The Best Things To Do In Columbus This Weekend (October 2–4)

Hockey is back, the Short North goes full Halloween, and coffee takes over the fairgrounds in Hilliard.

The Blue Jackets opened the season Thursday night and play their first Saturday game of the year against Utah. Saturday is the crowded day: High Street closes for Hops on High and the HighBall Halloween costume show, the Columbus Coffee Festival comes to the Franklin County Fairgrounds for two days, Boo at the Zoo starts its October run, and Old Worthington, New Albany, Reynoldsburg and Sunbury each throw a festival of their own. The Buckeyes are in Iowa City with a 3:30pm kickoff on CBS, so the tailgate is on the couch this week. Friday has Fraggle Rock at the Palace and the Blair Witch cast in New Albany. Sunday brings Upper Arlington’s Fall Fest, dogs in costume at The Wag, and the Sex Pistols at the Newport. Here’s your weekend.

This Weekend At A Glance

Friday, October 2

🎃 Ohio Gourd Show In Delaware

The Ohio Gourd Society has been putting on this show for 63 years, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: gourd art, gourd music, gourd food, and rows of growers selling the raw material. It’s at the Delaware County Fairgrounds from Friday noon through Sunday afternoon, and admission is free.

Location: Delaware County Fairgrounds, 236 Pennsylvania Ave., Delaware
When: Friday noon–5pm, Saturday 9am–5pm, Sunday 10am–4pm
Cost: Free
More info: Ohio Gourd Society

🎭 Fraggle Rock: Back To The Rock LIVE At The Palace

Gobo, Red, Mokey, Wembley and Boober go looking for the Celebration Stone in a touring stage show built for kids who know the Apple TV reboot and parents who remember the original. One performance, Friday at 6:30pm at the Palace.

Location: Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St.
When: Friday, 6:30pm
More info: CAPA

🎤 KevOnStage: Grief Sucks At The Davidson

Kevin Fredericks, the comedian better known as KevOnStage, lost his older brother Jason in 2022 and turned the years since into a one-man show. It plays the Davidson Theatre at the Riffe Center for one night. Ages 16 and up.

Location: Davidson Theatre, Riffe Center, 77 S. High St.
When: Friday, 7:30pm
Cost: Ticketed; ages 16 and up
More info: CAPA

🎻 Columbus Symphony: Dvořák & Brahms

Rossen Milanov conducts and violinist Aubree Oliverson is the soloist for the second Masterworks weekend of the season at the Ohio Theatre. Both nights start at 7:30pm, and a free pre-concert talk at 6:30pm walks through the program.

Location: Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St.
When: Friday and Saturday, 7:30pm; free talk at 6:30pm
More info: Columbus Symphony

🎙️ Don Lemon & DL Hughley At Mershon

The former CNN anchor and the comedian share a stage for a show billed as “Anything Goes”: politics, race, pop culture and whatever is in the news that day. Friday at 7pm at Mershon Auditorium, with tickets starting at $35.

Location: Mershon Auditorium, 1871 N. High St.
When: Friday, 7pm
Cost: From $35
More info: Mershon Auditorium

🍿 The Blair Witch Project With Its Cast In New Albany

Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams, the three actors who spent the 1999 movie lost in the Maryland woods, sit down for a Q&A after a screening at the McCoy Center. Lachandra B. Baker moderates. Friday at 8pm.

Location: McCoy Center for the Arts, 100 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., New Albany
When: Friday, 8pm
More info: CAPA

🎭 The Velocity Of Autumn, Final Weekend In Dublin

Eric Coble’s comedy about an 80-year-old artist barricaded in her Brooklyn brownstone, and the estranged son who climbs in through the window to negotiate, closes its run at the Abbey Theater of Dublin this weekend. The run is listed as Oct. 1 through 4, ages 13 and up. Showtimes are on the ticket page.

