wazoo for parking and beer, but if you don't drink, you're in luck... but, it's safe to say most people who attend Comfest DO drink (or are anesthetized by other substances). It's peaceful. Loving. Mellow. And often very stinky (think B.O.)... and don't even get me started on the port-o-johns... With that said, I don my earthiest outfi, pack up my wooly blanket and cooler of drinks and head over to Goodale Park. I am patient with parking, which is helpful as we like to attend during peak times, when it is near impossible to find easy parking in Victorian Village. I don't mind walking either and usually end up parking in Harrison West or near campus. The people-watching alone makes it worth the trek! Community Festival (hence Comfest) is first and foremost a platform for the organization to spout off about social and political issues- but this is done against the backdrop of a free music festival. Most folks just come for the music, which is contunuous on a number of stages throughout Goodale Park.... but despite being free, I usually spend a ton of money parking, eating and drinking, but it is totally worth it. Money goes to good social causes, like local homeless shelters. If my drunkeness can help a fellow in need, all the better! The musicians also volunteer their time and music, playing for free. This is a Columbus festival to the core. Love or or hate it, you can't help but appreciate its uniqueness. Despite my poking fun and generalizing, I love Comfest! Can't wait for it to come around again! I went twice this year. It was a great to ring in the weekend, watching The Randy's play a happy hour show on the Gazebo stage. It was even better to end the weekend at the jazz stage Sunday night. A torrential downpour Sunday afternoon did not deter the faithful. If anything, it lent to the "woodstock" mood. A word of advice: I'm not sure I'd bring my kids, but to each their own. I also want to note that some women tend to stroll around topless (many who have no business being without clothes!) but again, to each their own. In fact, last Comfest I saw a stoned, topless woman pulling her kid around in a red wagon... go figure. Aside from those minor critiques.... what you leave with is a good message and fabulous music! HAPPY COMFEST!

Ryan S.

Short for Community Festival, Comfest has happened every summer since '72. Its purpose is to push ideas: for people over profit, the equality of all people, and that basic necessities of life are rights, not privileges. That's all well and good; but do we actually take those values from the fest and activate them in the rest of our lives? From a cynical prospective Comfest can seem like nothing more than a hippie St Pats Day; on a day in March we are Irish, in May we are Hispanic, October Zombies, and the last week in June we are Dead Heads, Hare Krishna peaceniks, and Hot Topic layered flower children. Just a dress up playtime before we toss off the psychedelic threads and return to our hyper-consumerist, my-me-mine, dog-eat-dog, rat race world. I hadn't been there since 2000, but circled it as a must do after I finally secured summer weekends off. I remembered my wild times in the '90s, when it still had an edge. I could employ the old canard "It's become popular, now it sucks," but I am not going to because I enjoyed my Sunday trip this year. Delightful art tents and venders, steaming food trucks, and a variety of music found in every corner energizes and gets you swaying. The people that pack the old park are the main entertainment, though it really is just the same old crowd you'd find at the fair, they just act different. There's the business man in flea marked scruffy finds, the pharmaceutical rep in floral dresses and suede vests, the dude-bros in a Rastafarian hats, mothers in loose puffy blouses and beads, the frat girls with fury boots, the geography teacher in tie-dyed tees, teenybopper and a number of babe in strollers all letting loose in the smog of rag weed and the constant bubbling water of bong. There is lots to do and see here. They close Park Street past Goodale and vendors and trucks run into the Arena District. The crowd can be huge, so it takes some skill to transverse it fluidly. Bring a blanket or chair to sit on--I forgot to do so and my friend and I had to sit on dirt (It's been awhile.) You can not bring your own beer anymore, so you have to buy it there; the choices sucked this year; Miller Light or Paps, or a $7 overpriced Columbus Brewery IPA where the choices. Bring cash. The ATM here do not value people over profit. For all the peace and love theme of the event it does cast a dark Jungian shadow. I did feel the subtext of conflict and aggression. It seems a rift is brewing between the city, careful of a park in it gentrified Short North jewel, the promoters, the acts, and the attendees. They had to tape off the area in front of the main stage due to the rains and the damage thereof. With a strangely place sound box blocking most peoples view of the stage many jumped the tape. You could feel the tension about that. The feeling I get is that Comfest at Goodale is not long for the world. I can see it being moved to the Ohio State Fairgrounds, or another less urban and less cool place in the future. That would be a shame. In a positive view maybe Comfest does influence people. My last stop was to view a poetry reading from a African inspired poetry troupe. With drums and swinging dancers the performance was divine and missed by almost everyone else, as only about 20 watched it. In front was a young girl who had more fun there than most of us do all year. Topless, and with out any self-consciousness she dove in the mud, hug, danced and took the free-spired nature of the event to its full level. It made me think, seeing her suck the marrow out of life in a manner I seldom had in the last few decades, how up-tight this society is. Too up-tight and anxious and bland beyond belief. I think I'll try to be more easy going and let loose a little more. Life is too short the to spend it as a square.

Morgan D.

I am becoming more and more of a barefoot free spirit. So when it comes to ComFest, I feel like these are my people - mostly, besides the ones who ONLY come for the beer and the painted boobies. It's not that beer and boobies aren't part of the charm of ComFest, but they shouldn't be your sole reason for going. The Community Festival started way back in 1972 and was the project of a group including the likes of Libby Gregory. The group was looking for a way to advocate issues like human and animal rights, and they understood the importance of community involvement when it came to solving problems. When the festival got too large, it moved off campus and to its current location in Goodale Park - the perfect place to have such a festival. ComFest has maintained much of the same spirit, but I can definitely see that it's being tainted by people who just don't get it. At least they're there, being exposed to the messages, even if they're not consciously absorbing the reason for the party. If you go, you'll find this is more of a holiday than a festival. People look forward to it all year, and on ground, you'll hear people telling each other 'Happy ComFest!' At ComFest, you'll find a healthy assortment of vendors selling everything from politically minded T-shirts to original artwork to Vegan burgers. The food is great, and the beer that's poured into iconic cups so large they can hold an entire bottle of wine is even better (minus the Pale Ale). But the real reasons to go to ComFest are for the music and the energy of the crowd. There are multiple stages in the park and simultaneous performances happening at each. The bands are pretty much all local. Some are really good, some are meh. They all go through a screening process, so it's not like you're going to see a band out there that's downright awful, maybe just not you're style. One of the stages features performing arts; it's a great place to find Anna and the Annadroids. The crowd is so laid back. I love seeing barefoot guys tossing a Frisbee around while a dread-locked group takes a nap under a shade tree and a couple of teenagers dangle their legs into the pond. I love all the dogs and the kids running around. I can usually spend the whole day there, as long as the festivities aren't cursed by the weather, which is typical. But even when it rains, even when it pours, people stick around. Parking can be tough if you don't beat the rush. I do feel awful for people who live around the park and can't move their cars for fear they won't have a spot when they come back home. If you go to ComFest, make sure to drink up. DON"T bring your own beer. They make all their money off of beer sales; think of yourself as a do-gooder.

