Columbus Curiosity - 10th October 2025

Your Weekly Dose of Columbus Events, News, and Fun

Author

Nathan Griggs
October 10, 2025

Hey Columbus crew,

Fall is settling across the city — leaves crisping, nights cooler, and the pulse of events shifting. We’ve got a mix this week: a behind-the-scenes ride in a snow plow, a local icon bowing out, a new team on the horizon, hidden corners to explore, and a week’s worth of live music to track. Strap in.

And before we dive: Columbus doesn’t just look friendly — it is friendly. In a Preply survey, Columbus was ranked among the friendliest cities in the U.S (a big hand for ourselves✌🏻) — locals score high on helpful gestures, reacting kindly to strangers, and neighborly energy.

614Now placed us 3rd friendliest for those exact traits. Add in being named #7 friendliest by Condé Nast Traveler, and you see it’s not just talk.

That warmth shows whenever someone stops to help a lost visitor, when a stranger smiles on High Street, or when a neighbor waves you in.

👀 The Lineup:

📰 The Headlines – Ride along in a snow plow during Columbus’s Roadeo, Darlington Nagbe’s career finale, the Aviators flight plan, Columbus’s new clothing recycling pilot, and LinkUS transit stirring.

💎 Hidden Gems & Local Legends – The Edna Building’s revival story, a Short North walking + food route, Otherworld’s immersive nights, and Gallant Woods’ seasonal trail.

🎶 Live Music & Entertainment – Folk + indie sets at Nationwide, opera nights at Mershon, DJ sessions at Otherworld, indie bills at Ace of Cups, emo nights at KEMBA Live!, and closing festival performances in Short North.

🚗 Topic of the Week – “Fall Echoes: Mapping Columbus by Sound” — we’re tracing the city through song, footfalls, whispers, and beats.

Let’s roll into this week’s stories.

📰 The Headlines

A Ride Inside a Snow Plow — What It’s Really Like

Ever wondered what it’s like behind the wheel of a plow clearing Central Ohio in winter? A Dispatch reporter recently strapped in during Columbus’s annual Snow Roadeo to find out.

He rode shotgun as an experienced plow driver navigated obstacles, brushed cones, and manipulated salt controls—all while feeling the rumble and shake of the machine.

Inside the cabin, what strikes first isn’t the cold — it’s the constant vibration. The controls, more sci-fi than dashboard, include joysticks and switches to raise, lower, and angle the blade, plus salt-dispensing panels. 

The driver, Mason Ferguson, had to steer, plow, and salt simultaneously. He’s been doing this job for three years and says it’s “very versatile,” though tricky when silhouettes randomly cross unlit roads at night.

At the Roadeo, he navigated everything from light taps on wooden poles to slaloms through cones. Even Mayor Andrew Ginther joined in, scoring 87 out of 100 on his attempt.

 It’s a glimpse into a winter world many of us take for granted.

Darlington Nagbe’s Grand Exit

After 15 seasons, Columbus Crew captain Darlington Nagbe's has announced his retirement. His final home performance is slated for October 18.

He’s more than a player — he’s been a presence, a calming force, a local symbol.

Columbus Aviators Take Off

Get ready for a new chapter in Columbus’s sports story: beginning spring 2026, the city will host a UFL team called the Columbus Aviators, with Historic Crew Stadium as home base.

It’s a bold step into new territory, expanding what “Columbus seasons” can feel like.

Textile Recycling Pilot Launch

Columbus is kicking off a clothing recycling pilot program in collaboration with SWACO and local nonprofits. Look out for drop-off locations at farmers markets, community centers, and event pop-ups.

This small move aims at big impact: keeping textiles out of landfills and giving them new purpose.

Whispers turn to momentum: the LinkUS rapid transit plan is gaining renewed traction. Proposed routes along High, Main, Broad, and adjacent corridors could reshape how people traverse neighborhoods whether by bus, bike, or shared transit.

Public meetings and route drafts are expected soon.

💎 Hidden Gems & Local Legends

Here are four local spots or experiences to bookmark. Link each to your own pages if you have them:

A Historic Place You Must Visit

The Edna Building (King-Lincoln / Bronze Ville)

A restored historic building that once housed community newspapers and shared space for civic groups — now rising as a cultural anchor in a neighborhood of legacy and renewal.

