Short North-Columbus' Art, Music & Theatre Bohemia

Visit a wide range of art galleries and boutiques from the upscale to the bohemian. High Street is chocked full of stores, restaurants, pubs and coffee shops. It is near downtown, the Arena District, German Village, OSU, Brewery District, and Convention Center. Its a hip and very unique place to go. The stroll down High Street is a welcome reprieve from the monotony of the mall. The Short North draws all kinds of happily diverse people ... from well-preened, cologne-smothered types to moderately tattooed human works of art.

Quick Tips:

The Short North is known for the monthly Gallery Hop (1st Saturday of every month 6-10pm). The summertime ComFest outdoor music festival and street fair. The Doo Dah parade on July 4th (a wacky fun spoof of current events and public figures). Adjacent Goodale Park and the residential neighborhoods of Victorian Village and Italian Village are treasures worth strolling through. There was a time when the Short North extended just a couple of blocks north and south of its heart at Buttles Avenue. These days, it begins at Nationwide Boulevard, and goes all the way up High Street to Fifth Ave. There are some gaps along the way, but you'll miss out on a lot of worthwhile places if you don't traverse the entire route. Website: click here.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walk or bus (#2) High Street from Ohio State University, downtown, Arena District, Brewery District or German Village. The Gallery Hops, Doo Dah Parade and ComFest are a parking mess ... so get there early or catch a bus somewhere along High Street. Other times, parking is reasonably plentiful and often free.

This artistic Bed and Breakfast fits perfectly in the heart of its Short North Art District location (on the north edge of downtown Columbus). The contemporary dining area is filled with local original artwork. Each room has an art theme of some famous artist (ie - Picasso, Monet, Rockwell, Van Gogh, Ansel Adams. etc.). There are eight rooms with private baths and fireplaces, including three suites. The breakfast is nearly gourmet with fresh fruits, homemade breads, muffins, a main entree, juices, flavored coffees and teas. There are bookshelves around the house for reading in your room, a parlor or outside in a quaint garden with bird feeders. Its a short walk to Short North art galleries, playhouses, antique shops, boutiques, restaurants, pubs, espresso bars and dance clubs. At the nearby North Market farmers market, you can eat inside a diverse international food court or pick-up goodies for a picnic at nearby Goodale Park. The Inn is fairly close to the Columbus Convention Center and Nationwide Arena District. Just down the road are: the Ohio State University, State Capitol Square, City Center Mall, German Village, Brewery District, COSI, Ohio Theatre, Palace Theatre and Riffe Theatres. It is a very short drive to: The Ohio Expo Center, Fairgrounds, Crew Soccer Stadium and Coliseum. There may be weekend specials available. Website: (click here).

I've been here several times and sampled various sandwiches and entrees. Everything has always been excellent. Don't be surprised if a bag pipe player shows up to entertain or if a customer starts playing the piano. This is one of the original restaurants of the Short North and it is still going strong as it watched numerous upstarts come and go around it. Great selection of imported beer and a nice bar area. Great place to mingle with a lot of different kinds of folks (from trendy to conservative). Website: (click here).

This is the original coffee house of the Short North and is right at the crossroads of its heart (High St & Buttles). Artsy modern interior that is all window space facing both High and Buttles. Thus, if you can't get one of the limited outdoor tables, you can still keep an eye on all the activity passing by. The coffee beans are roasted locally by Stauf's which is well recognized (and loved) coffee roaster. Thus, the coffee is always magnificant. Try out the deserts ... they're quite tasty as well. Website: (click here)

Gallery Hop night (1st Saturday of every month 6-10pm) is a street fair that overflows the sidewalks with crowds of art patrons, appreciators of the arts, the plain curious, and the far-out.

It is also a place to revel in the popular pasttime of people-watching at its best. Elegance rubs shoulders with the bizarre. The drab and the commonplace mingle with the whacky, the whimsical and the absurd. It''s worth every bit of the free admission just to scrutinize the passing hair styles - male and female - many of which are mind-boggling in their daffiness, perhaps deserving topknot honors anywhere. There are folks who believe tattoos and pierced body parts will bring them happiness. Frequently among the street performers are mimes, actors, and musicians - all adding to the festive atmosphere.

In the galleries, the viewers, the art, the artists, and the gallery entrepreneurs all come together. Brilliantly-hued paintings vie with equally vivid people. Huge canvasses of abstract art are wired with wild energy. Even if you don''t understand what some paintings portray, you can cluster with other viewers around tables offering hors d''oeuvres and punch bowls of bubbly. As people mill about in their carefree enthusiasm, sometimes there is concern expressed for pieces of free-standing sculpture and fragile works of glass. There is a constant coming and going, the galleries becoming revolving doors as viewers flock from one establishment to another. There are numerous galleries and other shops. And more being added all the time. Gallery listing website: (click here).

