Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in columbus, OH

It's Comfest Time in Columbus!

June 25, 2009

Columbus natives know that this weekend is traditionally the weekend when Goodale Park is taken over by an army of volunteers, organizers, musicians, artists, activists, and people of all ages and types to gather in solidarity as a single community. Some call it nothing more than a "hippie festival" but others know there is so much more to ComFest than that.

First put together 37 years ago, ComFest is short for Community Festival, and it is a celebration of diversity and the wonders of our planet. It's basic principles are the same ones many of us try to teach our children each day: respect others and treat them as you want to be treated, care for those who are sick or have less, and protect our planet. Surrounding these principles are three days of music, art, food, and a global marketplace featuring some of the most unique goods you'll ever find in Columbus.

For children, there is an entire section of ComFest devoted to them. The KiDSART area is like a mini-ComFest just for kids. There are crafts, workshops, recycled art, face painting, drum circles, and a t-shirt design contest for next year's t-shirt logo. However, your preschooler isn't limited to just the KiDSART area. Other stages will have performances by family-friendly artists, including sing-alongs and storytimes, and it's a good idea to bring some cash, because your child is sure to find a new toy or trinket in the marketplace.

If you want to make an entire day of this event, bring a blanket and join others in enjoying the serene setting of Goodale park. If you get hungry, nearly any type of food is available - typical fair food for picky eaters, and more sophisticated foods for adults. My lunch at ComFest is always from Flavors of India - yum! For the kids, look for a Jeni's Ice Cream cart and get a delicious scoop of Strawberry Buttermilk ice cream.

ComFest begins on Friday evening and continues until late Sunday night. KiDSART is open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 pm. Admission to ComFest is free. Traffic is always heavy around the festival, so if you live close to a COTA bus stop, taking the bus will save you a parking headache.

One caveat: As this is a festival celebrating our freedoms, it is common to see many freedoms being exercised. In particular, it is legal in Columbus for a woman to be shirtless, so you can expect to see occasional bare breasts. While I don't consider it a big deal, and my daughters have never really noticed, it's something not everyone is prepared for and worth a mention.  Read more...

Park Street is the Place To Be this Weekend

June 11, 2009

June is one of my favorite months. Not only is my birthday during June, but it's also the start of the summer festival season. There are festivals scheduled across central Ohio nearly every weekend for the next three months, and many of these festivals have lots of activities for young children.

This weekend Park Street in the Short North will be closed to traffic for the Park Street Festival. This annual festival offers live entertainment on the outdoor stages on Friday and Saturday nights, but on Saturday from 11am-3pm there is a family festival for all ages to enjoy.

It's Time for the Circleville Pumpkin Show!

by Christina Mack

October 13, 2008

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons This Wednesday marks the start of the 102nd Circleville Pumpkin Show . I went to this festival several times when I was younger, and I'm still stunned and amazed that you can hold a four day event dedicated to the orange gourd. Yet those four days are packed full of parades, competitions, demonstrations, entertainment, games, food, and of course, lots and  Read more...

A Special Fall Event For Special Kids

by Christina Mack

September 17, 2008

One of the things I love about fall is going to the local farms around Columbus for harvest celebrations. There's something about going out on a crisp, bright day, with the smell of fresh-cut hay filling the air and the trees beginning to change into their red, orange and yellow shades that fills me with joy for the changing of the seasons. For the past three years now, we've taken Cordy  Read more...

Taking Chalk Art to A Whole New Level

by Christina Mack

September 10, 2008

One of my favorite things to do on a warm, dry day is grab the chalk and go outside so the kids can draw all over the sidewalk and driveway. Unlike other forms of art, like crayons on a drywall medium or markers on wood, chalk is relatively harmless and washes off easily. You might look at your child's chalk drawings on the sidewalk and think nothing could ever come from those  Read more...

Be In A Parade This Weekend

by Christina Mack

September 04, 2008

I remember when I was a kid I loved parades. While it was fun to watch, I secretly envied those who got to be IN the parade. After all, they had all of these people lined up on the streets, waiting to see them and wave at them. What child wouldn't want to participate in an event where they'll be the center of attention. (OK, well, along with many, many others.) This weekend is the  Read more...