Location: Abbey Theater of Dublin, 5600 Post Rd., Dublin
When: Fri–Sun; closes Sunday
Cost: Ticketed; ages 13 and up
More info: City of Dublin

Three other runs are on stage all weekend. Jagged Little Pill closes Sunday in Studio One at the Riffe Center, with shows Friday and Saturday at 8pm and a 2pm Sunday matinee. Sweeney Todd is on the Garden Theater mainstage at 1187 N. High St. Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 2pm and 7pm, and Sunday at 2pm; Short North Stage holds pay-what-you-want and student rush tickets at the door two hours before curtain. Battle of the Books, Columbus Children’s Theatre’s show for the 12-and-up crowd, plays Studio Two at the Riffe Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 2pm and 7pm, and Sunday at 2pm, and runs through October 18.

Saturday, October 3

🎃 Hops On High Featuring HighBall Halloween

High Street closes to cars from W. 2nd Avenue to E. Russell Street from noon to 8pm, and the Short North turns the day into the start of Halloween season. The HighBall Costume Couture Fashion Show is the centerpiece: five local designers each send three original looks down the Main Stage runway from 6:30pm to 8pm, and the judges hand out a $1,000 grand prize. Before that, anyone in costume can head to the Costume Call Out tent to be “spotted,” and the spotted crowd gets called up on stage with NBC4 hosts from 6pm to 6:30pm. There’s a vendor market, a trick-or-treat trail through participating shops that pays off with a free treat from The Yard Milkshake Bar after five check-ins, a Halloween paint party for kids, circus skills lessons with The Amazing Giants, and the month’s Gallery Hop openings, since it’s the first Saturday. The whole day is free. The Short North guide covers where to eat and drink between stops.

Location: High Street, W. 2nd Ave. to E. Russell St., Short North
When: Saturday, noon–8pm; fashion show 6:30–8pm
Cost: Free
More info: Short North Alliance

☕ Columbus Coffee Festival In Hilliard

Eleven years in, the Coffee Festival runs two full days at the Franklin County Fairgrounds, 9am to 6pm both Saturday and Sunday. The ticket covers samples from every roaster and tea vendor on the grounds, dozens of them from around Ohio and the Midwest, plus a mug to take home. Tickets are sold by day and package, and kids 12 and under get in free with an adult. Expect food trucks, live music, an alpaca pen and more than one line.

Location: Franklin County Fairgrounds, Hilliard
When: Saturday and Sunday, 9am–6pm
Cost: Ticketed; kids 12 and under free
More info: Columbus Coffee Festival

👻 Boo At The Zoo Opens

The Zoo’s daytime Halloween run starts this weekend and repeats every Saturday and Sunday through October 25, 10am to 6pm, included with regular admission. Costumes are welcome at any age, within the Zoo’s guidelines. Online day passes start at $34.95 for ages 10 to 59, or $24.95 for Franklin County residents, and parking is $12. The after-dark Lantern Festival is a separate ticket and runs Thursday through Sunday evenings, 7:30pm to 10:30pm, through the same date.

Location: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 4850 W. Powell Rd., Powell
When: Saturday and Sunday, 10am–6pm; weekends through Oct. 25
Cost: Included with Zoo admission
More info: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

🍂 Old Worthington Market Day

High Street through Old Worthington closes for the town’s biggest one-day festival and its longest-running one. More than 160 exhibitors set up with handmade arts and crafts, local nonprofits and civic groups have tables, and there’s food, live entertainment and things for kids to do from 9am to 4pm.

Location: High Street, Old Worthington
When: Saturday, 9am–4pm
More info: Worthington Partnership

🍺 New Albany Oktoberfest At Rose Run

The City of New Albany runs its Oktoberfest at Rose Run Park from noon to 10pm: two stages of live music, German food and drink, family activities and contests, including a wiener dog race. The Ten Band headlines.

Location: Rose Run Park, New Albany
When: Saturday, noon–10pm
More info: City of New Albany

🪔 Diwali-Tihar Festival In Reynoldsburg

Reynoldsburg’s Festival of Lights celebration starts with a parade at 2pm and runs until 8pm at Huber Park. The city puts attendance at 13,400, which makes it one of the biggest cultural festivals in the suburbs.