Steve A.

I like festivals and Comfest is the best one in Columbus. It has often been said it's not as fun as it was. That is true because now everyone wants to be there and the assholes ruin it for the rest of us. It's free so you can't complain about it because you're not forced to buy anything. The music is not always good but it's nice background noise while passed out under a tree, and the vendors sell lots of cool local products. If you haven't been there you should know a few things. It's in Goodale Park, a really nice park any time of the year. There's lots of space to stretch out and watch bands or people. It gets crowded around the stages and on the streets. People walk so fucking slow. Another problem is getting there. It's better to not drive if you can. Busses go past the park. There's parking along several streets if you can walk. On Sundays the city has free parking at meters. The people in charge say you shouldn't bring pets. Attendees are like fuck that, and bring their dogs, pigs, and whatever anyway. It's not a good place for them. There are loud noises and many people so they go crazy. The beer process is kind of weird. First you buy tokens then you use them when you buy the beer. This means you have to wait in line twice. It also can be a long wait. The beer is also expensive. A 20 oz. of something is about $7. It also has other alcohol options like wine. A review of Comfest is not complete without talking about the boobs. Yes, there's a few topless chicks there and many of them shouldn't be. Many like the attention but some get offended if stared at. There's some you should ask before taking pictures. I think Comfest is good for the city of Columbus. It's a fun way to blow the weekend and to act like an idiot. There are lots of music and people to see and it's all free so get there.

Just one of the crazy things you can do at Comfest

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Jamie C.

Elite 26

145

370

10 years ago

Parking is always bad/crazy and always taken up so most likely you'll be walking a little from your car and even more when you get to the festival. Kids are allowed but I wouldn't bring them since they may get lost in the crowd plus some of the adults can get wild especially if they over drink. I always come on Saturday since more performances happen but I feel no matter what day you come it'll always be crowd and hot. I don't know much about the food since I eat before I go since most of it's looks kinda pricey and has long lines but I didn't look around much either. They have mostly food trucks and a few food stands. There are lots of bands, dancers, artists and cool hippy facts about Ohio. They also have booths where you can buy things or donate to amazing causes; most of the booths are from very crafty locals. Some booths can be pricey so make sure you look at other booths before deciding on what to get in case it's cheaper somewhere else. A henna tattoo or body art is also always a must. Always bring a blanket or chairs so you can sit; I tried sitting on grass and ended up sitting in something wet o.O Bring lots of water/snacks if you don't wanna buy food like me but they do have free water stands. read more

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Elizabeth C.

Elite 14

148

15 years ago

Everyone who has gone to comfest has comfest stories. Ask. I used to come and look around for all the people I know and love from my far-away home town, but these days I've come around to more of a "love the one you're with" attitude, and we just tend to make make friends with whomever is sitting near us. I guess I'm getting lazy. But the point is that you can. I like it. This is not how you roll at shitty rib fest or whatever crappy free-ish outdoor event to which you would like to compare comfest. I don't get all the whiners. Relax. read more

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Evalyn C.

Elite 17

188

304

227

15 years ago

As I was out of town until Sunday, I only got to attend, well, Sunday. It was an experience, that's for sure. I can't say that this huge event was really all that different from any other of this style I've been to before, but the people watching is pretty choice - it began a game to spot which girls were actually wearing skimpy clothes and which just had body-painted on skimpy clothes. The music was fun and funky. The weather for it was perfect today. But everything is god awful expensive and crowded as hell. I love the idea of what Comfest is supposed to be, but it seems to have outgrown its britches. Maybe it's time to scale it back a bit? In the end, I felt I was neither drunk nor high enough to truly get the most of the experience, but I'm glad I stopped by. read more

Comfest - Festivals Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Catie L.

Elite 10

326

117

15 years ago

Comfest 2011 was great. Got to play the Djembe or Drum on the live arts stage with a band. 4 of my friends and I with a guy named Jared. We then over the weekend did Free Hugs up near the entrance on Buttles. Did more drumming in a couple groups and then with the community group until it got boring and we started our own improve group...life is good, I loved it. Comfest seems to get more crowed each year and the security is like gestapo. let up. I was with some friends cooling down on a hot afternoon, and they made us move. I have one metal leg so I took my time...they could see the scars. No one is allowed under the small trees because of people using drugs I guess. I had fun anyway...I still got free tokens for food and drinks I guess I can use them next year if I go. As I get older, not partial to the crowds like I used to be. It is a good time though. read more

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Josh F.

12 years ago

This was my first time. To see so many people together getting along, is a sight. The vendors are cool, and as usual LOCAL. Craft beer & food trucks, festival food. Sounds like a great time to me. Hope to be at next years, happy comfest read more

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Paul R.

18 years ago

My favorite weekend in Columbus. I've been going for over 10 years and each year it is a different experience. My favorite part is hearing local bands that I've never seen before, and just so many people in the park hanging out and having a good time. I've randomly run into people from my work, old high school friends, and other assorted people. It's very much a community event where everyone is welcome and you never know who will be there. It's gotten a little trashier the past couple years, with people who blatantly are there for the excuse to get high in public. But even these folks can't ruin a good time, and mainly keep to themselves. Who even knows with parking anymore. I lived downtown the past few years so didn't have to deal with it. Back in the day I always used to park by the Convention Center, which was like $5 or $10 and really close. Go on Sunday if you want to see some off-beat bands and skip the crowd. read more

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Gwen W.

Elite 25

969

2023

6161

9 years ago

Started in 1972, Comfest (or more formally, Community Festival) is the longest running completely volunteer run festival in the United States. Lots of things going on during this weekend gathering. Music, arts and craft vendors, food, talks. The Fest also is more commonly known for women going topless, and letting all be free. Apparently, Ohio has some law that was passed a long time ago that says women are allowed to go shirtless in Columbus. I'm not sure about the specifics, but that's the gist. The Fest has always been in Goodale Park. Beautiful city park in the heart of the Short North neighborhood. Parking is an issue, as is to be expected with festivals that garners faithful followers that return every year. Personally, I think the best option is to park somewhere in German Village and hop on the FREE Cbus Circulator. Runs from GV to 3rd Ave. all day, every day. read more

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Jenn G.

