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    The 2017 Columbus Festival Season

    Festival season is once again upon us! Warm weather and fun outdoor festivals, with music, food, home tours, funnel cakes, and more! Below is a list of festivals beginning now and running through December 2017. The 2017 Columbus Underground Festival List is presented by the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival, happening on Monday, September 4, 2017.

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    The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival presents the 2017 Columbus Underground Festival List.
    Thanks to the Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival for presenting the 2017 Columbus Underground Festival List.

    New festivals this year include: the Somali Cultural Festival, Columbus Podcast Festival, the Midwest Burlesque and Rockabilly Weekend, African American Cultural Festival, the Melanincholy Festival in Milo-Grogan to showcase and support artists and musicians of color, the International Sports Film Festival of Ohio at the Gateway Film Center, The Franklinton Bike Festival, The Flyover Fest in North Campus/South Clintonville, the Ohio VegFest at Goodale Park in September, a couple of nationally touring food themed festivals, Making Midwest Fest, Grandview Hop adds a holiday hop, and more CU Best Bites events to be announced!

    It’s the Tenth and Final Independents’ Day Festival. Steadfast Festival, Whiskey Bear Comedy Festival, and Ohio Chinese Lantern Festival return for a second year. Unfortunately, PromoWest Fest and Drauma are taking the year off. 4th and 4th Fest and Helter Swelter are no longer happening. The PRIDE Festival and the Columbus Food Truck Festival move to the riverfront. Juneteenth is holding a fundraiser to hopefully revive their festival. The Washboard Music Festival will be celebrating big during Logan’s 200th Birthday. Celebrate the opening of the new IKEA on June 7! If you want, you can start lining up on Monday, June 5.

    Get out your calendar and start filling it in! Just want music festivals? Check out our event calendar section. If you know of a festival that should be included, comment and let me know and I’ll add it. This should be a great start to help get your weekends full of fun events all summer long. Enjoy!

    Urban Scrawl
    Urban Scrawl — August 26 and 27 — Photo by Walker Evans.

    The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival hosts 25,000 visitors participating in interactive performances and activities, purchasing art from some 200 artists working in a variety of media and enjoying refreshments from a variety of vendors. The festival will be held Monday, September 4, 2017. And it all happens because of our great volunteers! 2017 marks the 51st Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival; we have produced this event since 1983. Nearly 200 volunteers make this community event possible. For updates and to plan your visit uaoh.net/ldaf .
    Thank you to The City of Upper Arlington for sponsoring the 2017 Columbus Underground Festivals List!

    SEPTEMBER

    Independents' Day — September 17 and 18 — Photo by Matt Ellis.
    Independents’ Day — September 16 and 17 — Photo by Matt Ellis.

    OCTOBER

    HighBall — October 20 and 21 — Photo by Matt Ellis.
    HighBall — October 20 and 21 — Photo by Matt Ellis.

    NOVEMBER & DECEMBER

    The Ohio Chinese Lantern Festival returns November 17 through January 7, 2018. Photo by Walker Evans.
    The Ohio Chinese Lantern Festival returns November 17 through January 7, 2018. Photo by Walker Evans.

    House and Garden Tours

    Urban Living Tour
    Urban Living Tour — May 7 — Photo by Mollie Lyman.

    Local Food Festivals

    Every effort has been made to ensure dates are correct, however: Please note, dates are subject to change.

    UALaborDayArts-200The Columbus Underground 2017 Columbus Festival List is presented by The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival. The Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival hosts 25,000 visitors participating in interactive performances and activities, purchasing art from some 200 artists working in a variety of media and enjoying refreshments from a variety of vendors. And it all happens because of our great volunteers! 2017 marks the 51st Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival; we have produced this event since 1983. Visit uaoh.net/ldaf for more information.

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    Anne Evans
    Anne Evanshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-evans/
    Anne Evans is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations for The Metropreneur and Columbus Underground. She regularly contributes feature stories on both sites, as well as Mega Weekend each week. She has started and grown businesses, created experiences, forged community partnerships, and worked to create opportunities for others. She loves meeting new neighbors and those making an impact in our community. Want to connect?
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