February 10, 20223 yr ComFest returning to Goodale Park this summer ComFest is returning to Goodale Park once again, following two years of disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. ComFest, also known as Community Festival, will take place June 24-26, and celebrate 50 years of "community, social activism and education." More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/02/10/comfest-return-2022.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 10, 20223 yr ^Red, White & Boom is also coming back this year! https://www.redwhiteandboom.org
February 17, 20223 yr Here’s when Columbus' newest film festival will launch A new Columbus film festival will finally launch this spring after a two-year delay. Cinema Columbus Film Festival will take place April 27-May 1 and will feature a “specially curated selection of new, independent documentary, narrative and short films,” according to a news release. CAPA is presenting the film festival along with several partners: The Drexel Theatre, Gateway Film Center, Studio 35 Cinema and Drafthouse, Wexner Center for the Arts and Film Columbus. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/02/17/columbus-film-festival-2022.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 19, 20223 yr Ohio State Fair Returns this Summer The Ohio State Fair is the latest in a list of annual celebrations that will be back in full force in 2022. Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Expo Center & State Fair General Manager Virgil Strickler announced the return of the fair this summer. The 167th Ohio State Fair will run from Wednesday, July 27 to Sunday, August 7. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-state-fair-returns-this-summer-sp1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 24, 20223 yr WonderBus Unveils Lineup for 2022 WonderBus is back for 2022 – and with an extra day of celebrations. WonderBus Music & Arts Festival returns to The Lawn at CAS Friday, August 26 to Sunday, August 28. This year’s headliners include Duran Duran (Friday), Lorde (Saturday) and The Lumineers (Sunday), with additional performances from Young The Giant, James Bay, Coin, Max, Cautious Clay, Beach Bunny, Meg Myers, Daisy The Great, The Knocks, Cannons and Neal Francis. A number of Columbus-based bands will also take the stage, including The Orphan The Poet, Cousin Simple and 90’s Kids. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/wonderbus-unveils-lineup-for-2022-sp1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
March 26, 20223 yr After three decades, the Ohio Black Expo plans its return in Columbus The Ohio Black Expo used to bring as many as 30,000 attendees out to downtown Columbus in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before it left the city for Dayton and Cincinnati and eventually went on hiatus. Now, the event has been reborn and organizers are planning for an annual event in downtown Columbus, starting this year over Memorial Day weekend from May 26-29. This year’s Ohio Black Expo is a chance to lift up Black-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, and celebrate Black culture in Ohio, according to Ohio Black Expo Executive Director Sherri Hamilton. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/03/25/ohio-black-expo-columbus-2022.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 14, 20223 yr Columbus Jazz & Rib Fest to return to Scioto Mile this summer The Jazz & Rib Fest is returning to downtown Columbus this summer after two years lost due to the pandemic. The 41st running of the festival will take place July 22 - 24 along the Scioto Mile, at Bicentennial Park and West Bank Park. Admission is free. “We could not be more thrilled to get back to business and put on the Jazz & Rib Fest, and to fill the streets adjacent to the Scioto River with live music, food vendors and people enjoying themselves,” Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Director Bernita Reese said in a press release. “It has been a Columbus staple for more than 40 years, and a major highlight of the summer. With our tremendous line-up of artists, and of course the top-notch barbecue, we are anticipating a great event that’s fun for everyone.” More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/04/14/jazz-rib-fest-2022-return.html & https://columbusunderground.com/jazz-rib-fest-returns-this-july/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 19, 20223 yr Cinema Columbus Film Festival Arrives After Years in Waiting Molly Kruezman is a Clintonville native who spent 20 years in Oregon, where she made films and managed film festivals. She came back to Columbus for love. “I moved because I had the chance to come home and nobody loves Columbus, Ohio more than I do,” she says. Kruezman wasn’t back in town long before she learned of plans for a new film festival. And then, in what seemed like a whirlwind, she was named festival coordinator. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/cinema-columbus-film-festival-arrives-after-years-in-waiting-ge1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 2, 20223 yr I was downtown Saturday afternoon/evening for the Crew game, and holy cow was the city hopping. We had some food and beers at Barley's on High in the afternoon and people were everywhere. It appeared there was some sort of cheer/dance competition happening at the convention center. Then we walked down High and Nationwide all the way to LDC for the Crew game, and there were people all over the place. The Clippers game was just wrapping up so the crowd was trickling out of Huntington Park while people were arriving for the Crew game and a concert at NWA. Altogether, there were about 40,000 people in the AD between the Crew game (19k), the Clippers game (7k), and NWA (14k). It was really nice to see so many people out and about. I'll never get tired of seeing nearly 20k Crew fans streaming shoulder to shoulder down Nationwide Blvd after Crew win.
