We love this place!…read more We've been members forever so that gives us flexibility. The latest butterfly exhibit is 5* Excellent staff....as always.

3.5 for me personally. While the butterfly exhibit and the conservatory was nice, it isn't very…read morebig. Plus a chunk of it is under construction. For $25 it was a pass for me considering the majority of the rest of Franklin Park is open to the public and free. There were lots of flowers and community gardens in the regular park. I think it is a good location for families with kids. Or if you are local and get a year pass.

Saturday May 30th 2010…read more After attending numerous Hempfest events every year, I would say this is the single most recurring event that I plan on going to if I am in Columbus during this time. Headed by Ohio State Students for Sensible Drug Policy, It begins I believe at about 2pm and lasts till about midnight every year. It is filled with local bands that are either bands you really like or you just don't. Located on the south oval there are 2 stages, a dj tent, vendors with some really neat stuff much like ComFest in gooddale park, and possibly some of the most friendly faces around the area. With such an enormous following of people that flock to the area, it is one of the only festivals that gives a "hemp friendly" name to the greater columbus area. Aside from the hippies, it is a really nice event to have because like Comfest, it brings all the columbus community together. If you would like to know more information about Hempfest please visit. http://www.myspace.com/osussdp

Hempfest returns to Ohio and Ohio State this year! October 11th 2014. It will be at the south oval…read moreand will include 15 bands and artists. Vendors, raffles, music, and great people. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. For more information check out: www.ohiohempfest.com

Pretty good set up. The festival covered about 2 or 3 blocks down S. Yearling. There was a stage…read morewith live music on each end. I got there after the rain passed through around 6pm. Drink tickets were available for $2 each. 1 cup of beer was 2 tickets, so $4/beer which is pretty darn cheap for a festival. I didn't count but I don't think there were the 26+ vendors they claimed to have. Still, there were plenty of choices. All in all a pretty good time.

Wow! What a fun time! I had to convince my boyfriend to come to this festival, as he used to work…read morein Whitehall and had a few bad experiences. I talked him into it and I'm glad we came. Admission is free! I'm not sure there's the 30+ vendors as they claim, but I didn't actually count them. There might not be 30+, but there is A LOT of food trucks with plenty of variety! Hot dogs and sausage, crab cakes, shrimp, red snapper, Jamaican food, all kinds of Mexican food, including churros. There's empanadas, fair fries, funnel cakes, cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, kona ice, any kind of ice cream ever, and even a few healthy options like fresh pita sandwiches and salmon. There's also plenty of drink options including beer. There's live bands, craft tents, a big blow up house for kids and put put golf. We saw a lot of dogs, so it's definitely pet friendly! We arrived around noon and had no trouble parking. We left around 3pm and it was PACKED! No parking available in sight and very crowded, including long lines for food and the bathrooms. I would say the earlier you get there the better, unless you don't mind huge crowds and lines. The only thing I'll complain about was the lack of shade. I'm pretty fair skinned and can only stand in the sun so long, even with sunscreen on. We sat on the sidewalk and street a few times just to avoid the hot July sun. They need more tables with umbrellas! This is a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon, though, and we'll for sure be back next year!

I've always enjoyed the Asian Festival. It's held during Memorial Day weekend in Franklin Park…read more It's a great opportunity to celebrate the diverse Asian communities of Columbus. There are live performances, vendors, and food. My problem with the festival when I attended in May 2023 is that attendance has really grown, but vendors and space haven't. The lines for food were crazy long. Everywhere we walked, it just felt very overcrowded. Maybe it's time to consider a new venue and a way to entice more vendors to participate.

Always have a blast at the Asian Festival. Good food, entertainment, and we spend hours exploring…read moreeach year. We like to grab some food and grab a seat on the grass in the park and enjoy some food. We have been attending for well over 10 years, only time we have missed was when it was cancelled during Covid. I would absolutely recommend and it so educational to see the different countries, heritage, art, and cultures represented.

