Wow, what a fun event! There is something interesting to see around every corner and gallery space!…read moreJust walking by open doors reveals music, activities, and a huge variety of art. In addition the galleries and restaurants, there were a ton of pop-up tents, amazing stiltwalkers walking around, food trucks and stands, and more! Parking is available in a lot, and there is also nearby street parking. Despite the numerous places we popped in, including 400 Square (the galleries of 400 West Rich and Chromedge Studios), Wild Goose Creative, ROY G BIV Gallery, the Slingshot, and wandering amongst the numerous tents, there is still more we need to go back and check out - not to mention the new art that is always being created! Artists and gallery owners were friendly and welcoming, and the sheer variety of art was stunning - painting, costumes, interactive, jewelry, pottery, photographs, soap bombs, comics, and more! The whole area was buzzing with energy. This is really neat and well worth a visit.

Now THIS is a gallery hop…read more If you want to see what's really happening in the Columbus art world, it's time to head west to Franklinton, the epicenter of the creative and innovative communities. If you're new to this burgeoning neighborhood, the perfect opportunity to have a buffet of experiences is Franklin Fridays -- the second Friday of each month. You'll get to sample a little bit of everything, and then figure out where you want to spend more time. My biggest suggestion is to use franklintonfridays.com to plan your trip; the website is super helpful and comprehensive. From a personal perspective, I think the best way to experience it is to start to Idea Foundry, followed by a tour of 400 West Rich, then stop at a few galleries, and concluded with drinks at either Strongwater, Land Grant, or Rehab. I love how truly art and science-focused Franklinton is. I guarantee you'll see something weird and beautiful, and you'll see things from a different perspective, both literally and figuratively. One last word of advice: If gritty adventures aren't really your thing, maybe sit this one out. For the rest of y'all, see you at the next Franklinton Fridays for one of the coolest things happening in Columbus.

Who knew about this hidden secret -yeah, about that - I found it really tricky to find & don't know…read moreif I could find my way back. So maybe drop some breadcrumbs because it is worth revisiting. I took my boyfriend here for a surprise date & it really delivered. We learned so much about the stars, planets, constellations & the solar system while attending the "Voyage Through the Solar System" which is a live show presented by OSU astronomers. The presentation lasts approximately 40 minutes and leaves the remainder of the hour for some Q & A with the audience. The show takes place in a 63-seat 30-foot dome theater with a state-of-the-art XD digital projection system giving exquisite views of the night sky and takes you on digital journeys to the planets, stars, and distant galaxies. Our astronomer gave us really interesting information in a fun & engaging way that held the attention of all. Tickets are free, but go fast!

What a find! Due to boredom, a needed break from movie night, and the discovery of the Eventbrite…read moreapp, I'm here! I'm not a "sciency" type of person, nor is my family. I sincerely went with low expectations. I was completely wrong! What a wonderful nostalgic, visit to my childhood! I'd completely forgotten the amazement planetariums create. Although the location was difficult to find in the dark, with the help of some OSU students, we finally made it. There is no visible sign or address on the building from the street view. There is also no off street parking. Luckily the OSU parking garage is within a short two block walk. I'm also not sure if the building is handicap accessible. I'm thinking that it has to be? Due to our search for the location and street parking, we were a few minutes late. The room was packed and we had to sit in the front row. I recommend you don't do this. Although the chairs are comfortable and recline, you'll have a better experience and view if you're seated towards the middle. Our guide was exceptional! He was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and passionate about his field. It made it a great experience! The clarity and details in the presentation were great. The audience ranged from young to senior citizens and everyone appeared to enjoy themselves. There were a multitude of questions and all of them were eagerly answered. You were made to feel comfortable with the attitude of "there are no stupid questions". It was truly a learning experience with the incorporation of very recent discoveries in space. I'll definitely be back and strongly recommend this as an outing for any age. There are a few different presentations, they're usually about an hour long, along with the question and answer session. I discovered this on Eventbrite, I'm not sure if the planetarium has a website with a calendar. It's definitely worth checking out!

The Lazarus building, an art work in-and-of itself, should have a seperate Yelp entry. The giant…read moreterracotta monster that takes a full city block with one million square feet has been around since 1909 and was renovated about a decade ago. It's mindboggling to think that one mammoth department store took all this space. But it did--a cosmopolitan cornerstone for decades. They made a right choice in preserving the building and by adding this challenging art gallery as a tenant. OSU's urban art space is access from Town Street through a gash in the building; once a section of Wall Street, the forgotten alley running through downtown randomly impeded by development, is now a wide non-enclosed hallway. Framed by a sequence of square arches and large vertical glass the hall dead ends in an gorgeous art deco backdrop centered by a diamond shaped clock. A great choice of design that harkens back to the cosmo cool tastes of the 1920s. The entrance to the gallery is to the right. Minimalistic and white by design, the gallery accents space with the atmosphere of a working studio. In several rooms that connect each other by 90-degree angles, it's seeming purpose is to throw visitors in the midst of art with no preconception by looking ahead. A sort of 'throw them in the deep end' philosophy that hit before psychological filtering; an exhibit is experienced before perceptions are edited by cognition. I saw the "Engineering Utopia", a look at the interaction between artist and engineer--a symbolic representation of the corpus callosum that connects left and right brain. (It ended July 15) They describe utopia as a place that is built for perfection but bound to fail yet makes discoveries of technology and the human experience--living up to Thomas Moore's ideas when he invented the term 'utopia.' The exhibits is connected with Ohio State art and engineering schools. I thought the exhibit was interesting, thought provoking and certainly challenged my idea what art could be. There were many restoration projects and old computer graphic art that intrigued. I also turned one of the blind corners and ran into a robot exhibit with the exhibition head and wife there. The robot moved toward me and when I was sensed it snapped a picture which displayed on a screen. Although I remain unconvinced that technology is art (then again who am I to say?) I had a good time. The exhibits are free and a must for any art lover spending time in downtown.

