Central Ohio Folk Festival and Columbus Folk Music Series

The folk music scene is strong in Columbus, and you have the chance to enjoy it all year long with the Columbus Folk Music Society Music Series and Central Ohio Folk Festival.

photo: Pixabay

Columbus Folk Music Society Concert Series

A donation of $15 at the door is suggested, $10 for CFMS members and students, free for under age 12.

6PM  Open Jam
7PM  Open Mic (pre-signup)
8PM  Featured Performer

Unless noted below, the Americana/Folk Concert Series events are held at:
Columbus Mennonite Church
35 Oakland Park Ave, Columbus, 43214

For more info, contact Bill Cohen at (614) 263-3851 or BillCohen@columbus.rr.com

Shawna Caspi, Singer-songwriter
Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, 7 pm

Folk Roots Singer-Songwriter Shawna Caspi

image: Eric Thom Hughs

Alum Creek Band, Bluegrass
Fri, Oct 20, 2023, 5:30PM
Bluegrass / Columbus, OH
LOCATION OF SHOW: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL PEOPLES, 946 Parsons Ave, Cols, OH
5:30PM Food / 6PM Music

Roberta Lea, Singer-Songwriter
Sat, Oct 28, 7PM

Fialla, Traditional Irish
Sat, Nov 18, 2023, 7PM

Showman & Coole, Folk&Old-time
Sat, Jan 20, 2023
LOCATION and TIME OF SHOW: TBA

The Wildwoods, Folk/Americana
Sat, Jan 27, 2024, 7PM

Shannon Clark & the Sugar Midwest Americana Soul
Sat, Feb 24, 2024, 7PM

Andy Baker, Singer-Songwriter
Sat, Mar 23, 2024 7PM

Stillhouse Junkies, Genre-bending American Roots
Sat, Apr 27 2024, 7PM
LOCATION OF SHOW: NOCTERRA BREWING, 41 Depot St, Powell, OH

Upcoming Shows

Full details will be released closer to the events, or see the website.

Annual Central Ohio Folk Festival

Folk it up with the Annual Central Ohio Folk Festival at Highbanks Metro Park on May 6-7, 2023.

image: Central Ohio Folk Festival

Festival features

Enjoy concerts, jam sessions, 30+ music workshops, dance, and kids’ activities including the instrument petting zoo. Bring your acoustic instruments to join jams and song circles.

More than 30 hourly concerts on 3 different stages. You’ll hear a wide range of folk music — bluegrass, blues, singer-songwriter, Southern roots, Americana, Celtic, and more….songs that often reflect the struggles of everyday people.

A giant 1960’s-style folk music community sing-along to open the festival at 11 am Saturday, plus a poignant song circle to close the fest.

More than 30 workshops on songwriting, the history of folk music, joining a jam group, important musical figures, and how to play guitar, fiddle, ukulele, tin whistle, and other instruments. Some workshops will be for beginning players, and others will be for more advanced musicians.

NEW this year, the “YouthFolk Tent” serving kids and youth with performances and workshops. Youth workshop offerings include making a drum out of wooden box frames.Plus, an “instrument petting zoo” to let Kids can handle folk instruments at the “instrument petting zoo”. There are hands-on arts and crafts, plus festival mascot Darby Duck will be on hand for the young and young-at-heart.

Join in the 2 drum circles where everyone, young and old alike, is invited to pound on a drum or other rhythm instrument to a mesmerizing beat.

Additional features include an Affrilachian storyteller, expanded informal jamming, “Songs of the Spirit” session on Sunday at 11 am, plus a beer garden tent, where those 21 and older.

Central Ohio Folk Festival admission

Donations are welcome. For donations of $20 of more, you’ll get a free “flexible frisbee” and other fun stuff and there will be no other ticketing for the many activities, and that includes workshops, hourly concerts, jam sessions, children’s activities, and even the Saturday night headliner concert.

The festival staffers are all volunteers, so 100% of the money that people contribute will help support this festival.

See website for any updates.

For more information or registration, check out the Folk Festival webpage.

Highbanks Metro Park
9466 Columbus Pike (Rt. 23 N)
Lewis Center, OH 43035

Check out our huge list of festivals here!