Hands-On Activities, Demonstrations and More Interactive Fun at the 2024 Columbus Arts Festival

COLUMBUS, Ohio — With more than 250 exhibiting artists at the Columbus Arts Festival, presented by the American Electric Power Foundation and produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC), there is certainly plenty to see June 7-9 on the riverfront, but there is also plenty to do. The Festival offers dozens of interactive opportunities for people of all ages and skill sets to create, observe, explore and learn.

Kids Hands-On Activities Village

Always a popular attraction, the Kids Hands-On Activities Village presented by Battelle has even more going on this year. Located on Dorrian Green to the west of COSI, the village is staffed by volunteers from 25 local organizations from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Activities include decorating your own magnet, crafting artist trading cards, tap dancing, designing fantastical creatures, building theater sets, doing mad libs and more. With representatives on hand from organizations like Art Garden Academy, Artisan Tap Ensemble, The Arts & College Preparatory Academy, BalletMet, Columbus Children’s Theatre, Columbus Landmarks Foundation, Columbus Recreation and Parks, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, Franklin County Auditor’s Office, Glass Axis, Green Columbus, i9 Sports, Kaleidoscope Youth Center, KINDkamp, MagLiteracy.org, McConnell Arts Center, My Very Own Blanket, National Youth Advocate Program, NC4K, NOMA and AIA, Ohio Craft Museum, Ronald McDonald House, Salon Schools and Thurber House, there are activities to fit a wide range of interests and ages. Almost all activities are free and open to both kids and adults.

Teen Programming at the Village

This year’s village will also feature an adult/teen activity area with in-depth crafting and arts activities led by Bakes by Lo, Kym’s Kanvas, Monster Baby Donuts and Petals That Inspire. Due to the limited capacity of these programs and materials, there is a small fee to participate.

• Sweet Creations: Donut Decorating Delight: For a small participation fee, guests can decorate their own donuts from Monster Baby Donuts, complete with icing and an array of colorful sprinkles.
• Flower Power (Friday and Saturday only): Petals That Inspire hosts a bouquet building station where guests can design a petite bouquet of fresh flowers for $10. Proceeds support a workforce development program for young adults who are overcoming barriers to employment.
• Create a Timeless Piece (Saturday and Sunday only):Using quality canvas and a range of colors, Kym’s Kanvas will help guests perfect their craft, whether they’re new or experienced painters.
• Delicious Cookie Design (Sunday only): Guests can indulge their inner artist as they create edible masterpieces from sugar cookies and colorful icings with Bakes by Lo.

Performances at the Activities Village

As part of the Activities Village, Columbus Children’s Theatre will perform highlights from its upcoming season, in addition to hosting performances from Andra Gillum, Artega Wright, Artisan Tap Ensemble, Buckitty Beats, Musicologie, Paulette Princess Parties, Ty Williams and others.

Children’s and Teens’ Art Galleries

Kids play art collector in the Children’s Gallery, sponsored by PNC! Children ages 12 and younger are invited to experience the unique kid-sized gallery—located near the Kids Hands-On Activities Village—with artwork donated by exhibiting artists. Each piece is priced at $5 and under. Returning this year is a Teens’ Art Gallery geared toward collectors aged 13-17. Gallery hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Meet the Art Shark

Always on the move, the beloved mascot of the Columbus Arts Festival will appear on both sides of the river and wander the Festival grounds. Festival-goers can say hello and take a selfie with Arthur S. Hark (a.k.a. Art Shark), who can be found “swimming” around the Hands-On Activity Village on Saturday, June 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 9 from noon to 2 p.m. He’ll also surface at the Bicentennial Park fountain on Friday, June 7 from 3:45-4:45 p.m. and Saturday, June 8 from 3-5 p.m.

Big Local Arts Village

Each year at the Columbus Arts Festival, creatives from all over the city come together to build a place for people to experience and purchase local art. The Big Local Arts Village, sponsored by Bank of America, sits at the Festival’s Franklinton entrance on West Rich Street. More than 80 artists from central Ohio will sell their work, while select artists will demonstrate everything from wire sculpture to Japanese calligraphy, blacksmithing to bookbinding, leather crafting to chain maille and more.

Nearby, the Big Local Arts Stage has an incredible lineup of Columbus-based musicians. And for those who appreciate the brewing arts, the Rhinegeist Beer Garden features a wide variety of beers and fun group games – perfect for pairing with lunch or dinner from a local food truck.

WOSU’s Second Saturday Kids Day + Meet Local Arts Organizations

Bring the whole family to WOSU Public Media’s booth on Washington Boulevard on Saturday, June 8 from 9-11 a.m. for their Second Saturday Kids Day. Participate in engaging hands-on activities and meet Jet Propulsion in person!

Get to Know Columbus Arts Organizations

Visit more than 20 Columbus arts organizations with the Columbus Arts Marketing Association, located on Washington between the Main and Rich Street bridges. Enjoy games, buy tickets or just learn more from BalletMet, CAPA, The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, Columbus College of Art & Design, The Columbus Männerchor, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Music Commission, Columbus Symphony, Ohio Paper Folders, Opera Columbus, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, OtherWorld, Short North Stage, Thurber House, We Amplify Voices and Wexner Center for the Arts.

Get Framed at the Arts Festival

If you didn’t get a selfie at the Festival, did it really happen? Make Festival memories with Columbus’ beautiful cityscape in the background at the giant picture frame just north of the intersection of the Rich Street Bridge and Washington Boulevard.

Color Your World With Public Art

Guests can visit GCAC’s booth at Rich Street and Civic Center to pick up Columbus public art coloring pages and crayons and tell us where they want to see public art in the future. Festival attendees can interact with a giant map to indicate neighborhoods in which they want to see more public art and get connected to GCAC’s online Columbus map where they can drop a pin on any building or street in Franklin County to suggest new places for public art.

Festival Hours: Friday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Please note: on Friday and Saturday artist booths close at 9 p.m.; artists have the option to stay open later.)

To volunteer at the Columbus Arts Festival, please go to columbusartsfestival.org/engage/volunteer.

For more information on the Columbus Arts Festival, call (614) 221-8531 or visit columbusartsfestival.org.

For a selection of high-res images, visit the Festival’s press media page.

The Columbus Arts Festival is produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

The 2024 Columbus Arts Festival is presented by the American Electric Power Foundation. Additional sponsors and partners include Bank of America, Bath and Body Works Foundation, Battelle, COSI, Downtown Columbus, Edwards Communities, Encova, G&J Pepsi, Go Brewing, Graeter’s, High Bank Distillery, Holiday Inn Downtown, Hotel LeVeque, Huntington, IGS Energy, The Junto, King Business Interiors, MLS All-Star Summer Roadshow, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University, OSA Technology Partners, Paul-Henri and Erika Bourguignon Charitable Trust, PNC Bank, Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center, Rhinegeist, Sonesta Columbus Downtown, South Wind Motel, Toyota, Visit Savannah, The Westin Great Southern Columbus, White Castle and Whole World Lemonade. Media sponsors include ABC6/FOX28, Columbus Radio Group, Dispatch Media Group, Lamar Outdoor, Ohio Magazine, Orange Barrel Media, WCBE and WOSU Public Media.

Mission of the Greater Columbus Arts Council: To support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. www.gcac.org

The Greater Columbus Arts Council receives major financial support from the City of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners, Ohio Arts Council and The Ohio State University. None of these funds are used for the production of the Columbus Arts Festival.

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