May 2, 20223 yr I went to the Crew game too, and was stunned by the amount of people Downtown. There was also a lot of people in town for the Half Marathon as well. I didn’t know about the cheer competition. I was glad to see, on my way home from the game, a lot of activity had spilled into the rest of Downtown.
May 2, 20223 yr 1 hour ago, amped91 said: I went to the Crew game too, and was stunned by the amount of people Downtown. There was also a lot of people in town for the Half Marathon as well. I didn’t know about the cheer competition. I was glad to see, on my way home from the game, a lot of activity had spilled into the rest of Downtown. Yep, forgot about the Half Marathon as well. It's still mind boggling to me how much faster it is to get on the highway after a game at the new stadium compared to the old stadium. For a crowd of 19k at the old stadium, you would usually be looking at a 40+ minute wait trying to get out of the parking lot. I'm pretty sure from the time I walked out of the stadium until the time I got back to Groveport, it wasn't much longer than 40 minutes.
May 3, 20223 yr Leave Charlotte out of this! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 2, 20222 yr Author aay oh way to go ohio — an all ohio superband fest for vets in columbus this fall, including a final joe walsh james gang reunion w/dave grohl filling in, black keys, nine inch nails and the breeders. do not drive your maserati 185, but do beware dynamic pricing lol — more: https://www.brooklynvegan.com/joe-walsh-reuniting-the-james-gang-w-dave-grohl-for-vetsaid-2022-with-nin-black-keys-the-breeders/
August 5, 20222 yr On 8/2/2022 at 6:10 PM, mrnyc said: aay oh way to go ohio — an all ohio superband fest for vets in columbus this fall, including a final joe walsh james gang reunion w/dave grohl filling in, black keys, nine inch nails and the breeders. do not drive your maserati 185, but do beware dynamic pricing lol — more: https://www.brooklynvegan.com/joe-walsh-reuniting-the-james-gang-w-dave-grohl-for-vetsaid-2022-with-nin-black-keys-the-breeders/ From press release: Joe Walsh is reuniting his '60s/'70s band The James Gang for his annual VetsAid benefit concert that happens November 13 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. The Cleveland band, known for such songs as "Funk #49" and "Walk Away," will headline a bill that is otherwise loaded with Ohio alt-rock heavyweights Nine Inch Nails, The Black Keys, and The Breeders. Also: Dave Grohl (who was born in Warren, OH) will be joining The James Gang as a "special guest" for what they're calling "One Last Ride." “It all started in Ohio,” Walsh said in a statement. “Picking up my first guitar as a kid in Columbus set me on a musical journey to Kent State, Cleveland and then the world. It is a great privilege for me to share the stage once again with my original James Gang buddies and this incredible group of Ohio rock legends like Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails, The Black Keys, The Breeders and Dave Grohl. I believe in Ohio and look forward to celebrating our musical legacy while honoring our veterans with VetsAid 2022.” Tickets for VetsAid 2022 go on sale Friday, August 5 at 10 AM. Nine Inch Nails' 2022 tour schedule also includes Riot Fest, Primavera Sound L.A. and a very '80s/'90s-industrial show at the Cleveland area Blossom Music Center on September 24 with Ministry and Nitzer Ebb. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 18, 20232 yr I didn’t want to start a new thread for this in the sports section, at least not yet. So I figured this was the next best place to put this, since the team would likely be playing at NWA. Pro Volleyball Federation to bring professional women's volleyball to Columbus in 2024 “The Pro Volleyball Federation, the first professional volleyball league in the United States, plans to have a team in Columbus when the league officially begins play in February 2024. Teams in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Omaha, Nebraska and Atlanta were previously announced, and the league aims to add four-to-six more before the inaugural season. The as-of-yet-unnamed team in Columbus will be owned and operated by the Jeff and Beth Gilger Family. Jeff Gilger is a partner and chief development officer of Express Wash Concepts, the parent company of Moo Moo Express Car Wash, while also being an investor and on the board of directors at North High Brewing. The league was co-founded by Dave Whinham and Stephen Evans, with some very high-profile help. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is supplying some of the funds for the league. His parents, Jimmy and Robin Burrow, are founding partners along with former Super Bowl champion quarterback Trent Dilfer.” https://www.dispatch.com/story/sports/pro/2023/02/17/columbus-to-get-professional-womens-volleyball-team-pro-volleyball-federation-league-2024/69914366007/