This is a great, small to medium-sized festival. Usually held at Columbus Public Health, this year…read moreat Hamilton Park, a few blocks north. Parking was tight, but there were still a few spots on the surrounding streets, so we only walked half a block. Two stages that I saw (and heard,) a dozen food vendors, other vendors of all things, facepainting, art cars, free kids' books, friendly people. And absolutely perfect weather today. We wandered around, and back and forth, got fair food, listened to several bands, talked to vendors, and just generally relaxed. Some very cool crafts for sale if you want any, and clothing, etc. A bit of a Comfest vibe, though much less crowded.

Day #2 of Hot times 2023! Goes through Sat till 11pm. Sunday the 10th is the last day from…read more12pm-7pm. Awesome music, arts, tons of vendors and food. Located at Columbus Public Health grounds at 240 Parsons Avenue. Always one of my favorite Columbus festivals and this year is already one of my favorite years! Some great energy and vibes. Come check out some music, grab some food, and check out all these awesome small business vendors.

First of all, what a great name for a gay colorguard. The name for me is 50% of the appeal…read more The guys and gals who make up the Flaggots may not be the most adept flag twirlers you've ever seen, but they are entertaining. They come to events dressed in brightly colored matching outfits and dance and spin, mainly to 80s tunes. I think they're in it just for the camaraderie and the fun. And while their moves may not wow you, their enthusiasm is contagious. The Flaggots are mostly men, but they do accept women too. A few of them performed on flag teams in high school and/or college. They come to every Pride Parade, and I've also spotted them randomly at other events. I think they got their start at a Pride Parade, actually. My favorite Flaggots moment occurred when I saw the group performing on High St. While the rest of the group was doing its thing, an interested spectator approached one of the Flaggot members who was taking a break on the sidelines. The spectator was a gray-haired, conservative woman straight from the 'burbs. She apparently had niece who twirled and was looking for a group to join. The colorguard member proclaimed, 'Oh, I'm so glad you're interested! We're Flaggots. Hold on, let me get you a business card.' By the time she came back with the business card, the suburbanite was two blocks away. She booked it out of there.

From the owner: To Develop a Leading Performance Arts Organization that offers High Quality Entertainment and…read moreExperience through Member Commitment and Dedication. Flaggots Ohio, an 'all volunteer' performance ensemble, formally stepped-off in 2002 with the purpose of entertaining crowds at Central Ohio Pride Parades and Festivals through the sport of Color Guard. Beginnings of this flag-tastic family stretch back to 1994 when a fledgling group of 10 spinners marched in the Columbus Gay Pride Parade. These 'Flaggots' were unable to coalesce into a permanent annually performing color guard organization until almost a decade later... Since that time, Flaggots Ohio has gained international popularity, winning the hearts and support of literally hundreds of thousands of adoring fans from various events, YouTube and Facebook.

Music in the Air is a free, outdoor summer music program organized by the Columbus Department of…read moreParks and Recreation. A variety of musical performances by local musicians take place each week in different city parks from June through August. If you happen to work downtown, weekly lunchtime performances are held in the Topiary Garden, located behind the Main Library. This a great way to get out and enjoy the weather or have a picnic lunch in the park, while listening to some of Columbus's best musicians. If you can't catch a show mid-week, then spend a leisurely Sunday checking out the Short North Sunday Jazz sessions at the Gazebo in Goodale Park. Contemporary, Latin and Funk jazz musicians take the stage around noon for six weeks in July and August. A third series, Rhythm on the River, takes place at Riverfront Amphitheater at Genoa Park (near COSI) and range from family fun flicks to previews of BalletMet's season. International artists and more abstract, artsy shows are often part of this lineup. Music in the Air not only organizes the free summer music series, but also co-sponsors the Festival Latino in June and the Jazz & Rib Fest in July. You can read more about these festivals in their own entries.

Last year I attended the Latin Festival that is organized by Music in the Air and the City of…read moreColumbus Recreation and Parks Department. I walked over the festival located along the riverfront behind COSI from German Village which seemed normal enough to me but my friends were shocked and amazed. I went late in the afternoon and didn't realize how heavily attended this event is, so I had a bit of time finding my friends. We ended up spotting each other a beer tent. Go figure. The highlight of this event for me was the music. The food, drink, and shopping was underwhelming in comparison. This is a fun local event just go knowing that the entire city will be there so plan ahead and come with patience.