15 years ago

I thoroughly enjoy and appreicate Comfest (Community Festival) It's a great jampacked filled weekend of free music, an array of food vendors (not your typical fair food, either), and awesome local artists, crafters and trendy vendor tents set up all across Goodale Park. The best part about Comfest is that it is strickly ran by volunteers who work for t-shirts and beer/food tokens. The bands are not paid, the vendors are there on their own, and the behind the scenes makings of Comfest are done by volunteers like you and me. Anyone can preregister to volunteer or walk up to the tent and sign up for a time slot. They are usually in 2 to 4 hour increments and involve mostly in collecting trash/recycling. Early shifts might include some set up work and night shifts involve closing/collecting of stuff for the next day. Considering how many hours people tend to clock in while attending comfest, giving up 2-4 is nothing. If you've attended Comfest for years now (my third), you should seriously consider donating some hours towards this amazing and largest volunteered festival in the country. Not only do you get a Comfest Tee and tokens, but YOU help MAKE it HAPPEN! There is even an option of you volunteering your hours to an organization (Make-A-Wish, Suicide Hotline etc) so definitely think about that while you sign up. Comfest runs on Friday til 11, Saturday til 10, and Sunday til 8. Feel free to hit up the Arena District just north of Goodale park if all the Comfest beer wasn't enough! The bars up there make for a good tme (and good shots!) If you've never been, you're missing out. If money is an issue you cannot bring your own beer but you can certainly bring your own snacks. You get to window shop, check out local artists and didn't I mention FREE LIVE (AND GOOD!) MUSIC ALL DAY LONG?! Keep it classy Columbus, and utilize the trash/recycling centers all around Goodale Park. See you there tomorrow and Sunday! read more

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Myrna W.

8 years ago

Went today and had a amazing time. The band's were really good and entertained the crowd amazingly. There was a good selection of food trucks and stands to chose from. I never get tired of the comfest and can't wait for the next one. I met some of the friendliest people today men and women. Check out the northmarket while your there also. Cudios to Cota bus, they were on time and the CBUS is just what downtown needs. Taking COTA was better than paying for parking and dealing with the traffic. read more

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Jenny A.

13 years ago

Community Fest. What a joke. Thanks to all the suburban folks and west side teenagers that invade it totally sucks now. I pretty much avoid the Short North area at this time. read more

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Kylie F.

Elite 19

134

14 years ago

Hippies. Hemp. Beer. Coolers. Local music. Won't complain

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Helen S.

Elite 16

348

616

285

12 years ago

I attended this past weekend and wasn't a huge fan. It's not horrible but it's not my fave either. It's a bit like a street festival and a music festival combined, except the bands are all pretty obscure since they're all regional bands. People watching is interesting -- you'll see a lot of boobage (I think we counted 15+ pairs...not all of which you'd actually wanna see) and there's open smoking of weed if you're into that kind of thing. I don't quite understand the point is all. read more

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Shannon R.

17 years ago

If you've never been then go. It caters toward a certain crowd. If you like it you'll go back. If not then you won't miss it.

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Natalie S.

Elite 8

19 years ago

One of the best things about Columbus. Lots of volunteers work to pull of this FREE festival, supported in part by beer purchases - buy a mug, drink up and support the cause! So much music, all packed together - there's bound to be something you love going on at any given time. Plus I love Dragonfly's "fair-food" booth with those fancy little vegan cabbage burgers every year. And that Indonesian flute ensemble. Best people-watching (and dog-watching, and random kid-on-the-loose watching) ever! read more

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Hillary D.

14 years ago

Not a fan of Comfest at all. Way too crowded and everyone brings their dogs...even though you're not supposed to. I thought it would be a lot better and live up to the hype but it wasn't. Oh well. read more

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Kenley M.

Elite 10

166

19 years ago

I was so disappointed with the "Local Flavor" category for Columbus that I had to add Comfest. This is where it's at.

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Trish S.

19 years ago

Lot's of GREAT local music (3 stages!), artists & a beer tent! Definitely, a granola feel that is peaceful & happy. I LOVE hanging out with hippies sometimes :) June 27-29,2008 read more

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Jen K.

17 years ago

best festival in columbus! 32 oz beers best of short north yummy food many music stages chillin' read more

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Chuck K.

Elite 12

158

386

19 years ago

I was down on most of the festivals in Columbus, they were all the same with the same vendors and foods. This one was good though. It had a great vibe and was a lot of fun (the years it didn't monsoon). read more

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G L.

14 years ago

ComFest 2012 was the best ever! Internationally-acclaimed Ohio and local musicians performed to great applause. This is the best run festival in Ohio. Everything ran smoothly. The mood was perfect ~ ComFest sets the standard for what tolerance and a peaceful gathering should be. This is my favorite festival in Columbus and Ohio. read more

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Erica P.

Elite 12

124

173

14 years ago

Why do I love Comfest? for the vendors that you can only find there once a year, for the bands that play the best music, for the dancers and entertainers who put so much practice in to make a great presentation on stage, for the food vendors who put their hearts and electrolytes on the line so I can enjoy every bite. I love you hot, sweaty, naked, crowded, controversial Comfest and I cannot wait to see you again next year. read more

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Jennifer M.

Elite 23

103

250

295

10 years ago

Always a great festival to checkout in the summertime! Awesome music and people watching! Loved seeing Jeni's and Mikey's there too!

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Suzanne F.

Elite 19

269

593

9 years ago

What can you not like about a community event like this that brings everyone together to celebrate all that is community. Well okay the only reason it's four star is because they kept telling me that I had to get water at the front um really it was super hot and I have to go searching for THEE water tent ugh. However the eclectic mixture of artists and food vendors and community groups could not coexist anywhere else so um this is the place to be eclectic and be who you are. The mixture of music is superb as I love a mixture so I can indulge in variety. Not too many places that you get those options. There was a variety of food trucks and brick and mortar places along with some not so ordinary places that are more fair places to order from. The theme seemed to be let's welcome everybody and I totally welcome that idea. It was a perfect weather day to go to this and I'm glad I went. read more

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Rebecca C.

Elite 12

15 years ago

I was a bit skeptical given some of the individuals going to this (sweet jesus, no amount of patchouli covers that body odor), but overall it was a real neat time. Lots of interesting people watching, that's for sure. read more

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Lisa U.