February 20, 20232 yr Hey, it's an "event!" 😋 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 27, 20232 yr Wu-Tang Clan, Nas announce new world tour, to perform in Columbus this October The saga continues worldwide with Wu-Tang Clan and Nas this year. The hip-hop icons announced dates for their new worldwide N.Y. State of Mind Tour starting in May, with a stop at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus on Oct. 4. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, March 3 at 9 a.m. on Ticketmaster. The global tour kicks off on Tuesday, May 9 in Auckland, New Zealand at Spark Arena. The tour will include additional stops across New Zealand, Australia, North America and Europe. More below: https://www.10tv.com/article/entertainment/music/wu-tang-clan-nas-schottenstein-center-global-tour/530-a0612c08-d02f-40aa-8649-61a3f579000e "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
March 12, 20232 yr Author our local staten boys were ‘over the moon’ to beat out 10k bands to play at the upcoming cols sonictemplefest: Staten Island band beats out 10,000 to win spot in Ohio music festival Published: Mar. 05, 2023 By Luke Peteley | [email protected] STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Every aspiring artist dreams of playing before droves of adoring fans. “Over the Moon,” a Staten Island alt/emo rock band led by St. Peter’s graduate Nick Mahoney, is one leap closer to that scene. Recently, “Over the Moon” took part in a nationwide competition on the live streaming platform, Twitch. Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP), one of the world’s leading independent concert promoters and producer of the Sonic Temple Music Festival in Ohio, hosted a live streamed tournament on Twitch as part of “That Space Zebra Show.” The winner of the tournament would go on to showcase their skills at the renowned festival alongside headliner acts, such as legendary rock bands KISS and Foo Fighters. more: https://www.silive.com/news/2023/03/staten-island-band-beats-out-10000-to-win-spot-in-ohio-music-festival.html
March 12, 20232 yr 13 hours ago, mrnyc said: The winner of the tournament would go on to showcase their skills at the renowned festival alongside headliner acts, such as legendary rock bands KISS and Foo Fighters. I love these kinds of rock journalist lines! While technically correct, the local band will likely be playing at 11:30 in the morning, while Dave Grohl and Gene Simmons are still sleeping away in their hotel rooms in Chicago. 😂
March 21, 20232 yr Columbus sells the most tickets in the country for the first and second rounds of March Madness men's basketball tournament https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/03/21/march-madness-columbus-most-tickets-soid.html A weekend on the courts put Columbus on the map as the city that sold the most tickets in the country for the first and second rounds of the 2023 NCAA men's basketball tournament, according to ESPN.com. Nationwide Arena was sold out Friday and Sunday, with nearly 60,000 tickets sold — roughly 19,564 tickets per session. Columbus also hosted games this past weekend in the women's tournament, which makes this even more impressive. The other first and second round host cities were Birmingham, Orlando, Denver, Sacramento, Greensboro, Albany, and Des Moines. Dayton hosted the "First Four" games as well.
March 21, 20232 yr 58 minutes ago, cbussoccer said: Columbus sells the most tickets in the country for the first and second rounds of March Madness men's basketball tournament https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/03/21/march-madness-columbus-most-tickets-soid.html A weekend on the courts put Columbus on the map as the city that sold the most tickets in the country for the first and second rounds of the 2023 NCAA men's basketball tournament, according to ESPN.com. Nationwide Arena was sold out Friday and Sunday, with nearly 60,000 tickets sold — roughly 19,564 tickets per session. Columbus also hosted games this past weekend in the women's tournament, which makes this even more impressive. The other first and second round host cities were Birmingham, Orlando, Denver, Sacramento, Greensboro, Albany, and Des Moines. Dayton hosted the "First Four" games as well. Maybe we can leverage this into finally hosting a Sweet Sixteen.