The Place To Be A Knight Or Princess

by Christina Mack

August 29, 2008

So you have a little girl who loves to put on a twirly skirt and crown and prance around as a princess. Or you have a little boy who wants to wear armor, carry a sword and slay dragons. (Or in my case, a little girl who wants to slay dragons - we're equal opportunity here.) As parents, we may love to play along, but after awhile ruling over a population of one household gets dull. If  Read more...

Arrr, Maties! Be A Pirate For A Day

by Christina Mack

August 07, 2008

Thanks to a trilogy of Disney movies, pirates have become very popular again. OK, they were never unpopular, but I couldn't even count the number of pirate Halloween costumes I saw last year, including my own daughter. I've been told on more than one occasion that Cordy plans to be a pirate when she grows up. You may or may not be aware that September 19 is International Talk Like A  Read more...

What To Do This Week: 8/4-8/10

by Christina Mack

August 04, 2008

If you haven't been to the Ohio State Fair yet, this may be the week to do it. Early weather forecasts say that it's going to be unusually cooler and dry later in the week, so take advantage of that with as much outdoor time as possible! This Wednesday at the fair, all general admission tickets are only $5. And if you're a AAA member, show your card on Thursday to receive $4 general admission  Read more...

This Weekend, Everyone Is Irish

by Christina Mack

July 31, 2008

Photo credit: capn madd matt You may have read this post title and thought I was a little confused. St. Patrick's Day was back in March, right? Yes, of course, but this weekend is the next biggest Irish celebration in central Ohio: the Dublin Irish Festival . I'm a regular visitor to the annual festival held in Coffman Park in Dublin. For three days, the park is converted into a celebration  Read more...

What to Do this week: The Ohio State Fair

by Christina Mack

July 28, 2008

This week I have only one suggestion for what to do, because the Ohio State Fair is such an amazing event. More than 150 years old, the state fair is one of the largest in the country. Once a 17 day event, it has since been scaled back to 11 days, giving you less time to get out to the fairgrounds and enjoy all there is to see. There are the exhibits that have been there since before we  Read more...

Take Part In A Festival For The Entire Community

by Christina Mack

June 26, 2008

Columbus natives know that this weekend is the traditional weekend when Goodale Park is taken over by an army of volunteers, organizers, musicians, artists, activists, and people of all ages and types to gather in solidarity as a single community. Some call it nothing more than a "hippie festival" but others know there is so much more to ComFest than that. First put together 36 years  Read more...

What to do this week: June 23-29

by Christina Mack

June 23, 2008

The end of June is getting close, and the summer fun is starting to heat up in Columbus. Festivals are popping up everywhere this week, and some great music is coming to town that will entertain you as much as your child. Two big festivals/fairs will be taking over the end of the week: the Origins Game Fair (that I previously wrote about here ) and ComFest, a massive community festival in  Read more...

What to do this week: June 16-22

by Christina Mack

June 16, 2008

If your preschooler is anything like mine, the lure of summertime boredom is calling. But it's only mid-June! No worries, though: I've got a week full of games, fun, and festivals for you to choose from, and one of them will certainly cure your child of the blahs. Got a child who loves Maisy the mouse? Join the Gahanna library for a celebration of Maisy through stories, songs, crafts and games  Read more...

Celebrate Art at the Columbus Arts Festival

by Christina Mack

June 04, 2008

You dutifully put each new masterpiece from your child's art class in its place of honor on the refrigerator. But wouldn't it be nice if we could expose our kids to a world of art beyond just gluing macaroni to construction paper? The Greater Columbus Arts Festival , held downtown in the Discovery district this weekend (June 6-8) gives us exactly that opportunity. Aside from being a  Read more...

Summertime Outdoor Concerts in Columbus

by Christina Mack

May 30, 2008

Summertime in Columbus is always a time filled with music. No matter what part of the city you live in, there is a summer concert series near you. All are family friendly, and all are absolutely free. So pack up your blanket and your dancing shoes and show your kids how you used to dance before you were a mom! Here are a few of the outdoors music offerings around town: Summer Fridays at  Read more...