The holiday season is upon us and Columbus provides a number of activities for people to get into the holiday spirit. With Thanksgiving quickly approaching and Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa following not too far behind, the city is immersing itself in the season and provides plenty of opportunities for the community to experience the holidays in all their glory.
While most fall-related activities like apple-picking and pumpkin patches are out of season, there are still some activities to get into on Thanksgiving. There are a number of turkey trots around the city for those who are interested in getting a quick run in before a day full of eating. There are also a handful of restaurants open if cooking is not in the plans for the day.
Columbus has a variety of shopping centers like Easton Town Center and Polaris Fashion Place, with plenty of stores to find something for everybody. This is an option for those who are interested in finding good Black Friday deals and getting gift shopping done early.
An easy and free holiday activity is driving around the city and looking at all the lights. Lots of neighborhoods around Columbus are proudly displaying holiday lights, and there are even places like the Scioto Mile, Columbus Commons, Village lights in German Village, Easton Town Center and State Auto’s Christmas Corner that have free light displays. There is nothing better than turning on some holiday tunes and looking at the beautiful lights around the city.
For those willing to pay a small sum to see some higher quality Christmas lights, there is the Franklin Park Conservatory’s Conservatory Aglow, the Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights. These attractions provide not only a magnificent display of lights, but also an experience to justify the price of a ticket.
For those who are interested in the arts, there are also a variety of craft fairs and markets, such as Columbus Winter Fair at the Ohio Expo Center and the High Street Holiday Market and Holiday Hop in the Short North Arts District.
Some family-friendly and entertaining holiday events include WinterFest at Dorrain Green, Dickens of a Christmas in Ohio Village and Festive Fridays at Columbus Commons. There are plenty of activities to keep everyone happy at these events.
There are a number of holiday performances around the city as well, including the Nutcracker Ballet at the historic Ohio Theater, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Nationwide Arena, the Columbus Gay Men’s Choir at Davidson Theater, Cirque Dreams at Palace Theater and A Christmas Carol at Ohio Theater.
Some Hanukkah celebrations around the city include the menorah lighting at Easton Town Center, the Hanukkah Celebration at Franklin Park Conservatory, Friday Night of Lights in New Albany and The Ohio State House Menorah Lighting and Party for Young Jewish Professionals.
Kwanzaa events include a celebration at the Ohio History Center, a celebratory concert at Urban Strings and a Kwanzaa marketplace at the King Arts Complex.
However a person chooses to celebrate the season, there are plenty of activities to do around the city within a fair price range.