March 22, 20232 yr 2023 Arnold Sports Festival saw return of pre-pandemic crowds, spending https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/03/22/arnold-sports-festival-returns-2023-pre-pandemic.html The sports festival's direct visitor spending and visitor count were spot on with the predicted $15.6 million and 100,000 unique attendees, according to Experience Columbus. The 60 sports and events and 12,000 athletes from more than 80 countries weren't the only Downtown attractions that weekend – the Blue Jackets, Columbus Crew and country music artists Carrie Underwood and Jimmie Allen all were in town.
March 22, 20232 yr 20 hours ago, aderwent said: Maybe we can leverage this into finally hosting a Sweet Sixteen. That would be nice. I’m surprised there’s never been much talk of a professional team either.
March 23, 20232 yr On 3/22/2023 at 10:25 AM, amped91 said: That would be nice. I’m surprised there’s never been much talk of a professional team either. There has been some talks over the years, but mostly by people that want it, not the nba. I feel like the cavs would be very very against it, since there are so many fans in Columbus.
April 12, 20232 yr Columbus' new Pro Volleyball Federation team unveils name and venue “The Pro Volleyball Federation's Columbus team has chosen a venue and a name. The new professional volleyball team, dubbed the Fury, will play its home matches at Nationwide Arena come the inaugural 2024 season. “We’re excited to be a part of the Columbus professional sports community and be playing at Nationwide,” said Jeff Gilger, who is launching the team with his wife Beth Gilger. “Between the Blue Jackets, Crew, Clippers and ourselves, everything is happening at the epicenter of this area in our city that should be very vibrant with opportunities for sports.” The league will also have teams in Omaha, Nebraska; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Atlanta, with more to be announced. Its 24-match season will begin in February 2024.” https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/04/12/pro-volleyball-league-columbus-fury-venue.html
April 29, 20232 yr Author i’m on their email list and so i see metric is coming to the newport june 30 — that is all!
June 26, 20231 yr It appears Columbus will be hosting the MLS All-Star game next summer. While this would be a nice event for the city in any normal year, next year's All-Star game will likely be a much bigger deal than most others. With Messi coming to MLS this summer, and many other big name players likely to follow close behind him, next year's All-Star game will likely garner interest from all around the world. Not only will this be a big deal for the Columbus Crew organization, but it will be a big deal for the city of Columbus as well.
August 21, 20231 yr 2023 Summer in the Shoe series brought $120 million in economic impact "Last weekend's Saturday finale wrapped up what Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment CEO Mike Gatto called an unprecedented summer with more than 300,000 tickets sold." "The most recent series of four acts in eight days - five shows from Aug. 5 through 12 - brought in more than 225,000 fans from all 50 states, Mexico and Canada, according to Columbus Arena Sports and Entertainment. June's Buckeye Country Superfest drew the six-year concert's largest crowd, with nearly 63,900 in attendance." "The Hilton Columbus Downtown sold out its 1,000 rooms for each concert - a combined 5,000 booked rooms for the shows, Chris Coffin, the hotel's general manager, told Columbus Business First." https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/08/21/summer-in-the-shoe-120-million-economic-impact.html
October 28, 20231 yr HighBall Halloween returns to High Street this weekend This year's HighBall Halloween will take its runway to High Street for the first time since 2019. Attendees can experience food, drinks, live music, the Costume Couture Fashion Show and more on Saturday between 4 p.m. and midnight. The event will run along portions of High Street, Goodale Boulevard and Park Street, almost up to Vine Street. Tickets range from $20 to $2,500. Between 10,000 and 15,000 people are expected to attend. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/10/27/highball-halloween-high-street-saturday.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 17, 20231 yr Guy Fieri bringing inaugural Flavortown Fest to Columbus in 2024 Columbus really will become Flavortown — at least for a few days next summer. Celebrity chef and TV personality Guy Fieri will hold the inaugural Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Fest June 1-2 on The Lawn at CAS. The event promises to redefine the traditional festival experience with two days that will “fuse food and funk” that embodies Fieri’s “larger-than-life energy and charitable spirit.” Specifics about the lineup haven’t been announced yet, but the event will gather Fieri’s top chef friends from around the country and a slate of musical acts. It’ll include restaurants, vendors and culinary demonstrations. