Downtown Columbus

Cooper-Bing Competition
2025-05-18 15:00 (America/New_York) | Southern Theatre, 21 E Main St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
The Cooper-Bing is an internationally recognized vocal competition that has celebrated and supported emerging young artists in opera. Dubbed “The Olympics of Opera”, this competition encourages talent, creates artistic opportunity, and helps welcome the next generation into the professional opera community. Five finalists compete for the grand prize of $10,000! The 2025 competition will be emceed by Christopher Purdy.
Get Tickets Here

Free Play at the Commons
2025-05-20 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-22 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-05-27 11:00 - 16:00 | Columbus Commons, 160 S High St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Come Downtown and take a free spin on the Carousel, play under the parachute, build with our Imagination Playground big blue blocks, kick a soccer ball, or make your own fun. Plus, additional programming will be available on select dates.

Free Fitness at the Commons
2025-05-20 17:30 - 18:20, 2025-05-20 18:30 - 19:20, 2025-05-21 17:30 - 18:20, 2025-05-21 18:30 - 19:20 | Columbus Commons, 160 S High St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Whether you’re getting your heart pumping with cardio or finding your center with yoga, the North Lawn of the Commons is the place to take your workout classes outside – and it’s all free!

May – September
Tuesdays- HIIT
5:30 & 6:30 pm
Wednesday- Yoga
5:30 & 6:30 pm

November Project Scioto Mile Free Workout
2025-05-21 06:00 - 08:00 | Genoa Park, 303 W Broad St, Columbus, OH, United States
November Project is a free outside fitness group that started in Boston in 2011 to break down barriers to movement! Now in 53 cities around the globe, we create free, fun, scalable (adjustable to your fitness level) workouts for all ages – and doggos!
Our workout starts at 6:14a every Wednesday morning in Genoa Park on the Scioto Mile (on the steps behind COSI). We work out for 45 minutes together until 7am, then walk down to One Line Coffee to hang out before work!
Come join us if you’re an off-the-couch fitness newbie, a runner looking to cross-train, or any fitness level in between, we’d love to see you!

Breakfast at the Commons
2025-05-21 08:00 - 12:00 | Columbus Commons, 160 S High St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Every Wednesday, stop by Columbus Commons to grab breakfast and coffee at one of our local food trucks! It’s the perfect pick-me-up on the way into the office.

Food Truck Food Court
2025-05-22 11:00 - 14:00 | Columbus Commons, 160 S High St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Summer calls for sunshine which means enjoying lunch outside at Columbus Commons.
Bite into a variety of delicious and diverse food trucks every Thursday at Columbus Commons. Bring your pup, your pals, or soak in the sun solo.

Pearl Market
2025-05-22 11:00 - 14:00 | Pearl Market, 31 E Gay Street, Columbus, OH, 43215
Pearl Market connects Ohio farmers, artisans, and creators with the urban heart of Columbus at the historic Pearl Alley and neighboring streets. Come visit the vibrant Pearl Market for an incredible and diverse selection of fruits and vegetables, farm and artisanal goods, live music, and more! New this year: Pearl Market is sponsored by Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District in Partnership with Common Greens Ohio.

Presented By: Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District

The Good Market at Food Truck Food Court
2025-05-22 11:00 - 14:00 | Columbus Commons, 160 S High St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Join The Good Market every Thursday afternoon at Columbus Commons for Columbus’ best food trucks, awesome local vendors, and those good summertime vibes!

CMA After Hours: Creating in the Galleries
2025-05-22 17:00 - 21:00 | Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E Broad St, Columbus, OH, United States
CMA is open LATE every Thursday with $5 general admission. From 5:00–9:00 PM, enjoy dinner and drinks in the café, explore the galleries, shop in the store, and more.
Creating in the Galleries
6:00–7:30 PM
Tickets are $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers
Spend an evening sketching in the CMA galleries with creative prompts and guidance from artist AJ Vanderelli. All skill levels welcome—no prior experience necessary.

Ticket includes museum admission and supplies (graphite pencils only). Participants may bring their own sketchbooks.
Get Tickets Here

FREE Sam Bush Band – Bicentennial Park Concert Series
2025-05-23 17:00 | Bicentennial Park, 233 S Civic Center Dr, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Kick off summer with the legendary Sam Bush Band and opener The Mighty Troubadours! Food and drinks available for purchase starting at 5 p.m., live music starts at 6:30 p.m.

A Song Remains: A Night of Led Zeppelin with The Dark Side of the Moon
2025-05-23 18:00 | Columbus Commons, 160 S High St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Rock out at the Commons to the Music of Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd.

FREE Street Beats
2025-05-23 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-05-24 18:00 - 20:00 | The Patio at the Scioto Mile Fountain, 229 Civic Center Dr, Columbus, 43215, United States
Live music will warmly welcome you every Friday and Saturday in the summertime, setting the perfect backdrop for a night out! Whether you’re grabbing dinner nearby or just soaking in the summer vibes, Street Beats brings the soundtrack to your weekend thanks to dozens of talented Columbus artists.