Location: Huber Park, Reynoldsburg
When: Saturday, 2–8pm; parade at 2pm
More info: City of Reynoldsburg

💃 La Feria: Latino Heritage Art Fest

La Feria, the Latino Heritage Month art fest, is at Blockfort Gallery downtown from 3pm to 8pm: work from local Latino artists, live music and dance, food vendors and community booths.

Location: Blockfort Gallery, downtown
When: Saturday, 3–8pm
More info: Latino Heritage Month Columbus

🎺 AFRO By Maroon Arts Group

Maroon Arts Group marks its tenth anniversary in two parts. In the morning, New Orleans’ Hot 8 Brass Band leads a free, all-ages second line parade through Bronzeville, meeting at the Long Street Culture Wall at 10:30am. At night the party moves inside The Maroon Culture Lab on Mt. Vernon Avenue, doors at 6pm, with Hot 8 opening the concert, rooms of poetry, hip-hop and jazz running side by side, and Pete Rock headlining in the ballroom. The evening is 21 and up and ticketed.

Location: Long Street Culture Wall (parade); The Maroon Culture Lab, 867 Mt. Vernon Ave. (evening)
When: Saturday, parade 10:30am; party 6pm–midnight
Cost: Parade free; evening ticketed, 21+
More info: Maroon Arts Group

🌽 Free Harvest Fair At Columbus Commons

The Commons’ fall family day was rained off its September date and lands this Saturday instead, noon to 4pm, with face painting, balloon twisting and the usual fall entertainment. Free and open to everyone.

Location: Columbus Commons, 160 S. High St.
When: Saturday, noon–4pm
Cost: Free
More info: Columbus Commons

🛏️ Furniture Bank Bed Race At Land-Grant

Teams push decorated beds down the street outside Land-Grant Brewing in Franklinton to raise money for Furniture Bank of Central Ohio, which furnishes homes for families coming out of homelessness. Watching is free. The event page doesn’t list a start time, so check it before heading over.

Location: Land-Grant Brewing Company, 424 W. Town St.
When: Saturday
Cost: Free to watch
More info: Furniture Bank of Central Ohio

🏒 Blue Jackets vs. Utah Mammoth

The home opener against Buffalo is Thursday night, and Saturday is the first Saturday game of the season, a 7pm face-off against Utah. The plaza party outside the arena starts at 4pm, and fans get a T-shirt while supplies last.

Location: Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd.
When: Saturday, 7pm; plaza party from 4pm
More info: Columbus Blue Jackets

🍗 Smokin’ Hot Wing & Music Fest In Sunbury

The wing festival moves to Sunbury’s Freedom Park for its fourth year: a wing cooking competition with a $1,000 prize, a wing eating contest, four bands from noon to 9pm, food trucks and a kids zone with bounce houses. Proceeds go to the Smokin’ Hot Hearts Foundation. Veterans and kids 12 and under get in free.

Location: Freedom Park, Sunbury
When: Saturday, noon–9pm
Cost: Ticketed; veterans and kids 12 and under free
More info: Smokin’ Hot Hearts Foundation

🐱 Hello Kitty Cafe Truck At Easton

Sanrio’s pink truck parks at Easton for one day, 10am to 7pm, selling Hello Kitty cookies, cakes and merch until they run out. It’s card only, no cash, and the line forms early.

Location: Easton Town Center
When: Saturday, 10am–7pm
Cost: Free to visit; card only
More info: Sanrio

🐐 Fall Harvest Fair At Stratford Ecological Center

The working farm and nature preserve outside Delaware opens up for one of its biggest days of the year, 10am to 2pm, with farm animals, hands-on chores for kids and a walk through the fall fields. Admission is $5 a person, free under 2, and pre-registration is encouraged, though walk-ins are welcome.