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2023/11/17/guy-fieri-bringing-inaugural-flavortown-fest-to-co.html & https://columbusunderground.com/flavortown-fest-coming-to-columbus-in-2024-we1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 20, 20231 yr High Street Will Become Pedestrian-Only During Holiday Hop It’s a fairly rare occurrence for High Street to be shut down to automobile traffic in the Short North, even though it’s a feature often requested by the general public. And on Saturday, December 2nd, those who want to stroll High Street can do so during the annual Holiday Hop event. The December Gallery Hop has always featured a festive flare to celebrate the holiday shopping season. Signage for the Short North is updated as the Short North Pole, decorations can be found up and down High Street, and many of the 300+ businesses in the neighborhood will take part in the celebration as well. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/high-street-will-become-pedestrian-only-during-holiday-hop-we1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 23, 20241 yr Columbus Comedy Festival Launches in August This summer, Columbus will host dozens of national, regional and local comedians to entertain guests attending the first annual Columbus Comedy Festival, taking place August 14 through August 18. The multi-day experience will be hosted at a variety of venues across the city, including The Columbus Funny Bone, The Attic Comedy Club, The Nest Theatre, The Hashtag Comedy Company, Don’t Tell Comedy: Columbus and more. “As Columbus grows, so does the importance for quality, live entertainment in the city,” stated Hannah Romes, performer, producer and co-owner of Hashtag. “We are incredibly lucky to have such a strong pool of comedic talent in Columbus, which has been a bit of a secret until recently.” The Columbus Comedy Festival schedule will be announced in May with talent booking ongoing this spring. An application form went live on Friday, January 19, and dozens of performers have already submitted to take part in this year’s event. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/columbus-comedy-festival-launches-in-august-we1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
March 5, 20241 yr Harder to promote this stuff without CD 92.9 on the air. When you lose things like popular local radio stations and print alt weeklies that easy to access one stop shop for promoting events vaporizes and couchlock ensues. Almost like the ones who shut it down gets a kickback from Netflix.
March 26, 20241 yr Killer Mike Headlining Nelsonville Music Festival This Summer The 18th annual Nelsonville Music Festival unveiled its lineup for the 2024 summer event, which includes some big names. Rapper Killer Mike (who just won three more Grammys last month) will headline on Friday night while Courtney Barnett headlines Saturday night and Thee Sacred Souls will close out the headlining spot on Sunday night. Other acts unveiled today include Indigo De Souza, Amy & The Sniffers, Michael Hurley, Bonnie Prince Billy, John Vincent III, Sun Kuti & Egypt 80, The Nude Party and a whole lot more. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/killer-mike-headlining-nelsonville-music-festival-this-summer-we1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
March 26, 20241 yr On 3/5/2024 at 12:23 PM, tunedupryan said: What's happening with Wonderbus? They've been very silent. This was from a few days ago WonderBus Festival organizers reveal financial difficulties with 2024 event
March 26, 20241 yr Nelsonville Music Festival rules, this will be my 8th time attending and despite not loving the headliners there's so much to dig into in the undercard
April 1, 20241 yr June 1st weekend will be very busy: Junior Volleyball Association SummerFest tournament at the convention center (over 500 teams) Crew game Clippers game Kemba Live! concert during baseball game; a Basement show later Fast Pitch Showdown softball tournament at Berliner (150 teams) Breakaway Music Festival at Historic Crew Stadium Hookahville Music Festival at Legend Valley Short North Gallery Hop Thoughts: Luckily the Memorial Tournament got moved back a week going forward or it would have been this weekend, too. I wonder if this is why Guy Fiery cancelled? Way too much competition for a new event at very high prices. Seems like a perfect weekend to close High Street in the Shorth North to cars again.