13 years ago

Always fun! We went on Friday after they opened around 11:00. The food and shopping were great. The crowd and the vendors were super friendly and happy. Comfest is always a good time and Goodale Park is such a beautiful location. Cannot wait until next year! read more

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Susan H.

Elite 14

494

201

13 years ago

I had a great time at Comfest this year. The secret? I went on Friday afternoon. Not crowded, no lines, no bros, just the "locals" and some awesome music by the Salty Biscuits. There was even legal free parking close by. Forget the high peak hours next year and go on Friday. Totally worth it, even in the rain. read more

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Rachel B.

103

13 years ago

check out my comfest survival video on youtube http://youtu.be/QHHCQdIyLfA read more

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Jess C.

204

13 years ago

Festie Love!!! I absolutely adore ComFest. So many wonderful people gathered in one spot to celebrate the community? What's not to love! This summer's CF was a great success. I mean, Under the Sun, Fox N' Hounds, The SpikeDrivers - WITH Megan Palmer!!! SWOON - and Ekoostik Hookah...FOR FREE?!?! You can find some great, local better-than-fair food (Jeni's Ice cream, Nida's Sushi, etc) or hit up the wine tent for some meade, then lounge in the park and listen to good music. If you are an animal lover, it's a great place to take your dogs. I love seeing all the HUGE dog breeds walking around - The Irish Wolfhounds that make their way down there are my favorite - and it's very kid friendly. They have face painting stations, GREAT vendors from OH, PA, MI, and surrounding areas...it all makes for such a great weekend. Take a group with you and enjoy the pretty city of Columbus :) read more

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Amity H.

Elite 11

130

109

15 years ago

Unless you have agoraphobia or some other weird anti people/places/cool stuff phobia Comfest is one of the premier events of the summer in Columbus. It is a huge community festival filled with all types of vendors, food, music, art and giant mugs of beer. The only real downside is that this festival has gotten so big that parking is terrible and there is a crazy crush of humanity however its fantastic for people watching and its one of the few times that the female populace takes advantage of the fact its legal for woman to be topless in the city. read more

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Abbe P.

13 years ago

We look forward to Comfest every year; not only do we live a few blocks away and it gives us an excuse to throw a party, but it's a nice outdoor festival in our little Columbus, Ohio. Bands are local, food is fair food, but good and the beer lines are long. However, it's a great way to get the community together. If you love local music, it's your place. read more

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Brent L.

17 years ago

Comfest is always a 5 star event (especially if you bring your own beer). I gave it 4 stars b/c of the terrible rap artists they had in '09 and mainly b/c someone got stabbed and died during a rap performance. read more

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skye p.

17 years ago

I love seeing everyone coming together as one giant being in the search and destination of understanding. The understanding of what it means to have peace. Seeing everyone be who they are, who they want to be, and who they were ment to be, all working together to keep something sooo amazing as this alive. To keep the meaning alive, to keep the peace and love alive. Its like our own little mini woodstock, but its every year, and hopefully will continue until I'm all old and wrinkly. To be apart of it, to be in it, to be someone that means something to this cause is the single most amazing thing I ever get to do. I love comfest. Hands down. I am the happy fairy. "To see is to understand, to understand is to know, and knowing is half the battle." - Happy comfest(: read more

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Michael P.

16 years ago

Experienced Comfest for the first time. Lots of interesting vendors and people there. Never been before, so I can't compare it to the past, but we had a good time. Only saw 1 bust. Nobody was out of control. Good times. read more

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Walt S.

Elite 24

292

599

262

14 years ago

I was a First-Timer to Comfest on Saturday night (06/23). As a slight right-leaning independent my effort was to blend in. What I had to go by was what only what I'd heard, that the dedicated Comfest attendee would be a combination of free-spirit, herb-toking, eco-booster, 99-percenter, community organizer, unemployed, societal antagonist. So I slipped into some cargo shorts, my favorite "Bend, ORE" t-shirt and a pair of marguertaville slip ons to browse 'round Goodale Park. I was amazed. Wait..... I was AMAZED by the Comfest fans. Casual attire on a Saturday night from 7PM to 10PM was not a surprise. But talk about a throw back to Peace, Love and Relax & Enjoy Yourself atmosphere. Wunderbar! Sure, sure there were some eye-opening moments of painted boobs and some rumblin, stumblin, bumblin folks who had mystical things coarsing through their veins. But music stages everywhere. Great bands. Nice trinket tents. Food vendors and beer tents. And NO ADMISSION charge (given the fact Comfest uses tax dollars/grant money; it's awesome; better than a GM bail-out for sure). The air is pungent with marijuana, barbecue meats, sweet candy smells..... incredible. Did I mention crowded? Sure, it was crowded but that's what festivals are to me. People out for a day or evening or both who want only to relax, kick back and enjoy a bit of life that is unencumbered by some of the world's pressures. Oh,....... and I was over-dressed in a few areas of relaxation. HAHA read more

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Jonathan R.

11 years ago

Have been twice and it is a great time if the weather is nice. Parking is tough but COTA has busses running all day. I probably wouldnt bring people who are easily offended, but that being said there are a lot of families there. read more

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More info about Comfest

120 W Goodale St
Columbus, OH 43215
Victorian Village
Directions
(614) 294-9511
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http://www.comfest.com

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Does Comfest allow dogs?

Yes, Comfest allows dogs.

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Yes, Comfest has free WiFi.

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Review Highlights - Comfest

“With the festival taking place at Goodale Park, it's pretty much in my backyard and impossible for me to avoid.”

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Columbus Italian Festival

3.5(29 reviews)

0.4 mi•Italian Village

I hate to say it, but I was not a big fan of the festival this time around. I hadn't been in a few…read moreyears, but I moved close by so my friends that were in town and I decided to visit. Now I may be a little biased because it was extremely disruptive to the neighborhood for the two weeks they spent setting things up. As in, sound check at 7am when it didn't start until noon for example. I know I mentioned this in my previous review, but it seemed like there were even less local spots than before. The food I got also missed the mark, especially for the price tag. The one vendor I was excited about visiting and grabbing goods from ran out really early in the day, which was a bummer. Maybe because it's a fundraising event for the Baptist church, but compared to other festivals in the Columbus area this one just wasn't it.

Awesome parade! Great food! Really interactive performers! Very informative and lots of fun for the…read morewhole family! Highly recommend checking it out!

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Dance with Street Players!

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Delicious pie, thick or thin!