Location: Stratford Ecological Center, Liberty Road, Delaware
When: Saturday, 10am–2pm
Cost: $5 per person, under 2 free
More info: Stratford Ecological Center

🍿 Hitchcocktober Opens With Vertigo At Gateway

Gateway Film Center’s seventeenth Hitchcocktober starts Saturday with a 4K restoration of Vertigo. The series runs one Hitchcock film each Saturday and Sunday in October: The Birds on the 10th, Rear Window on the 17th, and Psycho on Halloween. Showtimes are on the Film Center’s site.

Location: Gateway Film Center, 1550 N. High St.
When: Saturday; series runs Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 31
More info: Gateway Film Center

⚔️ Viking Weekend At The Ohio Renaissance Festival

The Renaissance Festival’s themed weekend for the horde runs Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am to 7pm, in Harveysburg, about an hour and a half southwest. The festival guide has the list of what to see once you’re through the gate.

Location: Ohio Renaissance Festival, Harveysburg
When: Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am–7pm
More info: Ohio Renaissance Festival

Ohio State plays at Iowa on Saturday with a 3:30pm kickoff on CBS. Saturday is also day two of the Gourd Show, the second Symphony night, and the 2pm and 7pm shows of Sweeney Todd and Battle of the Books.

Sunday, October 4

🍂 Upper Arlington Fall Fest

Fancyburg Park hosts UA’s fall afternoon from 1pm to 5pm, with food, activities for every age and the kind of fall setup that fills a phone with photos. The city’s page lists no admission charge.

Location: Fancyburg Park, 3375 Kioka Ave., Upper Arlington
When: Sunday, 1–5pm
More info: City of Upper Arlington

🐶 Woof & Witches At The Wag

Ohio Pet Charities moves its Halloween pet party to The Wag in Grandview this year, noon to 3pm: rescues with adoptable dogs, vendors, food trucks, a free spooky photo booth, free pet grooming, a pet food drive, and a costume contest and parade for pets and their people. General attendance is free.

Location: The Wag, 1330 Norton Ave., Grandview Heights
When: Sunday, noon–3pm
Cost: Free
More info: Ohio Pet Charities

🌳 Green Columbus Franklinton Tree Giveaway

Green Columbus’ free native tree giveaways move to Franklinton this week. Reserve a tree online first, then pick it up at the Dodge Community Center on Sullivant Avenue between 11am and 3pm on Sunday only. One form per tree.

Location: Dodge Community Center, 667 Sullivant Ave.
When: Sunday, 11am–3pm
Cost: Free, reservation required
More info: Green Columbus

🎶 Sundays At Scioto In Dublin

Dublin’s Sunday concert series plays Scioto Park on Riverside Drive from 4pm to 6pm. Bring a chair.

Location: Scioto Park, 7377 Riverside Dr., Dublin
When: Sunday, 4–6pm
More info: City of Dublin

🎵 Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter At The Newport

Steve Jones, Paul Cook and Glen Matlock, three of the four original Sex Pistols, tour with Frank Carter singing, and the Columbus stop is Sunday night at the Newport. Bad Nerves open. Doors are at 7:30pm and there’s no age minimum.

Location: Newport Music Hall, North High Street at campus
When: Sunday, doors 7:30pm
More info: PromoWest

Sunday is also the last day of the Coffee Festival, the Gourd Show, Viking Weekend and Boo at the Zoo’s opening weekend, and the closing performances of Jagged Little Pill and The Velocity of Autumn.

With The Kids This Weekend

Saturday is the big day for families. Boo at the Zoo is included with a regular ticket, the Harvest Fair at the Commons is free, Hops on High has a kids’ paint party and a trick-or-treat trail, and Stratford’s farm fair is $5. Fraggle Rock at the Palace on Friday night suits the youngest crowd, and the Hello Kitty truck at Easton will draw a line of them Saturday. Sunday’s Fall Fest in Upper Arlington and the costumed dogs at The Wag are both free. For the rest of the season, the pumpkin patch guide and the fall festivals list cover the next few weekends.

For everything after this weekend, the monthly guide has you covered.

Have fun, Columbus!

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