We’re all a little bit weird. Me? I think Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream is absolutely disgusting. I get that it’s weird, but nothing will sway me. Yet some Central Ohioans really embrace their inner weirdos, and these summer festivals in Columbus are proof.
We’re talking Goths protesting the Sun at the Doo Dah Parade, a festival dedicated to pickles, and more weirdness that you simply have to see for yourself.
So buckle up and let’s get weird this summer!
Weird Central Ohio Festivals in Summer 2026
Bean Dinner at Westgate Park | Saturday, June 27, 2026 | 11 AM – 7 PM
📍 Westgate Park, 455 S Westgate Ave, Columbus, OH 43204
A festival all about beans? Yeah, we can get behind that. While the festival itself seems odd, the annual Bean Dinner celebrates everything that makes the West Side of Columbus special, with all proceeds going towards Jordan’s Crossing and West High School. The dinner even started at Camp Chase, which was a Civil War training camp and Confederate Prison, where bean dinners were the only consistent dinners the soldiers would receive.
Pickle Palooza Food and Drink Festival | Saturday, June 27, 2026 | 5 PM – 10 PM
📍 Huntington Park, 330 Huntington Park Ln, Columbus, OH 43215
The Columbus Clippers aren’t afraid to get weird. With dime-a-dog games on Tuesday (where, yes, you can get 10 hot dogs for one dollar) and themed nights on the regular, it makes too much sense that they’ll be hosting Pickle Palooza. You can expect everything from mechanical pickle riding (think mechanical bull riding, but replace the bull with some brine) to brine-chugging contests.
World Oddities Expo | Saturday, June 27, 2026 – Sunday, June 28, 2026 | 11 AM – 7 PM
📍 Greater Columbus Convention Center, Hall D, 400 N. High St, Columbus, OH 43215
There’s weird, there’s wild, and then there’s just straight up odd. That’s exactly what the World Oddities Expo is all about. You will find everything from rat taxidermy classes to owl pellet dissection workshops. If you’re a weirdo, you’ll thrive at the World Oddities Expo.
The Doo Dah Parade | Saturday, July 4, 2026 | 11 AM – 7 PM
📍 Goodale Park, 120 W Goodale St, Columbus, OH 43215 and Victorian Village
What’s there to say about Doo Dah that hasn’t already been said in our full write up and guide, which you can conveniently find here?
Just don’t be surprised if you see elderly men parading around in diapers. Seriously.
The Ohio Eggfest | Saturday, July 25, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 4 PM
📍 Fortress Obetz, 2015 Recreation Trl, Obetz, OH 43207
No, it’s not what you think. This isn’t a festival for worshipping literal hen eggs. This festival is, dare we say, even more niche than that. This festival is all about Big Green Egg grills. It’s basically a food festival including smoking, grilling, and barbecuing, with all proceeds benefiting the James Cancer Hospital Solove Research Institute. Plus, you can get your own Big Green Egg grill for a HUGE discount at this festival! It’s a win-win for everyone! Just show up hungry.
50th Annual All Ohio Balloon Fest | Friday, August 21, 2026 – Saturday, August 22, 2026 | 2 PM – After Sunset
📍 15000 Weaver Road, Marysville, Ohio 43040
Do you get unreasonably giddy when you see a hot air balloon in the sky on a warm summer evening? That’s what the All Ohio Balloon Fest is all about. With 15+ hot air balloons, live music, and helicopter/plane/balloon rides available, this festival dedicated to all things lighter-than-air is a can’t-miss event.
Stop Googling “things to do this weekend.”
We’ve already done it for you.
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