North Market Ohio Wine Festival

3.9(18 reviews)

0.3 mi•Short North

Soooo much fun!!!…read more As my first year in Ohio, this was a great experience for me!! Not being familiar with any of the local wineries, this was a great way to introduce me to them and find out which ones I want to actually go visit. I LOVE wine... remember, you need several servings of fruit a day... grapes are a fruit... wine is made from grapes!!! Therefore, wine is good for you!!! As for the location at the North Market... what a great combination!! After tasting 20+ wines, one does need a bit of a snack to go with all those grapes... Can't wait to go again next year!! Thanks Columbus for making moving here so much fun!!

I was pretty excited when I realized the wine festival was happening the weekend I had planned a…read moretrip to Columbus. I love wine and I love the North Market so this seemed like the best combo possible, right? Not so much. There was just now enough room between stands to stand, socialize, drink wine, and then move on. Had the event been held in the massive parking lot owned by the North Market, I easily would've given it 5 stars. Honestly the wine and merchants there were AWESOME but you just couldn't enjoy anything you were drinking unless you totally left the vendor areas between every single sample. Perks that totally made it worth going: 1) Great vendors-- I especially loved the Wisconsin hard cider booth. Bangin' sangria! And honestly you can never go wrong with Ohio wines! 2) There was a free photobooth sponsored by Crave 3) Entry came with a $5 coupon for the North Market...which basically gives you an excuse to get Jeni's ice cream. And any excuse to get Jeni's is a great excuse. All in all, yes if I was ever in Columbus the weekend of the wine fest, I'd go again. But the wine fest sponsored by Giant Eagle in Cleveland is much better.

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Get beer at the Barrel and Bottle.

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The Columbus Food Truck Fest

3.3(19 reviews)

1.2 mi•Downtown

Live Music, Food trucks galore, and various Art & Crafts, Vintage and other vendors everywhere! Got…read moreto love it. What an awesome time and recommend going if you can. Located downtown Columbus on The Scioto Mile or Scioto Peninsula or whatever we are calling it but it's downtown positioned around Cosi. We took a ride share in but there was plenty of garages around for parking. I found it easy in and out of the festival. We enjoyed a variety of delicious foods, including burritos, empanadas, crunch wraps, nachos, funnel cakes, popsicles, and ice cream. We visited: Big Pappy's BBQ Spanglish Latin Street Food Empanadas and More Rime Time Pops Glaze'em Gourmet Funnel Cakes Johnson's Real Ice Cream Music was great, the crowds were tolerable but very busy. Only complaint is that you could not just get a water or pop. You had to purchase tickets and it had to be purchased just like the beer and alcohol. All beverages required a ticket, individual trucks could not sell drinks, and the lines were long at the beverage tents. Not a fan of this design. My pro-tip is to bring cash. You can save money as the vendors we went to factored card charges and there were two sets of prices upon payment (cash vs card). Also, several beverage ticket areas - i recommend the one by Junto. It never seemed to have the crowd the others did. Check it out. The festival is here through Sunday. For more info, check out https://columbusfoodtruckfest.com/

I'm a bit late with this review but the festival was kind of underwhelming this year. It was in…read moreHilliard and lacked the atmosphere and vibrancy of it being downtown. We went on a Sunday and honestly it was pretty boring, just walking around in a circle looking at the trucks and vendors. We tried some food from a Brazilian truck and that was probably the best food we had all day. Everything is super pricey now and most of the food was okay at best. I spent close to $30 on a plate and beef patty from ire jam grill and it was probably my least favorite thing I ate. Idk man Caribbean/Jamaican food in Columbus is not it. Also any time I go to a festival the first thing I look for is funnel cakes. No offense to the ladies with the glaze em gourmet funnel cakes truck there, but sometimes the classics are the way to go, just a normal funnel cake with some powdered sugar, without all of the frills. I wound up ordering one from them anyways for my son at close to $16, all of the toppings, glaze and extras just made it soggy. The icy paw and empanadas and more food trucks were probably the best ones I tried. I'm kind of torn about going next year, spent way too much on food I didn't like.

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Chris H. & Les R.

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Les R., Sean C., Jeremy G., & Chris H.

Columbus Arts Festival

4.2(33 reviews)

1.0 mi•Downtown

The festival is very well organized and had a really diverse, talented group of artists exhibiting…read more Much of the artwork being sold seemed extremely expensive, but I don't know if that is different than in years past. Great stage set-up for live music and enough food trucks to feed the masses. The parking garage behind the Junto Hotel had $20 all day parking and it was a perfect location to just walk across the street to the festival.

Tons of vendors with many different types of art. There is definitely something for everyone…read more They're lots of food and drink options so you can stop and hydrate while you are walking around since they're so many tents you are able to stop by.

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Get some culture people!

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Egyptian Festival

4.7(7 reviews)

6.3 mi

This is a small festival but worth it, especially if you live nearby…read more You can tour the church. They had some kids activities. The best part was the food. I got a mint lemonade, it was delicious. I also tried the chicken shawarma, grape leaves, and several pastries. The bakalava was my favorite pastry. All the volunteers were so friendly. They were also offering henna tattoos, however they sadly closed up when we were ready to get one. Parking is a bit tough. There is a small parking lot across the street and street parking available if you can find it.

2026 - the food was rocking again this year. It feels like this festival gets better every year…read more The church's tours are top notch with historians and art buffs to help out. The food lines move fast and always hot! The desserts sell out quickly so go early to get the best variety. For the kiddos there are; bouncy house castle, face painting and henna, and skill games with prizes. Small parking lot across from the church gets packed quickly but there is a lot of on street parking in the neighborhood or a short walk to a large strip mall parking lot. Easy to get to so no worries there. Everyone is super friendly and helpful. Portions are generous for the price charged. Get enough to take home.

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Festival Food Line

Lamb Kebab

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Church and Grilling area

Jazz & Rib Fest

3.2(51 reviews)

1.3 mi•Downtown

Food is good. Plenty of seating for the West Park Stage. Weather is perfect. The artists are great!read more

It's always good. The bad part is the long lines. Next year it needs to be live streamed.read more

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Venue

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The Greek Festival

4.0(25 reviews)

0.2 mi•Short North

I have been going to this festival more years than I wish to talk about now. Lol. The food here is…read moresecond to none! I have been to every Greek restaurant in the city and several surrounding cities in multiple states and this particular festival has the best of any location anywhere hands-down! I feel like Yaya is in the kitchen making this for me. The people are so friendly and lovely and very caring and helpful. They have both live and recorded music for the dancers Both amateur and professional. They are both much fun to watch - be sure to join in. It is really great to see the little kids get a chance to be out there on the dance floor, playing to the music in the afternoons. There is wine and beer and of course Uzo aplenty for anyone who cares to partake. There are multiple areas to get food and I highly recommend that you visit each one. Be sure to bring take-home containers with you because you're gonna love it enough. You want to take some back to the house and save it for later! The mosaic work in the cathedral is off the chain gorgeous. Be sure to stop in there and admire the handmade works of art. There is a bookstore to browse through with gifts available to purchase. There are multiple areas to get souvenirs, things for the Home, jewelry and apparel, both fancy and practical.

