Over 200 free or cheap events this weekend in Columbus

Have fun in Columbus this weekend with free and cheap events! Relax at home with your family, or find plenty of things to do in Columbus!

You’ll also find date ideas, festivals, outdoor activities, and so much more!

Some events may require advance registration, so check links. We’ll add more as we hear of them, and you can always find a complete list on our Calendar page.

If you know of a free or cheap event you think we should add for the weekend in Columbus, email us at news@columbusonthecheap.com.

You can get free daily email updates of all the free and cheap events, plus discounts on entertainment and dining, by subscribing to our daily newsletter.

For even more cheap fun, “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want to highlight your business/event, or give it a prime spot at the top of this list? Email me about sponsoring this popular post: ads@columbusonthecheap.com.

This weekend in Columbus

Friday, August 19, 2022

U-pick: Best places for apple picking in Columbus

All Day

Library Story Time in Columbus (everyday!)

All Day

List of free or cheap events this weekend in Columbus

All Day

Over 100 Indoor Play Places and Activities for Kids around Columbus

All Day

Go floating with Trapper John's Canoe Livery on Big Darby Creek

All Day | Trapper John’s Canoe Livery

Discounted and Free Museum Days in Columbus

All Day

Over 325 festivals in Columbus and Central Ohio

All Day

Free Fries at McDonald's on Fridays with in-app order

All Day

Free Original Glazed doughnut when the hot light is on

All Day | Krispy Kreme – multiple locations

Beautiful Blooms at Coshocton Sunflower Festival

Go Lunch! Free summer meals for kids through Summer

FREE

Military families get free museum admission across U.S.

Reading Fun: Story times in Columbus

Celtic Cocktail Trail in Dublin

Fun and Tasty Adventure Trails in Ohio

Yard Sales and Garage Sales in Columbus

Half Price Books Summer Reading Camp

FREE | Virtual

Back to School: Best School Supplies Sales this Week

Sunflower Fields in Central Ohio

Free food freebies, delivery and cheap eats in Columbus

Adventure Awaits! Explore the Magical Fairy Trail in Granville

FREE | Infirmary Mound Park

Creeking in Columbus: Creeks and other water to explore

Date night in Columbus: Summer edition

Free youth workshops with Microsoft held virtually

FREE | Virtual

U-pick: Best places for peach picking in Columbus

“Avian Avatars” by The Myth Makers

The Dawes Arboretum

Luxury picnics at Cherry Valley Hotel

$65.00 | Cherry Valley Hotel

F3 Columbus Free Workouts for Men (multiple locations)

5:30 am to 6:30 am | FREE

Free Yoga on the Square at Easton

8:30 am to 9:30 am | FREE | Easton Town Center

COTA Zoo Bus Service and Discount for the Columbus Zoo and Zoombezi Bay

9:00 am to 7:00 pm | Discounted | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Marcus Theatres $6 Senior Matinees on Friday

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Marcus Theatres

Free falafel at Levant when you show the #FalafelFriday

11:00 am to 8:00 pm | Levant: Elevated Mediterranean Eatery

Kelton House Tours

12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | $3.00-7.00 | Kelton House Museum

Shake Shack: BOGO Shakes this summer

2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Shake Shack – multiple locations

Mobile Produce Market: Far East, Linden

3:00 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE

Mid-Ohio Food Collective Community Resource Fair

3:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Ohio Village

Market on the Green at Whitehall Kelley Green

4:00 pm to 6:30 pm | FREE

Canal Market District Friday Farmers Market in Newark

4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Annual Columbus Food Truck Festival 2022

4:00 pm to 11:00 pm | $0-5.00 | Franklin County Fairgrounds

Zoombezi Bay Sensory-friendly after hours

5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | Zoombezi Bay

Friday Flights at Cherry Valley Hotel

5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | $10.00-18.00 | Cherry Valley Hotel

Wine down with Fabulous Fridays

5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | Wyandotte Winery

Visit the monthly North Market Outdoor Night Market

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | North Market

Powell Third Fridays on the Green

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Columbus Clippers: $5 Fridays

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $6.00-40.00 | Columbus Clippers Huntington Park

Trivia Nights with Sotto Terra at The Sanctuary on Neil

6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | The Sanctuary on Neil

Asian Lantern Festival at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm | $18.00-22.00 | Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Grove City Summer Sizzle Concert Series

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE

Gahanna Great Outdoors + Cinema Under the Stars: Luca

7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE

Columbus Clippers: Sitcom Night with Kate Flannery “Meredith Palmer” from “The Office”

