Awful news last night from the Fair.  One man, 18 years old, dead and several others injured as the Fireball ride malfunctions.  I won't post the link of the video here.

That video of the incident is awful to watch.  Agree that there's no need to post it here.  If anyone wants to view it, its readily available elsewhere.

 

Below the Dispatch link about this incident is a photo of the Fireball ride that malfunctioned last night.  That arm in photo operates like a pendulum while those chairs at the end of the arm rotate at 13 RPM.

 

From the video of the incident and news reports, it looks like one of those four-person pods came loose.  It also looks like the man who was killed was thrown from his seat, while the other three who are in critical condition remained in their seats.  Four more were in stable condition and got injured from the flying debris of the detached pod.

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170727/man-killed-seven-injured-by-malfunctioning-ride-at-ohio-state-fair

 

 

 

Those carnival rides are notoriously dangerous. It seems like you hear about these types of incidents pretty often. Mobile rides that are assembled by carnies...hm, what could go wrong?

This is a really unfortunate story, and it really is way too common that things like this happen. Kentucky's state fair uses the existing rides at Kentucky Kingdom (formerly Six Flags) which I think is a good idea, instead of using sketchy traveling rides. Unfortunately Columbus doesn't really have a park to utilize and you can't really move the state fair to Mason or Sandusky.

 

FULL STORY:  http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170728/photo-appears-to-show-crack-on-rides-arm-grew-to-catastrophic-break

 

"A closeup photograph of the severed metal spoke that failed, killing one man and injuring seven, appears to show that a critical weld holding the seats onto the ride’s arm may have cracked over time due to metal fatigue, and then suddenly and catastrophically failed, said Gerald Frankel, a professor of materials science and engineering at Ohio State University."

 

“What is on the left side (of the break) looks very different than what’s on the right side,” Frankel said. “That first part on the left took some time to grow. That part on the right, that didn’t take any time.”  The photograph, which shows a closeup of the severed metal arm apparently taken shortly after the accident, was posted on a Dutch theme park internet discussion forum, the thread titled: “Terrible accident in the U.S. with ‘Fire Ball’.”

 

“Clearly, you’d have to do a detailed failure analysis to sort this out, like what’s being done at SEA,” Frankel said.  But the photo is telling.  The straight-line break on the left indicates a “weld had a defect and that defect grew over time, likely because of fatigue, which is repeated stresses below the limit that the metal would normally break,” Frankel said.  The jagged right side is where it finally failed, suddenly and catastrophically breaking off, a “ductile failure,” meaning it simply ripped off from being unable to hold up to the load."

The final report on the deadly ride accident is yet to be written.  But early focus seems to be on corrosion inside the hollow steel arm of the Fire Ball ride that broke apart at the Ohio State Fair.  Initial reviews are saying that water may have pooled inside the hollow ride arm and caused it to rust from the inside out.

 

Which is pretty troubling for the future of these so-called “aggressive thrill rides" operated by these travelling shows.  Inspectors can perform multiple safety checks on the outside of these rides.  But if the danger isn't visible, they can't detect it.  Below are multiple reports about this:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170807/fair-rides-deadly-corrosion-was-likely-hidden-inside-arm-that-broke

 

http://www.10tv.com/article/manufacturer-years-corrosion-reduced-metal-thickness-caused-fire-ball-accident

 

http://nbc4i.com/2017/08/06/fire-ball-ride-manufacturer-says-excessive-corrosion-led-to-fatal-malfunction/

Unsurprisingly, this year's Ohio State Fair attendance numbers are down.  Marred by the tragic opening day ride accident that killed one and injured seven, and was captured on video that went viral, the Ohio State Fair logged its worst attendance figure in eight years.

 

The fair, which concluded its 12-day run on Sunday, logged an estimated 801,031 attendees between July 26 and August 6.  That’s a 13 percent drop from last summer, when a total of 921,214 visitors attended, and a drop of more than 18 percent from two years ago, the eight-year peak:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170808/after-ride-disaster-ohio-state-fair-attendance-was-lowest-in-8-years

It's not just that accident. You can't get people to do anything anymore because of Netflix.