If it's Labor Day weekend, it's time for the annual Greek Festival at the Greek Orthodox Church in…read moredowntown Columbus. The festival is now in its 55th year. Great event for Greek food, culture, music and dance Mark your calendars for Labor Day weekend in 2026

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Ceiling of the cathedral

Maria's pastry shoppe menu 2026

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Stained glass windows

Lithopolis Honeyfest

4.8(6 reviews)

15.9 mi

Always a fun time, and although this year it was a little gray, it seemed at it's largest so far. I…read morehave been 3 times I think now and I always walk away with lots of honey and bee-themed goodies, being as we keep bees at our house too (its a lifestyle, just bee :). The end of the summer is a perfect time to stock up on beeswax candles for the upcoming cozy, mystical autumn days-- I'm so glad I did that this year! After we shopped, we checked out a mead tasting in the library just off of the main road and had a blast trying all the different flavors. I walked away with a bottle of orange blossom honey raisin mead for myself plus an extra bottle to include in a wedding gift. A new vendor addition was a shaved ice truck that had honey drizzle for all of the shaved ice. Yum! It's, of course, always a little more fun if it's sunny given the theme, but I still had a great time this year too.

Super fun, quite a large festival for a small town. Loved how involved the whole fest was…read more Attractions, educational demonstrations, honey samples galore, meade tastings, popcorn, corn dogs, bubble tea, artisinal crafts, and face painting, live music, and Im sure I am forgetting a lot. Great traffic averting as well because it was blocked off in a way that didn't disrupt the flow of traffic. Lithopolis Ohio showed itself off with this honey festival.

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$2 for 4oz bottles. So cute!

Creepside Festival

4.0(1 review)

7.4 mi

Super fun, well organized, lots of fun for everyone!…read more This event had been going on for 15 years, it was well planned, well executed and attended by so many people. The business had canopies all up and down the Main Street. Each canopy had friendly people handing out candy to the kids and telling the adults about their stores. There was live music, a fire truck, food trucks, and much much more. This event was fun and entertaining. The event was attend by so many families.

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North Market

4.5(1.1k reviews)

0.3 mi•Short North

•$$

Sadly, we were in town for a funeral, got to the church too early, so we took a walk around the…read morecorner. Although it was too early in the morning for all the stores to be open, it is a lovely, cute, quaint place. The food stalls looked wonderful and they even had a little gift section. If you're in the area, it's definitely a place you want to check out. We didn't go upstairs, we ate outside on some cute benches, but evidently they're seating inside upstairs.

The north market should be called international market…read more This wasy first time here and so many ppl told me their places in there that have really good food, but they did not tell me that it was food from other countries. So I was a little taken back you got a little bit of everything in this location is really small. And the parking is terrible but what can you expect for downtown? I had to take my ticket inside and if you purchased something from one of the vendors, they have to give you a QR code for the parking garage and it's two dollars for parking. We had Indian food and the food was delicious. The young lady behind the counter was so nice. She let us taste the chicken before purchasing our meals. The food in the North market is expensive. It was almost $40 for two people to eat. Then we had Jennie's ice cream afterwards and it was $15 for two scoops of ice cream. Customer service was great as all the vendors were awesome and explained everything to us. Is this something that I would do again know just because of the parking and most of the restaurants inside of Markette is not something that I would normally eat very clean. There is a second floor for you to sit. I don't know if they had an elevator. I didn't see one, but I know there are stairs to the second floor. Very busy long lines and you feel like you have to rush to order something because all lines were so long.

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Fox was almost out of bagels by 1:00pm

Blacken Fish Sandwich - Pickerel and fresh cut fries

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Colo iterms for sale

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Bill C.

16 years ago

Once upon a time, Comfest was a quirky and fun festival. Lotsa bands. Lotsa beer. Lotsa stoners. Some kewl booths with tie-dye, 420 gear and activists of all kinds (usually wearing tie-dye and utilizing 420 gear) Nowadays, Comfest is just a big Park Street Patio overflow. Sure there are hippies and hipsters and whitey with dreads....but affliction douches and Sugar/Spice chicks now feel compelled to overrrun the place. Also, the new crackdown on bringing your own beer and puffing the magic dragon have cast an uncool pall over the whole event. It has become the hight school graduation party where in theory you can have a good time, but the parents chaperoning are a drag and you were forced to invite the a-holes from class that you hate...and they came en masse. Sorry Comfest. You absolutely suck now. RIP. read more

Lori F.

9 years ago

this whole thing sounds kinda whack, like who'd pay too much to waddle around with strangers and if you happen to be w/ your mate have to come across some skanky attention seeking mentally disabled whores with their tops off, like EEEYEEEUW..NO WAY, I'll pass...i wouldn't mind seeing the bands but not for all this trouble and i got my ITUNES ANYWAYS plus a bomb stereo...I'd much rather pay to go to a concert w/ out sluts...that stuff should be banned, FOR REAL, WHAT SELF RESPECTING FEMALE WALKS AROUND TOPLESS NEWAYS, OMG, WTF? read more

Roy H.

148

253

292

17 years ago

Written by a former Dead Head: You call this ART? Wow, have we ever devolved! Ugly chicks walking around topless with hair under their arms - NASTY! Gimme a break. To boot, everything for sale is over-priced - a complete waste of money. If it weren't for the music, there'd be no reason to bother. The Sixties are over, man. Stop tripping. Stop dropping out. Get on with your life. We need you here, not living in the past! (If I could give Comfest zero stars, I would - that's how bad it is) read more

Brandon M.

10 years ago

Really not a lot going on here. It's one of those events/festivals that you park three miles away and walk to, and once you get there, it's a bunch of drunk people on a lawn. Not at all good for families since there's open drug use and nudity, but fun for people who want to chill out and paint pottery with their toes. read more

Missa G.

14 years ago

Good stuff u can buy. Good food. Bands are alright I guess it just depends on what kind of music you listen to. But besides that, there's tons of creeps, illegal drugs and shirtless woman. But they have like 3 jeni's icecream stands which I love. read more

abbot s.