May 30, 20241 yr On 4/1/2024 at 11:10 AM, aderwent said: June 1st weekend will be very busy: Junior Volleyball Association SummerFest tournament at the convention center (over 500 teams) Crew game Clippers game Kemba Live! concert during baseball game; a Basement show later Fast Pitch Showdown softball tournament at Berliner (150 teams) Breakaway Music Festival at Historic Crew Stadium Hookahville Music Festival at Legend Valley Short North Gallery Hop Thoughts: Luckily the Memorial Tournament got moved back a week going forward or it would have been this weekend, too. I wonder if this is why Guy Fiery cancelled? Way too much competition for a new event at very high prices. Seems like a perfect weekend to close High Street in the Shorth North to cars again. They took my advice! "Hops on High will continue to feature all that is special about Gallery Hop and will focus on the experiences that make the Short North Arts District a centralized creative hub. To kick off the summer the first iteration of Hops on High will occur on June 1st from 12:00pm until 8:00pm. While all of High St. within the Short North Arts District will be activated for the June iteration of Gallery Hop, Open Streets closure will take place from W. Starr Ave. to E. 5th Ave." https://shortnorth.org/hopsonhigh/
June 12, 20241 yr Columbus Air Show returns this weekend to Rickenbacker When Herb Gillen resurrected the Columbus Air Show in 2023, he hoped he could make it annual occurrence. He’s done just that. The 2024 Columbus Air Show will be held June 14-16 at Rickenbacker International Airport, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2024/06/12/columbus-air-show-returns-this-weekend-to-rickenba.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 13, 20241 yr The Thunderbirds demonstration team was out and about yesterday getting ready for the air show. Probably a dozen other nerds milling about the Rickenbacker cell phone lot watching with me.
July 6, 2024Jul 6 As Clevelanders, I think we have a much smaller annual Pride event than similar cities our size. (A discussion for another day.) But my husband and I have always been amazed at the numbers quoted by Columbus Pride organizers ... a decade ago, it was 300,000, which stunned us. In recent years, they've been saying more than 700,000 attendees. Wow. We wanted to see for ourselves. I do freelance travel writing, and pitched a story on LGBTQ Columbus to one of my outlets, which accepted the pitch. Experience Columbus, the local Destination Marketing Organization, kindly offered to host us. Leading up to our trip, I was on a call with the lovely folks from Experience Columbus, and they said, "We have the largest Pride in the Midwest." I teased them a little and replied, "Don't you think Chicago might have something to say about that?" — and they went on to say that their Pride was over one weekend and Chicago's, with 1 million attendees, was over two weekends. Okay, semantics. But 1 million is still larger than 700,000. Why not more truthfully say something like, "We have the largest single-weekend Pride in the Midwest?" But I digress ... We went to Columbus Pride and it was lovely. It was well organized, many times larger than Cleveland's (as we expected), and a fun time. But ... there was no way there were anywhere near 700,000 people there. I'm not a crowd expert, but I've been to large events, and try to think logically about relative sizes. Even with the long parade, stretched over a mile (or miles), and including the parade marchers, I kept saying to my husband, "Imagine Browns stadium emptying out 10 times into this city. That's not like what we're experiencing." We've been to World Pride in NYC, so I know what several million people feels like. I was at Obama's second inauguration on the mall, and that was one million people. This didn't approach that at all. (I realize these can be different shaped gatherings of people, but again, trying to take that into account in my head.) Lastly, some other travel writers I know ended up there for Columbus Pride (from another state) and when I mentioned the 700,000 figure to them, they started laughing. They actually didn't believe me at first when I insisted those were the official numbers given. So what gives? I'm curious as to Columbus area folks' thoughts on this. I'd seriously guess there were closer to 100,000 or 200,000 people in attendance. (Again, impressive! No need to exaggerate.) The festival area/Goodale Park was a small fraction of even those numbers, in the tens of thousands perhaps. Columbus Pride has a lot to be proud of. I feel like these inflated numbers don't really help them. Do city officials or police give their own estimate of the crowd numbers? It'd be interesting to hear what they say. Thanks in advance for your insights! 😀❤️🌈
July 6, 2024Jul 6 2014- 300,000 https://web.archive.org/web/20150614005153/http://outlookcolumbus.com/2013/06/columbus-pride-draws-300000/ 2017- 500,000 https://web.archive.org/web/20180616195157mp_/http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170617/throngs-cheer-on-lgbtq-refugees-thousands-of-others-in-columbus-pride-parade 2023- 700,000 https://www.wdtn.com/news/pride-month/watch-live-2023-columbus-pride-march-and-festival/
Create an account or sign in to comment