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.
credit: Central Ohio Folk Festival
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.
For more info, contact Bill Cohen at (614) 263-3851 or BillCohen@columbus.rr.com
photo: Pixabay
Schedule (unless otherwise noted below)
6PM Open Jam
7PM Open Mic (pre-signup)
8PM Featured Performer
Saturday, February 22: Ordinary Elephant
Folk Duo / Livingston, TX
LOCATION OF SHOW: Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Ave, Columbus
Sun Matinee, March 30, 2:30PM – Cold Chocolate
Singer-Songwriter/Americana duo / Boston, MA
LOCATION OF SHOW: NATALIES GRANDVIEW, 945 King Ave, Columbus, OH.
1:30PM Doors Open / 2:30PM Show
Sat, Apr 26, 7PM – Moors & McCumber
Americana / Singer-Songwriters / Jamestown, CO
LOCATION OF SHOW: NOCTERRA BREWING, 41 Depot St, Powell, OH
Also a Festival Launch Show!
Sat, June 7, 2PM – Appalachian Swing
Bluegrass / Newark, OH
LOCATION OF SHOW: THE REEB CENTER, 280 Reeb Ave, Cols, OH
2PM Food / 2:30PM Open Mic & Sing / 3PM Concert
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 3-4, 2025.
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.
There’s an area with special music, stories, workshops, and arts/crafts for children. Plus, a perennial favorite — our “instrument petting zoo” to let youngsters handle folk instruments. Festival mascot Darby Duck will also 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.
The headliner act, Richard Shindell, performs on Saturday, May 3 at 7 pm. Saturday night Headliner Concert seating inside the Main Stage Tent is by pre-donation/reservation, but there is also plenty of wide open seating on the lawn.
image: Central Ohio Folk Festival
Central Ohio Folk Festival admission
No set admission; donations are welcome, which helps support the festival and keep it free. For donations of $20 of more, you’ll get a fun flexible flyer, a cookie and a sticker (while supplies last)!
The festival staffers are all volunteers, so 100% of the money that people contribute will help support this festival.
For more information, 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!
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