17 years ago

I only have one word to describe this disappointing display ...DISGUSTING...Topless women, people freely doing illegal drugs, and public displays of homosexuality. This is the reason why America is failing! read more

Frank R.

13 years ago

Such an outdated event! Lots of smokers and wanna be hippies! There are better festivals at the park. The park is a lovely place to relax and the updated water area is great too! read more

Brandon L.

Elite 15

649

9 years ago

Overpriced beer. Too crowded. Communist agenda. People let their dogs run around without leashes. Not fun at all. Boring hippie crap.

Paige B.

13 years ago

Bring cash!

Luke T.

Elite 17

952

815

490

16 years ago

Meh.

Comfest - festivals - Updated October 2026

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Columbus Pride Festival and March

4.8

(18 reviews)

This is one of the best festivals in Columbus and between 500-600k people attend each year and is…read morethe second largest Pride in the Midwest next to Chicago. I had an amazing time at the Stonewall Columbus Pride Parade & Festival this year (2023). I have been attending Columbus Pride since 2000 and love how the festival and march has grown over the years. I especially appreciate all the love and support celebrated over the weekend. Friday, a group of us went down to Goodale Park and explored the booths and ate way too much festival food. The fried cheese on a stick is always a must for me but so many different vendors are here. We brought a large blanket with us and grabbed a spot on the grass (base camp) to enjoy the evening. The first day is a great day to checkout everything as the day of the parade is crazy at the park. Saturday was awesome with the parade. This was the first year I stayed till the very end of the parade. So many businesses, churches, groups, and folks marching in support of the community. After the parade we grabbed a quick bite to eat at Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails (on Gay St), and made our way back down to the park for the second evening. We walked around for a couple hours and set up our base camp again followed by some funnel cake and some yummy treats. It was absolutely an amazing festival and the weather was perfect. Even though I heard the crazies and nazi's were out protesting I did not encounter any but stayed alert and aware of my surroundings as best as possible. Thank you to the Columbus Division of Police for the support and incredible presence during these scary times. They did a wonderful job and we ALL felt as save as possible. Also wanted to recognize all those who came out to enjoy the festival and support the LGBTQIA+ community.

It's been five years since I first left a review for the Columbus Pride Parade and it's evolved…read moresince then, so how about an update. This year and last, the parade started off Broad St. downtown and marched towards the Short North ending at Goodale Park, which is where the festival is now held. The parade starts around 10:30 am Saturday morning and can go on for hours. The festival is on both Friday and Saturday and goes until about 10pm. I like this parade route and festival location a lot better than the way it was before. The park has a ton of shade, the neighborhood has some amazing LGBTQ+ owned businesses to support, and the community is welcoming to all. Everything else in my original review still rings true. The celebration is known to welcome just under a million spectators and is the second largest in the Midwest. The spirit in the air is magical. Everything from the creative floats, to the performances, decorations, and everything in between, really set the vibe. I love that the crowd really represents the diversity here in Columbus. All walks of life come to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and I'm so proud to say this happens in my hometown.

Value City Arena at The Jerome Schottenstein Center

3.6

(92 reviews)

I attended a concert here last night and it was a great experience! The venue has a great vantage…read morepoint from most seats in the arena. There are plenty of options for food, including healthy ones. The staff were very friendly. I found the seats to be a nice size and appropriately space between myself and my neighbor.. overall I had a great experience

Where do I even start…read more I traveled to Ohio for a Drake concert in 2024 and while the show itself was great, there were props and other items blocking my view that made it really hard to see. I contacted Ticketmaster who told me it was the arenas issue. When I reached out to the arena they basically said I should have gone to customer service during the concert. Honestly who even knows to do that in the middle of a show. After several emails back and forth, customer service eventually offered me tickets to another concert as compensation. I picked Justin Timberlake which again required traveling. The night before leaving, the concert was cancelled and rescheduled. Not the arenas fault, but the notice came way too late for me to cancel my hotel. When it was rescheduled, I traveled from Chicago to Columbus and my friend flew in from Houston and while we were literally on our way to the arena the concert was cancelled again. At that point I was beyond frustrated because what are the odds. I had been in communication with LaToya who said she was working with her supervisor to make this right, but after that I followed up multiple times and got completely left on read. I started a new email thread and the last message I got months ago was just sorry. This is a multi million dollar industry and they could not care less about how customers are affected, the costs, the travel, the time, the hotels. It is extremely disappointing and I never heard back again. And now it is 2026 smh. Now the Director, Brook wants to finally respond and flex her muscle. Letting me know its not their fault and basically oh well. I get it its not their lost but they could have said that months ago. Instead of avoiding and ignoring my follow up emails

Newport Music Hall

3.7

(134 reviews)

•$$

Newport Music Hall is a Columbus institution. I can't even count the number of shows I've been to…read moreover the last 30-odd years. Everybody is always friendly - they have a solid staff, no complaints. Is it clean? Not really. Is it loud? Deafeningly so. Are you gonna get beat up in the pit? Probably. Can you hear well basically anywhere in the venue? For sure. I have to get strategic with where j stand if j want to see, but I'm 5' tall so I'm used to that. If you're lucky enough to sit upstairs, that's the best view but it's not always open. From The Strokes to GWAR, the Newport has never let me down. Parking sort of sucks since it's across the street from OSU. I always ride share, but I'm sure there's a parking garage nearby. Campus rules apply - be smart, eyes up, don't stray or stay after midnight, and don't keep valuables in your car.

I had such a great time at the R&B Only event held at Newport Music Hall. It was my first time…read morevisiting and I had some friends with me during their first trip to cbus. There's a main, general admission area that doesn't have seating, making it great for those who want to dance the night away more easily. We sat upstairs in the balcony area. I liked that there was a bar up there as well! The bathrooms got SLAMMED about halfway through, so they weren't the cleanest, but I understand. Looking forward to going back for more concerts!

St John Arena

4.1

(7 reviews)

I've been coming here for 40 years or so. Went to basketball games here when I was at OSU long…read moreago, and men's hockey games. Lately we've gone to women's hockey games several times. They're doing great the last few years. A $200 seat at Nationwide for the Bluejackets is about $10 here, less for kids and students. Get there early and grab a seat right beside the ice. Bathrooms and food are across the way in the main building, so plan ahead (and the concessions prices are high.) Also bring a blanket or cushion; metal seats are cold. The games are fun. The crowd is friendly. You can see everything. Parking is free (for games.)