Fortunately, the 9th annual Pelotonia fundraiser that raises money for cancer research, did not have an attendance drop.  In fact, the more than 8,000 riders participating this year was a record number for Pelotonia.  This year's ride raised more than $14.8 million:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170806/each-pelotonia-cyclist-has-cancer-fight-story

 

---

The 8,000+ riders and their supporters gathered last Friday in the Arena District.  They heard from former VP Joe Biden, whose son Beau succumbed to cancer in 2015:

 

 

Other notable people at Pelotonia 2017 are shown in this photo montage from Business First -- Jill Biden, wife of former VP Joe Biden; OSU President Michael Drake; Pelotonia CEO Doug Ulman; former VP Joe Biden again; and former mayor Michael Coleman

 

 

On Saturday morning, the riders began routes that ranged from 25 to 180 miles - with the longest-distance riders staying overnight at Kenyon College in Gambier before returning on Sunday:

 

 

And, as has become customary, there was a strong corporate presence among the Pelotonia ridership:

 

---

Below are many, many more photos of Pelotonia 2017 from Business First:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/05/photos-pelotonia-2017-kicks-off-from-the-arena.html

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/05/photos-joe-biden-encourages-riders-at-pelotonia.html

Guide to Festival Latino 2017 - which is being held today and tomorrow at the downtown riverfront Genoa Park in front of COSI:

 

http://www.columbusnavigator.com/columbus-festival-latino-2017/

http://www.fmmf.us/

 

FMMF is moving to Obetz apparently.

Say...what!?!?!

^lol I've been to Obetz (I admit that was decades ago). But somehow "Fashion" and "Obetz" don't seem to go together.

It's at the old Columbus Motor Speedway which is now a rugby/lacrosse stadium.

^In about an undeveloped area inside the outerbelt that you can find.  Wonder why the change.

 

I can almost guarantee attendance will struggle when they're asking $50/day or $90/two days and it's not anywhere close to the downtown area.

 

It was a cool concept but they've stumbled with implementing it every year.  I am torn between wanting to see it succeed (if it's possible) or just ending it altogether.

http://www.fmmf.us/

 

FMMF is moving to Obetz apparently.

 

It sounded like FMMF@Obetz was really ... um ... something ??

 

https://medium.com/@Matlock45/fmmf-inside-the-heartlands-most-nihilistic-music-festival-f6f9d1213d21

Man, I should have gone. All those mid-major acts with few other people and no lines.

Over last weekend on Saturday and Sunday, the 11th version of Urban Scrawl took place in Franklinton.  Urban Scrawl is a two-day arts festival organized by the Franklinton Arts District featuring the live creation of murals at 400 West Rich Street:

 

Urban Scrawl 11:  http://www.franklintonartsdistrict.com/urban-scrawl.html

 

 

And on Saturday morning in Downtown, 30,000 people assembled at Columbus Commons for this year’s American Heart Association Heart Walk.  Sponsored by the association’s Central Ohio chapter, millions were raised by participants who decamped from the park into the downtown streets for 1- and 3-mile walks:

 

2017 American Heart Association Heart Walk:  http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170827/money-raised-by-walkers-is-saving-lives

 

Labor Day Weekend in C-BUS means its time for the Columbus Greek Festival.  The 44th annual festival started Friday and finishes up today at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

 

Located downtown along High Street, across from the Convention Center and just south of the Short North, there's lots of festival-type things to do.  But the Greek Festival offers something unique the typical festival fare - tours of the cathedral:  http://www.columbusnavigator.com/columbus-greek-festival-2017-guide/

 

And its definitely worth it, because although the cathedral is rather plain on the outside...

 

 

... the design turns colorfully impressive on the inside.

 

With all the construction going on in this area, I was wondering if the Blue Jackets Winter Park was returning to the Arena District this year.  But the team announced yesterday that the Winter Park is coming back for its fourth year.

 

It will run February 2 to 25 and is presented by Worthington Industries (the company owned by the majority owner of the CBJ).  The Blue Jackets will hold a team practice at the outdoor rink on January 31.  A new attraction will be a video board near the rink that will show Blue Jackets games on Friday, February 2 (vs. San Jose), Saturday, February 3 (at New York Islanders) and Saturday, February 10 (vs. New Jersey).

