Columbus Arts Festival

10/15/2026

Every Festival has a story. What’s yours?

For 65 years, the Columbus Arts Festival has welcomed summer with art, music, food, family, friends and unforgettable moments. From its earliest days on the Ohio Statehouse lawn to today’s celebration along the downtown riverfront, generations have made the Festival part of their Columbus story.

As we prepare to celebrate the 65th Columbus Arts Festival in 2027, we want to hear yours.

Did you buy your first piece of original art at the Festival? Discover an artist or performer you still love? Maybe you participated as an artist, performer, volunteer, vendor or staff member and have a behind-the-scenes story to share.

Leading up to the 2027 Festival, we’re collecting stories and photos from across the community and sharing them online, through social media and at the Festival itself.

Help us celebrate 65 years. Hit the link to share your Columbus Arts Festival story!

Engage 65th Columbus Arts Festival Every Festival has a story. What’s yours?  For 65 years, the Columbus Arts Festival has welcomed summer with art, music, food, family, friends and unforgettable moments. From its earliest days on the Ohio Statehouse lawn to today’s celebration along the downto...

10/06/2026

Our festival performance committee put together this helpful little video reminder about submitting your applications for the 2027 Festival!

Apply online at https://www.columbusartsfestival.org

10/01/2026

Applications are open for the 2027 Columbus Arts Festival!

🎨 Juried artists and Emerging Festival Artists: due December 11, 2026
🎶 Musicians: due January 29, 2027
💃 Dance/Theatre/Spoken Word: due February 5, 2027
🍔 Food vendors: due February 16, 2027��

Apply online at ColumbusArtsFestival [dot] org!

09/25/2026

Visual artists, performers, and food vendors: applications are now open!

Visual artists & Emerging Festival Artists: due December 11

Musicians: due January 29

Dancers, theatre performers, poets, storytellers, spoken word: February 5

Food vendors: February 16

Apply online at

Official Columbus Arts Festival website. Join us and celebrate the Columbus arts community on the Downtown Columbus, Ohio Riverfront.

09/08/2026

Applications are now OPEN for the 2027 Columbus Arts Festival!

Artists, emerging festival artists, musicians, performers, spoken word artists, and food vendors - applications are open for all. Click through to read about the various programs and to find application links.

Artist applications are due December 11, while all others are due in early 2027.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The nationally acclaimed Columbus Arts Festival, presented by the AEP Ohio Foundation and produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC), will open applications for exhibiting visual artists, Emerging Festival Artists, performing artists and food vendors on Monday, Sept. 7. ...