7:00 pm | $6.00-40.00 | Columbus Clippers Huntington Park

Fun Oldies Concert To Revive 1950’s Memories with Bill Cohen

7:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Goodale Park Screen on the Green: Moulin Rouge

7:30 pm to 11:00 pm

Theatre in the Park: August Wilson's King Hedley II

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Schiller Park

Catch a movie at Skyview Drive-In Lancaster

8:30 pm to 11:30 pm | Skyview Drive-In

Movie in the Park: Encanto

9:00 pm to 11:00 pm | Sharon Woods Metro Park

Saturday, August 20, 2022

U-pick: Best places for apple picking in Columbus

All Day

Target Teacher Prep Event - 15% off!

All Day

List of free or cheap events this weekend in Columbus

All Day

Over 100 Indoor Play Places and Activities for Kids around Columbus

All Day

Free Original Glazed doughnut when the hot light is on

All Day | Krispy Kreme – multiple locations

Beautiful Blooms at Coshocton Sunflower Festival

Military families get free museum admission across U.S.

Fun and Tasty Adventure Trails in Ohio

Yard Sales and Garage Sales in Columbus

Back to School: Best School Supplies Sales this Week

Sunflower Fields in Central Ohio

Free food freebies, delivery and cheap eats in Columbus

Sweetest Trail in Ohio: Butler County Donut Trail

Adventure Awaits! Explore the Magical Fairy Trail in Granville

FREE | Infirmary Mound Park

Best Places for Canoeing and Kayaking in Columbus

Creeking in Columbus: Creeks and other water to explore

Get started with Disc Golf in Columbus at these great courses

Riverboxes in Dublin: Geocaching + Art

FREE

U-pick: Best places for peach picking in Columbus

Fireworks after Columbus Clippers game

$6.00-40.00 | Columbus Clippers Huntington Park

F3 Columbus Free Workouts for Men (multiple locations)

6:00 am to 8:00 am

FIA Females in Action Fitness Group: Wyman Woods Park in Grandview Heights

8:00 am to 9:00 am | FREE

Get Air Pickerington: Dedicated time for jumpers with special needs

8:00 am to 10:00 am | $9.00-14.00 | Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts

The Hills Market $5 Pancake Breakfast

8:00 am to 12:00 pm | The Hill’s Market

Springfield Antique Show & Flea Market Clark County Fairgrounds

8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Walk with a Doc

8:30 am to 9:30 am | FREE | Highbanks Metro Park

Union County Famers Market (Marysville)

8:30 am to 11:30 am

The Farm at Walnut Creek Drive Thru or Wagon Rides

8:30 am to 6:00 pm | $8.75-16.75

Sensory friendly hour at New Albany Touch a Truck

9:00 am to 10:00 am

Get Air Columbus: Dedicated time for jumpers with special needs

9:00 am to 11:00 am | $9.00-14.00 | Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts

Powell KidsFest Back to School Bash, plus Foam and Treasure Runs

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Westerville Saturday Uptown Market

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

The Dublin Market at Bridge Park

9:00 am to 12:00 pm | The Dublin Market at Bridge Park

Canal Winchester Farmer’s Market

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Powell Kidsfest Back to School Bash, plus Bubble Run

9:00 am to 12:00 pm | $0-2.00

COTA Zoo Bus Service and Discount for the Columbus Zoo and Zoombezi Bay

9:00 am to 7:00 pm | Discounted | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Birdwatching for Beginners

10:00 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Grange Insurance Audubon Center

Explore at New Albany Touch a Truck

10:00 am to 12:30 pm | FREE

Railroad Fun at Sandel Legacy Trail

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Crime and Corruption at Ohio Village

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Ohio Village

Stories & More Family Storytime

10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Upper Arlington Public Library – Main

Open Paint Party at Brush Crazy

11:00 am to 7:00 pm | Brush Crazy

Annual Columbus Food Truck Festival

11:00 am to 11:00 pm | $0-5.00 | Franklin County Fairgrounds

Kelton House Tours

12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | $3.00-7.00 | Kelton House Museum

New Riverboxes: Bridge unveiling, new pathtags, and Limerick Adventure at Riverside Crossing Park

12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Lobster Roll Days at the Hills Market

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | The Hills Market Worthington

Open Garden at Patrick Kaufman Memorial Learning Garden

1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Kingdom Image Arts Back to School Carnival and Concert

1:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE

Aviary Enrichment at Deer Haven Park

3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Market on the Green at Whitehall Kelley Green