I absolutely love historic St. John Arena, a very historic arena on the campus of The Ohio State…read moreUniversity in Columbus, Ohio. The arena has true character with tons and tons of black and white photographs from many Ohio State sports dynasties from the past I remember when the Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball played here under coach Fred Taylor, Eldon Miller, Gary Williams,. The Value City Arena is the new home and is a great place, but it just lacks the character of St. John Arena. (which is understandable) I've seen many concerts at St. John Arena as well, and there really is not a bad seat in the house, based upon the seating arrangements. The most popular event still held at the arena is the Skull Session, the pep rally before football games. Two hours prior to kickoff of the football game, The Ohio State University Marching Band performs Buckeye favorites, and the players, cheerleaders and coaches speak to the crowd. I really hope that the university does not replace or demolish this wonderful piece of history, in Columbus.

Huntington Park

4.5

(147 reviews)

Such an amazing ballpark. Views are amazing at a great price. Loved the architecture and views of…read moredowntown. It was dime a dog night which was great. Beer selection is great too. Just a buck or two less than major league but love the beer festival design where you can get from a wide variety of vendors. If this were the major leagues it would be up there with Wrigley and T Mobile for best ballpark.

The long storied Minor League baseball team in Columbus, once farming for the New York Yankees, and…read morenow a farm team for the Cleveland Guardians (you know, the team that used to be the Indians). Featured events throughout the season include dime-a-dog nights (picture people eating 10 cent hotdogs!), several typical daytime "Businessman Special" games, and various other special events. The park has been known to have fireworks. One of my absolute favorite features of this ballpark, is along the second baseline. That part of the field has "windows" in the brick wall at the street level, whereby individuals who want to see the game, but for whatever reason don't have a ticket can watch the whole thing unfold from the sidewalk. For individuals who can't acquire tickets for themselves or their children this is a wonderful feature, whereby they can still enjoy a professional baseball game. Hats off to the Clippers organization for incorporating this thoughtful design into their facility. Ample parking is close by. And usually this parking fairly reasonably priced. Be aware that the hockey arena and the soccer stadium are both close by, as well as other entertainment venues. In the height of summer, this can sometimes make for a very busy entertainment district. So be sure and check the schedule of what's going on at the other venues, You may need some extra time to arrive and navigate your way to the ballpark. Get ready to sing the tag line of this song: "Columbus Clippers, Ring Your Bell!!!"

Nationwide Arena

4.0

(203 reviews)

Great venue for a concert! (Excited to go tomorrow)…read more Love watching the Blue Jackets play!!!

With just a couple of weeks left in the regular season, the NHl's Columbus Blue Jackets had a…read morechance to make the playoffs. Long story short, they snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. I went to one of those games at Nationwide Arena and this is my story. I was able to get a level 200 ticket from a third party and with a $20 coupon the total cost was $45. See my photo for the view from my seat. There are several parking garages around the arena. The farther the garage is away from the arena the higher the cost. Figure $10 to $25 to park, I lucked out at $10 that night and it was only a 5 minute walk. There is street parking but you have to be really lucky. Uber drivers are not permitted near the arena so you will end up walking anyway Hockey has 3 periods with an intermission between periods 1 & 2, and 2 & 3. Nationwide arena has numerous and diversified concession stands. They have concessions that cater to dietary choices. Get out is is also easy. Streets are blocked off to create one way traffic. Traffic is flowing out is directed one way so that cars are not cutting lanes. I'm still proud to be a member of the Fifth line.

Davidson Theatre - Riffe Center

4.0

(5 reviews)

Had a wonderful experience here! I've seen shows throughout Broadway, Boston theaters, Orlando…read moretheaters and so on. This theatre was clean, well kept, comfortable, and architecturally very cool. The show was spectacular, too, which helped. Decent prices and an extremely friendly staff!

Saw Cherish the Ladies. They were great. Really great. The Theater had some issues though. The…read moreconcession stand was poorly understaffed resulting in long delays. And they also had lighting issues. Whoever was doing the lighting had an off night. The acoustics are fantastic.

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4.1

(9 reviews)

The better half says it was great, way better than last year…read more We really enjoyed the event moving outside and WOW, what GREAT weather for it this year! They really lucked out with that! They had a number of new vendors this year versus last. The better half found/tried several new beers that he really enjoyed. He also liked the ticket prices this year, they were much more reasonable than last year. He was able to get much more with the tickets we had over last year. The added space of being outside really helped with the crowding. Last year was unbearable wandering around upstairs. No one really good to sit and you just battled walking around people trying to stand and drink. Two thumbs up!!

Without a doubt, Microbrew Festival is my favorite Columbus festival and I await it every year with…read moreeagerness. For three years' running, my friends and I have gone on Friday night and gotten tipsy (to say the least) on amazing craft beer from around central Ohio. In 2012, they moved Microbrew Festival outside, which made it easier to get fresh air and to navigate (though it did mean I tried less beer, since I didn't just immediately hop in line after getting a pour). For $20, you get 10 tasting tickets (and at some breweries, you can get a 5 oz. pour for just one ticket) + a $5 North Market food voucher and a commemorative pint glass. As frugal beer festivals go, this one definitely ranks high. If you haven't been to Microbrew Festival yet, put it on your calendar for next year. There's some good stuff, and breweries bring out the imperials, the barrel aged beers, and some other tricks up their sleeves.

Paws in the Park

4.0

(1 review)

An impressive pet festival. Mostly dogs, of course. Tons of prizes for biggest and smallest dog,…read morehairiest, etc. A pet parade. Lots of dogs walking around with their owners, and up for adoption, etc. Many vendors- we were one of them. As a vendor, a great experience with good organizers and access. As a visitor, a fun event with plenty of parking, lots of stuff to see and do. Held on the playing fields, luckily on a beautiful day. Right next to the rec center so you can pop in there, or go to nearby playgrounds, etc. Several food trucks for the people, some treats for the pets, and just a fun day all around.

Plain City Bluegrass & BBQ

3.0

(1 review)

A small, small-town festival. Held in the always-pleasant Pastime Park. Plenty of parking, even…read moresome in shade. Bouncy house for the kids. Three food trucks, two of them BBQ, and the one I got some from was okay but not great. One stage, when with bluegrass you could really, in a big park with soft music, have several. Nice enough, but I've been to better bluegrass festivals, and shows, and even just campgrounds with families playing around the campfire. I like Plain City, and bluegrass, and BBQ, so, I mean, a nice enough time, but we left in less than an hour.

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Comfest - festivals - Updated October 2026

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