Happy Friday, Columbus —
This weekend is less big-ticket spectacle, more good local finds.
Which, honestly, can be a relief.
You do not need to engineer the perfect family weekend. You just need one outing that feels worth leaving the house for, maybe one backup, and ideally something that does not unravel by 1:30.
Here are a few solid options for May 15–17.
If You Only Do One Thing This Weekend
Delaware Arts Festival
Saturday, May 16, 11:00 AM–7:30 PM
Sunday, May 17, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Downtown Delaware
Free
https://delawareartsfestival.thecloudbizapp.com/page/homepage
Outdoor art festivals tend to work well for families because there is no real wrong way to do them. You can browse for twenty minutes or stay for half the day. There is art, food, music, and enough going on that it feels like a real outing without requiring military-grade planning.
Happening This Weekend
Dublin Public Works Day & Bike Road-eo
Saturday, May 16, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Dublin Service Center, Dublin
Free
https://dublinohiousa.gov/calendar-events/experience-public-works-day/
If your child has ever stopped mid-conversation to admire a dump truck, this one is probably for you. Big vehicles, bike activities, and the kind of hands-on setup that makes a Saturday morning feel easy.
New Albany Founders Day
Saturday, May 16
Parade at 11:00 AM | Festival 11:00 AM–5:00 PM
Rose Run Park, New Albany
Free
https://newalbanyfoundersday.com/
This is the most classic community-festival option of the weekend. Parade, rides, games, inflatables, food, vendors, face painting. If your family likes a little more energy and a little less quiet wandering, this is a very safe bet.
Art on the Canal Art Stroll
Saturday, May 16, 12:00 PM–6:00 PM
Historic Downtown Canal Winchester
Free
https://www.destinationcw.org/artStroll/
A nice middle-ground option if you want something creative but not too packed. There is art, music, and a Creation Station for kids, which gives this one a little more payoff than a standard walk-past-the-booths kind of event.
Clintonville Jamboree
Friday, May 15, 5:00–8:00 PM
Clintonville
Free
https://columbusunderground.com/events/clintonville-jamboree/
A very good Friday-night pick if you want to ease into the weekend without turning it into a whole operation. Live music, food trucks, pop-up vendors, a kids treasure hunt, and local shops staying open late gives this one excellent wander-around energy.
Youth Aviation Adventure at OSU Airport
Saturday, May 16, 8:30 AM
OSU Airport area
Starting at $10
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/youth-aviation-adventure-aviation-merit-badge-spring-2026-osu-airport-tickets-1852285930079
This one is more niche, but for the right kid it could absolutely make the weekend. It feels best for older kids, scout-aged kids, or anybody currently very into planes, airports, or how things work.
Easy Wins
Westerville Saturday Farmers Market
Saturday, May 16, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
COhatch / North High Brewing lot, Westerville
Free
https://business.westervillechamber.com/events/details/westerville-saturday-farmers-market-14675
Low effort, outdoors, and easy to pair with coffee and a playground stop. Some weekends that is the perfect amount of ambition.
Free Kids Event: Garden Wonders Featuring Magic Stix™
Saturday, May 16, 11:00 AM
Lakeshore Learning Store, Columbus
Free
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-kids-event-garden-wonders-featuring-magic-stixtm-columbus-tickets-1988334212153
A solid drop-in option if you want something hands-on without committing to a whole festival day. Good for that stretch of Saturday when everyone wants to do something, but not too much.
Interactive Reptile Show by Reptile Adventures at REBoL Dublin
Sunday, May 17, 12:00 PM
REBoL, Dublin
See registration page
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/interactive-reptile-show-by-reptile-adventures-at-rebol-dublin-tickets-1988569547046
A little weird, a little educational, and exactly the kind of smaller event that can save a Sunday. If your kid is thrilled by snakes and lizards, this one has real potential.
That’s it.
A quieter weekend is not a bad weekend. Sometimes it just means you can pick one good thing, enjoy it, and still have enough energy left to be a functioning person on Monday.
If you end up trying one of these, hit reply and let me know how it goes. I always like hearing which events were actually worth it.
And if this weekend turns into one solid outing and a decent snack somewhere along the way, that counts.
If you run a local business that serves Columbus families and want to support the newsletter, reply and say hello.
— Columbus Families Unplugged