Wander cafés, hidden murals, galleries, and neighborhood bites. Autumn light makes alleys glow and flavors feel richer.

Otherworld (Electronic & Nightlife Experiences)

A late-night portal: immersive DJs, themed dance nights, underground rhythms. For nights when you don’t want to watch the clock.

Gallant Woods Trick-or-Treat Trail

A gentle, family-friendly haunt trail: costumed characters, ambient lantern paths, soft jolts of whimsy. Perfect for sipping cider under the trees.

🎶 Live Music & Entertainment

Here’s your nightly scoreboard through next Friday. Verified event links are included where available — click to view show details.

Friday, October 10TH

Italian Festival Night @ Berwick & Lincoln St

A full-on celebration of Italian heritage with live music, dancing, bocce tournaments, and street food under festive lights (Columbus Italian Festival)

Mumford & Sons + Michael Kiwanuka @ Nationwide Arena

Expect sweeping folk anthems, soulful vocals, and cinematic soundscapes as the band showcases their Rushmere era (with Michael Kiwanuka bringing his own indie soul depth)

Saturday, October 11TH

Opera Columbus: The Old Man and the Sea @ Mershon Auditorium

An immersive opera adaptation of Hemingway’s classic, with eight pools of water, a chorus of 16, and dreamy staging that blends legacy, the ocean, and human ambition

Monster Mash Pet Costume Party @ Clintonville

Bring your pup, dress them up, and enjoy a pet costume contest, games, raffle baskets, and howls of fun from 1–4 pm

Sunday, October 12TH

Brandon Lake @ Value City Arena (Schottenstein Center)

Dive into a night of powerful worship and musical resonance as Brandon Lake brings his emotionally charged set to Columbus

Monday, October 13TH

A Lot Like Birds + Dwellings + Mella + Zeta @ Ace of Cups

A raw, emotionally charged indie/alt lineup where soaring choruses, quiet breakdowns, and sweeping dynamics collide

Tuesday, October 14th

Xana + Siena Liggins @ A&R Music Bar

A dynamic pop show where Xana leads with her moody, emotionally charged soundscapes and Siena Liggins opens with sultry vocals and bold presence.

Note from team: In an effort to keep our staff and guests as safe as possible, we ask guests to come prepared to use contactless forms of payment. All major credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay are accepted.

Wednesday, October 15th

Alex Warren Cheaper Than Therapy Tour @ KEMBA Live!

Expect raw, emotional pop-folk tones, vulnerable lyrics, and an unforgettable night of songs + storytelling.

Thursday, October 16th

Bilmuri + support acts @ KEMBA Live!

Expect an alt/emo crescendo night fueled by raw riffs, emotional vocals, and tight set transitions among rising support acts.

Friday, October 17TH

Dylan Gossett Westward Tour @ KEMBA Live!

A night of country-tinged Americana, red-dirt storytelling, and soaring vocals with Drayton Farley and Buffalo Traffic Jam

How'd We Do This Week?

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🚗 Topic of the Week

“Fall Echoes: Mapping Columbus by Sound”

We walk Columbus. We taste Columbus. But this week, I want to map Columbus by ears.

The crunch of leaves in German Village, a guitar under a lamppost in the Short North, drums echoing from a festival — this city hums its own quiet symphony.

On r/Columbus, one user described it best:

  • “Every block has a beat — you just have to stop scrolling long enough to hear it.”

From gospel choirs at the Italian Festival to indie chords at KEMBA Live!, every corner this week is alive with rhythm and stories.

Even the soft ones — coffee machines hissing at Fox in the Snow, a bus sighing to a stop downtown, or wind brushing the river near the Scioto Mile.

👉 What’s your autumn track?

Reply with song + place + memory — and let’s build a sound map of Columbus together.

😀 See You Next Week

Between snow plows and stadium lights, farewells and fresh launches, hidden alleys and concert nights — this week paints in depth. Walk slow, listen wide, and maybe sneak into one of those corners before dusk.

Which headline stays with you tonight? Hit reply and tell me.

Saw or heard something wild I missed? Share it and I’ll chase it down.

Until next Friday,
Stay curious. Stay caffeinated.

— Nate
Columbus Curiosity