The Urban Arts Space is located downtown in the historic Lazarus building, so it makes an easy…read moreadd-on to a visit to Columbus Commons or Bicentennial Park. Admission is free, and the rotating exhibits cover a variety of styles and types of art, frequently showing faculty or student work too. They are open late on Thursdays and on Saturdays, for those who can't get down during standard day hours during the week. The full exhibition space in the back is nicely sized. I stopped by to see the recent Pull Left exhibit, which was contemporary Chinese art by emerging artists, and it really covered the range of art including video, photography, painting, drawings, and even a set-up of battery-operated waving Lucky Cat hands. It was neat to see. Great space to pop in if you're nearby, or check the website for upcoming and current exhibitions to plan ahead!

This first visit was due to the final Devil's Mirage performance art event that was wrapping up…read morethis afternoon. I had long wanted to visit this space, so having an event coincide made for an ideal reason to find out way there. As we attended the Sunday performance, there were many available meters (which are also FREE on Sundays), but we did notice a small parking lot right across from the studio where you could park. Also, you will want to take some time to view the expansive mural along the entire side of the gallery. We were fortunate enough to witness both of the artists working on the mural as we arrived. A nice treat indeed. The performance piece we saw was relaxing to say the least as it was inspired by meditation. Watching the three performers move slowly about in deep reflection was a solid reminder to be present and with intention. Prior to the start of the show, we had ample time to explore the Blockfort gallery, but unfortunately all but two of the studios were closed. I will definitely be making a return visit strictly based on the beautiful Artistry and displays outside of each of the studios.

Saying it's better than it used to be is not exactly a ringing endorsement...but at least they do…read moreseem to have slightly more student-focused programming now. The fundamental problem is that this has always been a museum nobody asked for in a location that would be better used for something more useful to the OSU community in a poorly planned building named after a person who is probably not a point of pride for the school and whose contribution cannot possibly have covered even a fraction of what it's cost to keep the place up over the years. Other than that, it's great. Seriously, though - if you're visiting columbus and want to see an art museum, the downtown one is the way to go, or their short north outpost if you're into contemporary art. If you're visiting Ohio State and want to see exhibits about what they do there, there are nice ones in the library and scattered across the various department buildings. I don't know what the future holds for this place...but they better figure something out before they go the way of Mean Mr. Mustard's.

We enjoyed our first visit to "The Wex." We had a bit of trouble finding the front entrance, as it…read moreis tucked away in the middle of campus and not very well marked. We ended up parking in the Campus South parking garage, and it was just a short walk over. Entrance was free. The current exhibits of modern art were abstract, and I found some of them a little challenging to understand. Nonetheless, I am glad this center exists and I do appreciate art in all its forms. Staff was very friendly and they have a cool gift shop with items you will likely not find anywhere else.

Baby K loves trains, so we figured we'd check this out. And it was a pretty fun event. Geared…read moremostly towards adults and older kids, with tons of vendors of standard train sets, it also had some stuff for little kids. Some vendors had play areas set up. There were two places for kids to ride trains. Assorted handouts of stickers, etc., were appreciated. Hands-on activities like driving toy trains with remote controls appealed to kids and adults. There were also clothing, accessories, Legos, signs, etc. If you like trains at all, this is worth it, though it is expensive for adults. Kids under 15 or so are free. The food court was open, and smelled good, though I did not want to pay even more for overpriced, underwhelming eats. We had fun for an hour or so, then left for lunch and more Legos. The fairgrounds/expo center hosts many events, so keep an eye on their schedule for more train shows, pet shows, animal events, etc. $5 parking and sometimes free entry for events means a reasonably-priced day for the whole family.

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!

The festival moved back to Worthington square (High and 161). This is third year back on the…read moresquare due to construction at Thomas Worthington HS. One of the volunteers explained that they MIGHT move back to the McConnell Arts Center, next to the high school, in the future. No firm decision at this time. This year's festival is June 20 & 21.

A small, but very well organized, art festival on the lawns at McConnell arts center. Perfect…read moreweather for it this weekend and the trees provided some nice shade. So many beautiful works of art (and craft) were on display. All of the artists were very willing to chat and tell you about their works. Free parking was available in the high school lot and several food trucks were there for the hungries.