Here you'll find hundreds of wacked out people running around and acting out all their wildest fun-loving antics. The so-called Emperor of the Short North leads the way, followed by a very noisy parade filled with musical entries that belt out tunes on every makeshift instrument imaginable.

The parade is always on July 4th, the rain date is always July 3rd. So when it rains on the 3rd and the parade goes on the 4th as scheduled. Pay attention here don't let what I just said confuse you.

The floats and parade marchers are adorned in outlandish decorations and attire. There is always a "Less-Than-Grand Marshall" chosen by the Doo Dah Parade "DisOrganizers." Website: (click here)

ComFest is arguably the best three-day festival in Columbus. Hundreds of Columbus' best musicians and artists take the spotlight along with several who are nationally recognized. This cost-free celebration has been a rite of summer for over thirty years.

My friends and I always have a blast at this multicultural "sunshine and love" sort of mescaline and dandelion salad blowout of outdoor music, art, food and beer (Also, hints of illegal substances). The sheer variety of four-legged animals alone is mind-boggling.

This streetfair is the Short North Art District’s social and cultural event of the season. It consumes Victorian Village neighborhood’s Goodale Park which is the oldest and one of the most beautiful parks in Columbus (click here). Nearby residents, who live in the magnificently restored Victorian homes, are as eclectic and diverse as people come.

The "people watching" during ComFest is probably the best in Columbus. I’ve seen multitudes of happy dogs and their owners and a woman caressing her pet snake. It is a diverse gathering of people ranging from teenage Goths, hip college students, corporate yuppies to fifty-something hippies who all groove and swing to the tunes side by side. ComFest is just a great place to kick back and watch life’s parade.

There are five stages with continuous entertainment (click here).

Four of the stages are primarily devoted to music of literally every fashion. The other is a "live arts" stage with various acts ranging from comedy, poetry, puppets, dance, jugglers, theatre, belly dancing, mimes, Tai Chi and Yoga.

Artists, activist organizations and a great selection of food & beer stalls line the streets. A few of the foods I particularly remember have been organic pizza, broccoli burgers, wonderful pastries and all sorts of coffee concoctions.

What sets Comfest apart from other Columbus summer events is the blessed absence of corporate sponsorship. You can feel the heartfelt sense of community at this truly "grass roots" neighborhood extravaganza. I’ve heard that all ComFest’s operating monies are raised by beer sales. The festival’s volunteer organizers, staff and supporters have proven that not selling-out is the best way to have a lot of fun.

ComFest was started by a bunch of political and community activists as an outgrowth of the anti-war movement of the 1960’s. It has grown from an OSU campus gathering of hippies, yippies, SDS organizers, women liberationists and civil rights workers into a full blown Short North event of progressive organizations, artists, community activists, ethnic food vendors, neighborhood organizations and of course music.

About 150 bands perform during the 3 days of ComFest and about 200 "vendors" have stalls.

I recommend commuting by the COTA (Central Ohio Transit Authority) buses because parking is nearly non-existent during ComFest. Here's a website with ComFest COTA information as well as information on the very limited parking (click here).

If your up for something different while you eat dinner; the light theatre, comedy and live music of 2Co's Cabaret is a good time (click here). The actors, singers and comedians stage is set in an intimate warehouse for two-hour shows similar to TV's Saturday Night Live. Shows are on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with an occassional Wednesday night opening performance (click here). There is an ample menu with appetizers, gourmet pizza, salad, antipasto and desserts as well as a full bar, beer and wine (click here). All the servers and ushers are the performers and they create a fun, friendly, antic-filled atmosphere. Seating is on a first come, first serve basis at tables accommodating four people. Since we only had two in our party we were seated with another couple which actually turned-out to be a very good thing (ya know "meeting new people" and all) ... we all had a great time! Remember you really need to make reservations (especially during Gallery Hop). Arrive early for best seating, to view the art gallery (click here) and to comfortably place your dinner orders.

The huge sideways laying Mona Lisa head painted on the south outside wall of the Short North Playhouse is a sight in itself and a must-see on a Short North Gallery Hop night (first Saturday of each month). In a similar vein as this off-beat smiling mural, the Red Herring Ensemble specializes in producing profound and provocative performances that stimulate dialogue and debate. Productions range from world premieres by local playwrights, to contemporary classics by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights, with a dash of the best offbeat and quirky new musicals thrown in for good measure. (click here). Productions at the Short North Playhouse have been nominated as among the best in Columbus The Playhouse is tucked one block east of the Short North''s main drag on North High Street. North Pearl Street runs north and south and is parallel to North High Street.