Your guide to Columbus' summer festival season
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
From zucchini and tomatoes to cultural gatherings, booze and hot air balloons, a season of summer festivals celebrating just about everything is once again in full swing.
Why it matters: These longstanding traditions are the common threads that bring our community together, drawing thousands of visitors and showcasing everything that makes Central Ohio so great.
- Plus: Some events are fundraisers for local groups and causes.
Between the lines: Ohio now has a reputation to uphold, after recently being dubbed one of the most "festival obsessed" states.
State of play: Starting now through Labor Day, there's at least one local celebration happening every weekend.
😋 Pro tip: Many feature delectable dishes, and for some, that's the entire focus — so bring an empty stomach! We're looking at you, Food Truck Festival-goers.
The list, in chronological order:
🍓 Newark Strawberry Festival: 11am-10pm Friday and Saturday, 11am-6pm Sunday, downtown. Free!
🏌️ Bridge Park Fore!Fest: 5-10pm Friday and Saturday, Dublin. Free!
🍗 Columbus Chicken and Beer Festival: Noon-8pm Saturday, Dodge Park. Free!
🍺 Six One Pour: Ohio Craft Beer Fest: 8-11pm Saturday, Ohio History Center. $55-65, includes 20 samples and a souvenir glass.
🎨 Columbus Arts Festival: 11am-10:30pm June 9, 10am-10:30pm June 10 and 10am-5pm June 11, downtown riverfront. Free!
🍷 Columbus Summer Wine Festival: 2-7pm June 10, McFerson Commons Park. $30, includes 10 samples.
🏳️🌈 Stonewall Columbus Pride: June 16-17, Goodale Park, and June 17 march down High Street. Free!
🎷 Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival: June 16-18, Creekside Gahanna. $15 daily, $30 weekend pass. Kids under 11 free!
🥂 Grove City Wine and Arts Festival: June 16-17, Historic Town Center. $30, includes eight samples and a souvenir glass.
🧒 Columbus Children's Festival: June 17, SportsOhio in Dublin. Free admission! Tickets required for activities.
✊ Juneteenth Ohio Festival: June 17-18, Genoa Park. Free till 3pm! Then $15-20.
🧑🎨 Worthington Arts Festival: June 17-18, Village Green. Free!
🍓 London Strawberry Festival: June 22-24. Free!
☮️ ComFest: June 23-25, Goodale Park. Free!
🫘 Hilltop Bean Dinner Festival: June 24, Westgate Park. Free!
🖼️ Gravity Mural Fest: June 24, Franklinton Arts District. Free!
🎆 Red, White & Boom: July 3, downtown riverfront. Free!
🍇 Summer Jam West: July 8, Westgate Park. Free!
🖌️ Westerville Music & Arts Festival: July 8-9, Heritage Park. Free!
💜 Picktown Palozza: July 13-15, near Pickerington High School Central. $5 daily, $10 weekend pass.
✝️ Columbus GospelFest: July 15, Genoa Park. Free!
🍷 Delaware County Beer & Wine Festival: July 15, Boardman Arts Park. $15-25, includes six samples and a souvenir glass.
📚 Columbus Book Festival: July 15-16, Main Library and Topiary Park. Free!
🎼 Lancaster Festival: July 20-29, multiple venues and performances, with a grand finale Sheryl Crow concert on July 29 ($45-55).
🍖 Jazz & Rib Fest: July 21-23, downtown riverfront. Free!
🍴 Whitehall Food Truck & Fun Fest: July 29, South Yearling Road, between Etna Road and Langley Avenue. Free!
🌍 Columbus African Festival: July 29-30, Genoa Park. Free!
☘️ Dublin Irish Festival: Aug. 4-6, Coffman Park. $20-30 daily or $50-60 weekend pass. Kids under 11 free!
🇬🇭 Adonko Ohio Ghana Festival: Aug. 5, Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center. Free!
🍅 Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival: Aug. 10-12, Huber Park. Free!
🎈 All Ohio Balloon Festival: Aug. 10-12, Union County Airport. $41 Thursday (the Beach Boys are performing), $18 Friday (includes Saturday admission) and $11 Saturday.
🍺 Columbus Summer Beerfest: Aug. 12, Kemba Live. $35-40, includes 25 samples and a souvenir mug.
💃 Festival Latino: Aug. 12-13, Genoa Park. Free!
🎶 Cbus Soul Fest: Aug. 19, Genoa Park. Free!
🚚 Columbus Food Truck Festival: Aug. 19-20, Franklin County Fairgrounds. $5-7. Kids under 13 free!
🎵 WonderBus Music & Arts Festival: Aug. 25-27, The Lawn at CAS, with Pitbull, Demi Lovato and Caamp headlining. $92 daily, $199 weekend pass.
🔥 Fiery Foods Festival: Aug. 26-27, Genoa Park. $5. Kids under 13 free!
💚 Obetz Zucchinifest: Sept. 1-4, Fortress Obetz. Free!
🇬🇷 Columbus Greek Festival: Sept. 1-4, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. $5 (good all weekend). Kids under 12 free!
🇺🇸 Canal Winchester Labor Day Festival: Sept. 2-4. Free!
🐂 West Jefferson Ox Roast: Sept. 2-4. Free!
🐻 Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival: Sept. 4, Northam Park. Free!
Editor's note: This story was originally published in July 2022 and has been updated with new details throughout.