 

More about this year's Winter Park in the Arena District:

 

https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/fans/winter-park

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/01/03/columbus-blue-jackets-winter-park-coming-back-to.html

 

https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/columbus-blue-jackets-announce-return-of-winter-park-january-3/c-294574882

Some of the big tours coming through Columbus in 2018:

 

-- Justin Timberlake - May 7 at Nationwide Arena:  https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8093180/justin-timberlake-man-of-the-woods-north-american-tour

 

-- Taylor Swift - July 7 at Ohio Stadium:  https://www.10tv.com/article/taylor-swift-perform-ohio-stadium-summer

 

-- Radiohead - July 23 at the Schottenstein Center:  https://www.columbusnavigator.com/radiohead-columbus-tour/

However, one big locally organized tour - Buckeye Country Superfest - that has filled Ohio Stadium over the past three years is taking a break for 2018.  Although organizers say the two-day festival will likely return in 2019:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180206/buckeye-country-superfest-on-hiatus-in-2018

The Arnold Sports Festival - which is celebrating its 30th anniversary - begins today and runs until Sunday, March 4th.  Below is the Arnold website and a map of downtown venues, downtown hotels, downtown shuttle route and venues at the fairgrounds (aka Ohio Expo Center):

 

http://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/usa/

 

The Arnold Sports Festival - which is celebrating its 30th anniversary - begins today and runs until Sunday, March 4th:

 

http://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/usa/

 

The Arnold Sports Festival featured a little bit of everything, including a first-time champion at its marquee event - The Arnold Classic - and a victory in the Arnold Strongman Classic by the man who plays The Mountain in HBO's Game of Thrones.

 

Below are a couple of photo slideshows of the 2018 Arnold:

 

https://www.columbusunderground.com/photos-arnold-classic-2018-me1

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/03/04/photos-bodybuilding-bodypainting-bikinis-the.html

Very busy sports weekend in C-BUS.  Mostly hockey-related, but not all:

• The CBJ will be finishing up a four-game homestand at Nationwide Arena: Thursday vs. Colorado; Friday vs. Detroit; Monday vs. Montreal

• OSHAA State High School Hockey Championship at Nationwide Arena; Semifinal games on Friday and the Final on Saturday

• OSU Men's Hockey team hosts Michigan later at Nationwide Arena on Saturday in the Semifinal of the Big Ten Tournament

• And the reason the OSU Men's Hockey team is playing at Nationwide is because their home arena - The Schottenstein Center - is hosting the State High School Wrestling Championships this weekend

• Plus, the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) kicks off Thursday with more than 75 teams and 1,600 players competing in more than 100 games over the course of 10 days at the OhioHealth Chiller rinks in Dublin, Easton and Lewis Center, and with championship games being played at the OhioHealth Ice Haus at Nationwide Arena.  This is the second straight year for these ACHA college club-level championships in Columbus (more about the ACHA at https://www.urbanohio.com/forum/index.php/topic,17502.msg844028.html#msg844028).

• And, of course, #SaveTheCrew has its 2018 home opener at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday

Columbus will be a 2018 regional site for The Basketball Tournament:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/03/06/capital-university-chosen-a-regional-site-for-the.html

 

---

The Basketball Tournament said this week that regional games will held at Capital University this summer, July 20-22.  The other regional tournament sites include Richmond VA, Atlanta, Baltimore, Brooklyn and Los Angeles.

 

The tournament features a 72-team bracket of teams made up of non-current NBA players that can include college alumni, former NBA players and international pro players in a $2 million, winner-take-all event aired on ESPN.

 

Last summer, a Scarlet and Gray team composed of former OSU players and made it to the semifinals.

Beyoncé

 

Jay-Z

 

The Shoe

 

August 16

 

https://www.columbusnavigator.com/beyonce-and-jay-z/

Breakaway Music Festival to return to Mapfre stadium, add a day

 

The Breakaway Music Festival is returning to Mapfre stadium this summer and adding an extra day.

 

“We started this festival by combining urban living with a carefully curated, multi-genre lineup that festival goers of all ages and music preferences could enjoy,” Adam Lynn, a managing partner in the Columbus-based production company Prime Social Group said in a statement.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/03/28/breakaway-music-festival-to-return-to-mapfre.html

http://nbc4i.com/2018/03/26/final-preparations-underway-for-womens-final-four/

 

The Women's Final Four kicks off tomorrow at Nationwide with the semi-finals, with the winners playing for the National Championship on Sunday.

 

Each team has a "home base" at hotels throughout the city as well as street placards lining the way (State Street, for example, has a blue street sign designating it Leprechaun Way" for the weekend) as well as meet-ups at bars in the Arena District - Boston's, Three Legged Mare, R Bar, and Gordon Biersch.

 

All games are sold out.  Sorry if posted elsewhere already.

http://nbc4i.com/2018/03/26/final-preparations-underway-for-womens-final-four/

 

The Women's Final Four kicks off tomorrow at Nationwide with the semi-finals, with the winners playing for the National Championship on Sunday.