4:00 pm to 6:30 pm | FREE

Paper Moon Festival at Gallant Farm

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Columbus Clippers: Party-At-The-Park

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $6.00-40.00 | Columbus Clippers Huntington Park

Asian Lantern Festival at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm | $18.00-22.00 | Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Uptown Saturday Night in Westerville

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE

Friday Night Bandstand in Downtown Lancaster

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE

Chihuly Nights at Franklin Park Conservatory

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $7.50-25.00 | Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

MAC Summer Outdoor Series Music + Movie

7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | $0-15.00

Columbus Clippers: MARVEL Super Hero™ Night

7:00 pm | $6.00-40.00 | Columbus Clippers Huntington Park

Theatre in the Park: August Wilson's King Hedley II

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Schiller Park

Catch a movie at Skyview Drive-In Lancaster

8:30 pm to 11:30 pm | Skyview Drive-In

Movies at the Dam: Jungle Cruise

9:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE

Sunday, August 21, 2022

U-pick: Best places for apple picking in Columbus

All Day

List of free or cheap events this weekend in Columbus

All Day

Over 100 Indoor Play Places and Activities for Kids around Columbus

All Day

Free book: Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program

All Day | FREE

Free Original Glazed doughnut when the hot light is on

All Day | Krispy Kreme – multiple locations

Beautiful Blooms at Coshocton Sunflower Festival

Military families get free museum admission across U.S.

Columbus Clippers: Family Day and Senior Sundays

$6.00-40.00 | Columbus Clippers Huntington Park

Get tech savvy: Free Apple Workshops

FREE

Fun and Tasty Adventure Trails in Ohio

Back to School: Best School Supplies Sales this Week

RSVP now! Polar Express, Santa Trains, and Christmas Train Rides in Ohio

Sunflower Fields in Central Ohio

Free food freebies, delivery and cheap eats in Columbus

Adventure Awaits! Explore the Magical Fairy Trail in Granville

FREE | Infirmary Mound Park

Creeking in Columbus: Creeks and other water to explore

Art in Public Places in Dublin

FREE

Kids Eat FREE at Moe's Southwest Grill on Sundays!

Safari in Ohio: Take a Wilds Tour!

U-pick: Best places for peach picking in Columbus

The Hills Market $5 Pancake Breakfast

9:00 am to 1:00 pm | The Hill’s Market

COTA Zoo Bus Service and Discount for the Columbus Zoo and Zoombezi Bay

9:00 am to 7:00 pm | Discounted | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Free Sundays at CMA

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Columbus Museum of Art

Crime and Corruption at Ohio Village

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Ohio Village

Ben's Friends: food and industry virtual support group

11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE

Marcus Theatres Kids Dream Summer Film Series at Crosswoods

11:00 am to 12:30 pm | $0-3.00 | Marcus Theatres

Sunday Sunlight Market on Gay Street

11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Gay Street

Marcus Theatres Kids Dream Summer Film Series at Pickerington

12:00 pm to 2:30 pm | Marcus Theatres

Kelton House Tours

12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | $3.00-7.00 | Kelton House Museum

Take a train ride at The Ohio Railway Museum

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | $7.00-9.00 | Ohio Railway Museum

Railroad Fun at Sandel Legacy Trail

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE

Annual Columbus Food Truck Festival

12:00 pm to 7:00 pm | $0-5.00 | Franklin County Fairgrounds

Boards & Brews Sundays

12:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Taft’s Brewing Company

Family - Open Paint at Brush Crazy

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | Brush Crazy

Columbus Clippers: PBS Kids Character Appearance

1:00 pm | $6.00-40.00 | Columbus Clippers Huntington Park

Paint Pouring Workshop at Brush Crazy

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Brush Crazy

Market on the Green at Whitehall Kelley Green

4:00 pm to 6:30 pm | FREE

Columbus Crew Military Appreciation Night

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | Lower.com Field

Concerts on the Green at Bryn Du Mansion

6:30 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE

Westerville Sounds of Summer Concert Series

6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Alum Creek Park North

Asian Lantern Festival at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm | $18.00-22.00 | Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

North Columbus Civitan Park of Roses Concerts

7:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Park of Roses

Theatre in the Park: August Wilson's King Hedley II

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Schiller Park

Adult Skate at Skate Zone 71

8:00 pm to 11:30 pm | $10.00 | Skate Zone 71

Catch a movie at Skyview Drive-In Lancaster

8:30 pm to 11:30 pm | Skyview Drive-In

What are you doing this weekend in Columbus?

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