FREE Street Beats
2025-05-23 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-05-24 18:00 - 20:00 | UnderCurrent, 1 E Gay St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States

Local & Live Good Market Series
2025-05-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Columbus Commons, 160 S High St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Join The Good Market at the Columbus Commons during the Local & Live concert series. The market will take place alongside incredible music, food trucks, and awesome vibes.

Bicentennial Park Concerts: Sam Bush Band and The Mighty Troubadours
2025-05-23 18:30 | Bicentennial Park, 233 S Civic Center Dr, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Sam Bush Band promises an unforgettable evening of genre-blending bluegrass from one of Americana’s true pioneers. Known for igniting the New Grass revolution, Sam Bush brings over five decades of musical innovation to the stage, fusing bluegrass roots with the spirit of rock and jazz.
Food/Drink 5 p.m. | The Mighty Troubadors 6:30 p.m. | Sam Bush Band 8 p.m.

Columbus Symphony: Britten War Requiem
2025-05-23 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-05-24 19:30 - 21:30 | Ohio Theatre, 39 E State St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Witness Benjamin Britten’s powerful War Requiem, a testament to Britten’s lifelong pacifism. This massive work is scored for full symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra, three soloists, choir, boys’ choir, and organ, with texts from the Latin Requiem Mass and anti-war poems by Wilfred Owen, an English soldier killed in battle during World War I. Written for the reconsecration of the Coventry Cathedral, a monument destroyed during World War II, the War Requiem was premiered in 1962.

"The Murph" CrossFit Workout
2025-05-24 08:00 - 10:00 | National Veterans Memorial and Museum, 300 W Broad Street, Columbus, OH, 43215
Join the NVMM and community partners for a workout in honor of Medal of Honor recipient and Navy SEAL, Lieutenant Michael Murphy. This event will occur outdoors rain or shine. Murphy was killed in action when he risked his life trying to save his team during an ambush while serving in Afghanistan in 2005.
There will be two separate times for you to be able to participate in. Heat #1 will begin at 8 a.m.; Heat #2 will begin at 9 a.m. Choose your preferred heat time when you register.
Register Here

Free Family Fun Day
2025-05-24 11:00 - 16:00 | John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons, 160 S High St, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Start your summer with a free party at the park. And by party, we mean hours of free family-friendly games, crafts, face painting, carousel rides, live music, inflatables and more.
Festivities include:

SuperGames inflatables including Beach Sunglasses Slide, Leaps and Bounds, Lego Obstacle Course, Vertical Rush WD, Wacky Bouncer, and Wacky Kiddie Corner
Face Painting and Balloon Twisting from Pretty as a Princess
Crafts from Urban Arts Space, and We Amplify Voices
Activity facilitated by Franklin Park Conservatory
Stilt walkers from The Amazing Giants
Purchase tasty treats from Cotton Sugar Co and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Grab a bite to eat from Tortilla Mexican Street Food or one of the food trucks on site.
Musical Performance from NACHO Street Band from 1pm – 3pm
Free lawn games and carousel rides, weather permitting

FREE Fountain Fest
2025-05-24 11:00 - 22:00, 2025-05-25 11:00 - 22:00 | Bicentennial Park, 233 S Civic Center Dr, Columbus, OH, 43215, United States
Kick off summer with a splash! The Scioto Mile Fountain re-opens for the season at Bicentennial Park this Memorial Day Weekend. Join us for a FREE two-day celebration with music, food trucks, live performances, art, and more. All ages are welcome to splash in the Fountain, and adults can indulge in a drink using the Center City DORA. Starting at 11am, enjoy FREE ice cream, parachute play, glitter tattoos, stilt walkers, and collaborative murals. Starting at 4pm, come out for FREE caricatures, water tag, giant pong, and glow sticks!

Gold Star Family Candlelight Vigil
2025-05-25 19:00 | National Veterans Memorial and Museum, 300 W Broad Street, Columbus, OH, 43215
During Memorial Day weekend, we honor the sacrifices of the Gold Star Families who have lost a loved one in service to our country with a Candlelight Vigil.
We are honored to welcome Major General Mark A. Graham, U.S. Army (Retired), MBA, as our guest speaker. A Gold Star father and dedicated mental health advocate, Maj. Gen. Graham has devoted his life to promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention following the tragic losses of his sons—Second Lt. Jeff Graham, killed by an IED in Iraq in 2004, and Kevin Graham, a Senior Army ROTC cadet who died by suicide in 2003. Together with his wife Carol, he continues to champion efforts to end the stigma surrounding mental health care in both military and civilian communities. Among his many pursuits, he currently serves as director of Vets4Warriors.
Doors open at 7 p.m. for the reception. The Gold Star Family Candlelight Vigil procession will begin at 7:45 p.m. on the Museum rooftop and travel down to the Soldiers Cross in Memorial Grove. The ceremony begins at 8 p.m.

Register Here

Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony
2025-05-26 10:00 | National Veterans Memorial and Museum, 300 W Broad Street, Columbus, OH, 43215
Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor all the men and women who have lost their lives in service to our country, as well as the families they left behind. Our keynote speaker will be Nate Boyer, U.S. Army Green Beret Veteran and former NFL player. Columbus iHeart radio host Boxer will serve as our master of ceremonies.
Register here