 

Each team has a "home base" at hotels throughout the city as well as street placards lining the way (State Street, for example, has a blue street sign designating it Leprechaun Way" for the weekend) as well as meet-ups at bars in the Arena District - Boston's, Three Legged Mare, R Bar, and Gordon Biersch.

 

All games are sold out.  Sorry if posted elsewhere already.

 

Are you sure you wanted this in the Columbus Music Fest thread?

http://nbc4i.com/2018/03/26/final-preparations-underway-for-womens-final-four/

 

The Women's Final Four kicks off tomorrow at Nationwide with the semi-finals, with the winners playing for the National Championship on Sunday.

 

Each team has a "home base" at hotels throughout the city as well as street placards lining the way (State Street, for example, has a blue street sign designating it Leprechaun Way" for the weekend) as well as meet-ups at bars in the Arena District - Boston's, Three Legged Mare, R Bar, and Gordon Biersch.

 

All games are sold out.  Sorry if posted elsewhere already.

 

Are you sure you wanted this in the Columbus Music Fest thread?

 

This is a comment in this thread:

 

https://www.urbanohio.com/forum/index.php/topic,17502.msg899887.html#msg899887

 

Doesn't seem exclusive to music?  Like I said, I wasn't sure if it was posted elsewhere.

http://nbc4i.com/2018/03/26/final-preparations-underway-for-womens-final-four/

 

The Women's Final Four kicks off tomorrow at Nationwide with the semi-finals, with the winners playing for the National Championship on Sunday.

 

Each team has a "home base" at hotels throughout the city as well as street placards lining the way (State Street, for example, has a blue street sign designating it Leprechaun Way" for the weekend) as well as meet-ups at bars in the Arena District - Boston's, Three Legged Mare, R Bar, and Gordon Biersch.

 

All games are sold out.  Sorry if posted elsewhere already.

 

Are you sure you wanted this in the Columbus Music Fest thread?

 

It's an Event, which is in the title of the thread.  It's fine to place it here.

When I read the post at first I thought it said NASHVILLE instead of NATIONWIDE!  Good for Columbus glad it will be rocking this weekend!

 

Completely my fault and all apologies.  Thoughts and prayers....

http://nbc4i.com/2018/03/26/final-preparations-underway-for-womens-final-four/

 

The Women's Final Four kicks off tomorrow at Nationwide with the semi-finals, with the winners playing for the National Championship on Sunday.

 

Each team has a "home base" at hotels throughout the city as well as street placards lining the way (State Street, for example, has a blue street sign designating it Leprechaun Way" for the weekend) as well as meet-ups at bars in the Arena District - Boston's, Three Legged Mare, R Bar, and Gordon Biersch.

 

All games are sold out.  Sorry if posted elsewhere already.

 

I did post about the Women's Final Four in the Conventions and Tourism thread - because it was discussed there previously in a tourism-related article.  But this Events thread is probably more appropriate for it.

More about the Women's Final Four in C-BUS:

 

The 2018 Women's Final Four will be at Nationwide Arena this weekend:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180325/ncaa-womens-final-four-four-day-party-plus-basketball-games

 

-- 80,000 people are expected to descend on the Arena District during the four days of games and activities.  The two national semifinal games are at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and the final is at 6 p.m. April 1.

 

-- Tourney Town is a fan festival that runs Thursday through Sunday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.  It includes basketball contests, a youth clinic and interactive games.  There will also be a Women’s Final Four three-on-three tournament from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Convention Center.

 

-- The Women’s Final Four Bounce starts at 1 p.m. Saturday at McFerson Commons Park across from the arena.  Kids 18 or younger will dribble in a parade through the Arena District to Tourney Town.

 

-- Four Arena District bars and restaurants — the R Bar, Boston Restaurant & Sports Bar, Gordon Biersch and the Three-Legged Mare — each will serve as the host bar for fans of one of the four teams.

 

-- Hotels also have been assigned teams to act as tournament central for that team’s fan base.  UCONN at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel.  Notre Dame at the Downtown Sheraton.  Louisville at the Westin Great Southern.  Mississippi State at the OSU Marriott.

Banners are up at Nationwide Arena for the Women's Final Four:

 

 

---

Time-lapse video of Nationwide Arena being converted from hockey to basketball and the Women's Final Four court being installed:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/03/27/check-out-the-official-womens-final-four-court.html

 

The 2018 Women's Final Four semifinal games were last night.  The 19,500+ fans saw both games go into OT.  Mississippi State knocked off Louisville in the first game of the night.  Then in the second game, Notre Dame knocked off undefeated UCONN.

