Festivals and Events in Columbus, Indiana

A city of about 40,000, Columbus, Indiana, strives to give a sense of community. There are free or low cost events year around, most of them right downtown. In good weather months, streets are blocked off to create an area where vendors and bands can set up and grown-ups and kids can walk, dance, or bring chairs for just sitting and watching. In cold or rainy weather, events are held inside the Commons Mall or one of the two high school auditoriums.

Families are important in Columbus and every month there is an event for families. Winter months offer First Friday for Families at the Commons. Story telling, magicians, and puppet shows are geared to smaller children and are free. Neighborfest is held downtown throughout the summer with live music, food vendors, and always some form of entertainment to interest the little ones. The clown who creates cats, birds, dogs and snakes, swords, crowns, halos and almost everything else imaginable from balloons is fun for kids and grown-ups. Donner Park shelter house is the location for the monthly variety show, a place where local kids and adults can show off their talent. Also in summer are Fabulous Fridays, an evening of free music from local and regional musicians held at the amphitheater in Mill Race Park.

The end of May is the date for Salute!, a concert of patriotic music by the Columbus Philharmonic held on the courthouse lawn. June is the month for PopFest at Library Plaza, with two concert times and food vendors offering summer treats for those working in the downtown area. Come early for good seating and bring your lawn chairs. July is county fair time when everyone heads out to the fair grounds for good entertainment and tasty Indiana corn on the cob and pork chops.