Audio by artist wcrs_weekend_warrior

The Holidays are back in full gear with a lot of holiday lights to kick off the Holiday Season. And there is another Top Five College Football Matchup at Ohio Stadium as the # 2 Ohio Buckeyes host the # 5 Indiana Hoosiers, in the Hoosiers first ever Top Five matchup EVER.

REFERENCES:
Winter Date Ideas: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/columbus-winter-date-ideas/
Columbus Restaurant Holiday Meals: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/holiday-meals-from-columbus...
Columbus Holiday Pop-Up Bars: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/holiday-pop-up-bars-restaur...
Columbus Boutique Shopping Districts: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/boutique-shopping-districts...
Columbus Area Thanksgiving Races/Turkey Trots: https://www.columbussports.org/blog/post/columbus-thanksgiving-day-races...
Columbus Holiday Performances: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/your-guide-to-holiday-perfo...
Can't Miss Holiday Events in Columbus: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/cant-miss-holiday-events-in...
Experience Columbus Holiday Landing Page: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/holidays/
COSI Season of Celebrations: https://cosi.org/Season-of-Celebrations
Franklin Park Conservatory Aglow: https://www.fpconservatory.org/exhibitions/conservatory-aglow/
Columbus Zoo Wildlights: https://www.columbuszoo.org/wildlights
Huntington Holiday Train - Main Library: https://www.columbuslibrary.org/huntington-holiday-train/
Dublin Holiday Events (2024): https://www.visitdublinohio.com/blog/post/holidays-events-dublin/
Holiday Lights (Experience Columbus): https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/illuminate-the-night-with-h...

High School Football - Week 14 (Not Many Teams Left Locally)
Regional Finals: https://www.ohsaa.org/news-media/articles/ohsaa-releases-football-region...
(Local Teams only listed) - Regions 3, 7, 11, 12, 23 and 27 (No more teams in Divisions IV or V)

In the Weekend Warrior, there are holiday events galore, plus:
GalaxyCon at the Greater Columbus Convention Center (https://galaxycon.com/pages/galaxycon-columbus)

Tree Lighting Roundup
Extended List: https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/central-ohio-news/2024-holiday-tre...

THURSDAY December 5:
Dublin - Coffman Park, 5PM
Ohio Statehouse - 5:30PM (COTA - Various Routes)

FRIDAY December 6:
Canal Winchester - Stradley Place, 6PM
Delaware - William & Sandusky Streets, 6:30PM
German Village - Frank Fetch Park, 7PM
Grove City - Town Center, 7PM
XSU Gateway - 5:30PM, Gateway Plaza outside Gateway Film Center (COTA - Lines 1, 2, 8, and 22)
Otterbein University - 5:30PM, Towers Plaza (rain location Roush Hall)
Pickerington - 5PM, Olde Pickerington Village
Reynoldsburg - Huber Park, 5:30PM
Upper Arlington - Mallway Park, 6PM
Westerville - City Hall, 6:30PM
Whitehall - The Kelley Green at Norton Crossing Park, 6PM (COTA - Line 10 or 24)

SATURDAY December 7:
Carroll - "A Christmas Carroll" at Bessie Benson Park, 5:30PM (https://visitfairfieldcounty.org/events/fairfield-county-festival-of-lig...)
Obetz - Junction Park, 4:30PM (https://obetz.oh.us/2024/11/2024-christmas-kickoff-and-parade/)
Lancaster - 104 North Broad Street, 5:30PM
Plain City - Uptown District, 4PM
Powell - Village Green Park, 6PM
Sunbury - Town Square, 4PM

SUNDAY December 8 -
Bexley - Drexel Circle, 5PM (COTA - Line # 10)
Clintonville - Whetstone Community Center & outside Whetstone Library (COTA - Lines 2 or 102)
Groveport - Heritage Park, 4:30PM

Thursday December 12
Easton - Drone Show at Easton Yard

Holiday Festivals:
CANAL WINCHESTER - Christmas in the Village (December 6 & 7, Historic Downtown Canal Winchester; http://www.destinationcw.org)
CLINTONVILLE - HolidayVille (December 8, 12-4PM, throughout Clintonville; http://www.experienceclintonville.com)

Twas the Weekend Warrior before Christmas.

REFERENCES:
Winter Date Ideas: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/columbus-winter-date-ideas/
Columbus Restaurant Holiday Meals: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/holiday-meals-from-columbus...
Columbus Holiday Pop-Up Bars: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/holiday-pop-up-bars-restaur...
Columbus Boutique Shopping Districts: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/boutique-shopping-districts...
Columbus Area Thanksgiving Races/Turkey Trots: https://www.columbussports.org/blog/post/columbus-thanksgiving-day-races...
Columbus Holiday Performances: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/your-guide-to-holiday-perfo...
Can't Miss Holiday Events in Columbus: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/cant-miss-holiday-events-in...
Experience Columbus Holiday Landing Page: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/holidays/
COSI Season of Celebrations: https://cosi.org/Season-of-Celebrations
Franklin Park Conservatory Aglow: https://www.fpconservatory.org/exhibitions/conservatory-aglow/
Columbus Zoo Wildlights: https://www.columbuszoo.org/wildlights
Huntington Holiday Train - Main Library: https://www.columbuslibrary.org/huntington-holiday-train/
Dublin Holiday Events (2024): https://www.visitdublinohio.com/blog/post/holidays-events-dublin/
Holiday Lights (Experience Columbus): https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/illuminate-the-night-with-h...