 

SLIDESHOW:  https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/03/31/photos-nonstop-thrills-as-the-womens-final-four.html

 

 

 

 

The 2018 Women's Championship Game was played last night in Nationwide Arena.  It looked like this Final was heading for overtime, just like both semifinal games.  But with only 3 seconds left, Notre Dame inbounded the ball and scored a buzzer-beating 3 to prevail over Mississippi State.

 

Those were three of the most thrilling finishes in Women's Final Four history - all on the same weekend.  For a video compilation of all of this weekend's buzzer beaters in Columbus, go to the link below:

 

https://dailymixreport.com/2018/04/02/the-ncaa-womens-final-four-weekend-was-spectacular/

 

Hopefully it will be more than 2 or 3 games this year!

 

---

Nationwide Arena, district gear up to host NHL playoffs:  https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/04/10/nationwide-arena-district-gear-up-to-host-nhl.html

 

Ultimate Guide to All The Festivals in Columbus and Central Ohio in 2018:

 

https://www.columbusunderground.com/ultimate-guide-to-all-the-festivals-in-columbus-in-2018-ae1

Franklinton Fridays to feature local bands in new summer concert series

 

Free live music is going to be offered from May to September in Franklinton.

 

Several local bands have been lined up as part of the Franklinton Fridays Concert Series, organized by the Columbus Idea Foundry, Franklinton Arts District, the Wild Path and the Create Columbus Commission.

 

"This music series is a totally new thing," said Jay Clouse, vice chairman of the Create Columbus Commission.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/04/26/franklinton-fridays-to-feature-local-bands-in-new.html

Need to find a link but Bridge Street will  be home to "ForeFest" in conjunction with the Memorial Tournament.

Killer name. Covers both the golf and OU demos and is a pun!

Halsey, Odesza & Migos to Headline 2018 Breakaway Music Fest

 

The organizers of the annual Breakaway Music Festival have officially announced the lineup of the three-day electronic-and-hip-hop music extravaganza, which includes headliners Halsey​, ​Odesza​, ​Migos​ and special guests ​Kaskade ​and ​Khalid.

 

“We are extremely excited to announce our massive lineup today,”stated Managing Partner Zach Ruben. “We continue to push and expand the Breakaway brand to represent the type of music festival that Columbus and the entire state of Ohio deserve.”

 

More below:

https://www.columbusunderground.com/halsey-odesza-migos-to-headline-2018-breakaway-music-fest-we1

 

 

http://rockontherange.com/

 

Rock on the Range is returning for its 11th annual visit this weekend.  About 150,000 show up for the three-day festival in Crew/Mapfre Stadium from Friday to Sunday.

 

A Central Ohio jibe over the past three decades has been "If you want to see it rain, just schedule the Muirfield (Memorial Golf) Tournament".  It appears that Rock on the Range is becoming a big enough May tradition that, it too, can attract the rain. (It has already rained this morning)

 

The below photo is from 2017 showing a nasty looking storm front ready to blow through the area.  One commenter from the reddit thread that this photo came from said "I've never spent so much money on ponchos in my life":  https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/8js69t/everybody_ready_for_the_weather_at_rock_on_the/. 

 

Ah, good old Rock in the Rain

COSI Announces Plans for 2019 Science Festival

 

Science enthusiasts will have an event all their own come spring 2019. This afternoon, COSI and Battelle announced plans for the COSI Science Festival, a four-day event offering more than 60 ways to engage with science around the central Ohio community and a final day-long “carnival-style” celebration on the Scioto Peninsula outside COSI. It’ll all take place on May 1-4, 2019.

 

As a partner and “visionary founder” on the project, Battelle has pledged $850,000 over three years to help fund the COSI Science Festival. The goal? To direct more attention, interest and awareness to the science and technology innovation happening in the central Ohio region.

 

More below:

https://www.columbusunderground.com/cosi-announces-plans-for-2019-science-festival-ls1

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/05/22/cosi-and-battelle-planning-four-day-science.html

Need to find a link but Bridge Street will  be home to "ForeFest" in conjunction with the Memorial Tournament.

 

https://bridge-park.com/forefest/

 

Today from 4PM to 10PM

And as for (fore?) the big daddy Central Ohio event this weekend - going strong since 1976:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180531/what-you-need-to-know-about-memorial-tournament