Basketball:
- Harlem Globetrotters at Schottenstein Center (December 27, Ohio State Campus)
- Holiday Hoopla (December 27 through 29 at Battelle Grand Ballroom at The Greater Columbus Convention Center)
- Smokey Ballenger Classic (December 29 & 30 at The Rike Center, Otterbein University, Westerville)
- Ohio State vs. Indiana State (December 29 at Value City Arena/Schottenstein Center)

NOON DAY BALLS:
December 30 -
BEXLEY: Bexley Public Library (http://www.bexleylibrary.org) (BUS - # 2)

December 31 -
COLUMBUS ZOO: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (http://www.columbuszoo.org)
COSI: Center of Science and Industry (http://www.cosi.org)
HILLIARD: Hilliard's Station Park (http://www.destinationhilliard.org)
PICKERINGTON: Sycamore Plaza (Refugee Road) Library (http://www.pickeringtonlibrary.org)
UPPER ARLINGTON: Upper Arlington Main (Tremont Road) Library (http://www.ualibrary.org)

REFERENCES:
Last Mega Weekend of 2024: https://columbusunderground.com/mega-weekend-dance-parties-sgt-peppercor...
Last Minute Local Shopping Guide: https://columbusunderground.com/final-holiday-gift-guide-for-you-last-mi...
Restaurants open on Christmas Day (NBC4): https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/restaurants-open-christma...
Restaurants open on Christmas Day (Columbus on the Cheap): https://www.columbusonthecheap.com/columbus-restaurant-holiday-hours/
Winter Date Ideas: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/columbus-winter-date-ideas/
Columbus Restaurant Holiday Meals: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/holiday-meals-from-columbus...
Columbus Holiday Pop-Up Bars: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/holiday-pop-up-bars-restaur...
Columbus Boutique Shopping Districts: https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/boutique-shopping-districts...

Experience Columbus/AFAR - https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/articles/post/afar-names-columbus-to-...
Exp Cols/25 Reasons to Visit - https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/reasons-to-visit-columbus-t...
Exp Cols/Winter in Columbus - https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/winter/
Exp Cols/Conde Nast Top 10 - https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/articles/post/columbus-earns-a-spot-i...
Downtown Columbus - 25 Things to Do in '25 - https://downtowncolumbus.com/blog/things-to-do-in-2025/

The MLK Weekend Edition of the Weekend Warrior

Martin Luther King Celebrations (2025):
Capital University - Martin Luther King Day of Leaarning (1/20, Capital University Bexley Campus; Keynote Speaker: Ohio Assistant House Minority Leader Dontavius Jarrells; https://www.capital.edu/student-life/arts-and-culture/annual-events/mart...)
Experience Columbus - How to Celebrate (https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/observing-mlk-day-in-columb... NOTE: Holy Rosary-St. John Church closed in May 2024, so there is no MLK Celebration happening there)
Equitas - How to Commemorate MLK Day (https://equitashealth.com/blog/mlk-day-2025/)
City of Columbus MLK Celebration (1/20, Lincoln Theatre, King-Lincoln Bronzeville; https://www.columbus.gov/News-articles/Annual-Martin-Luther-King-Jr.-Mar...)
Columbus State Community College MLK Celebration - "Generation to Generation: Celebrating 356 Years of Honoring Dr. King at Columbus State" (1/22 at Center for Workforce Development: 315 Cleveland Avenue, Discovery District; https://www.cscc.edu/go/mlk/)
Ohio State MLK Day of Service (1/20; Meet at Ohio Union NO LATER than 9:30AM; https://lead.osu.edu/community-engagement/pay-it-forward/mlk-jr-day-of-s...)
King Arts Complex MLK Celebration (1/20 at Ohio History Connection: 800 E. 17th Ave., Linden; https://kingartscomplex.com/programs/mlk-open-house/)
Otterbein University MLK Convocation (1/21 at Cowan Hall: 30 S. Grove St., Westerville; https://www.otterbein.edu/artscene/speakers/martin-luther-king-jr-convoc...)
Leadership Westerville MLK Breakfast (1/20 at the Medallion Club, Westerville; https://www.leadershipwesterville.com/mlkbreakfast.html)
The MLK Breakfast (1/20 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center Battelle Grand Ballroom; https://www.mlkjrbreakfast.com/)

Here is the Weekend Warrior for January 21, 2025. Events include Wonderball at the Columbus Museum, Nine at Short North Stage, plus more screenings and sports ball.