Columbus Curiosity - 17th October 2025

Hey Columbus crew,

The city smells like cider and ambition this week. 🍎🏃‍♀️

The mornings come wrapped in fog that sits low over the Scioto, and the afternoons are pure postcard — sun slanting through orange trees, patio heaters flickering to life again. Downtown hums with marathon training energy, German Village smells faintly of caramel, and the Circleville Pumpkin Show is back to remind us that, yes, Central Ohio does autumn better than anywhere else.

So grab your scarf, charge your phone, and lace up your curiosity — this week, we’ve got pumpkins breaking records, bands melting faces, schools making big decisions, and a city that feels alive in every possible way.

The Lineup:

📰 The Headlines – Delayed flights, tough school decisions, a Columbus TV legend, and pizza royalty crowned.

💎 Hidden Gems & Local Legends – Roosevelt’s mission-driven coffee, Marcella’s cozy comeback, The Refectory’s refined magic.

🎶 Live Music & Entertainment – A full week of fests, riffs, laughs, and late-night sing-alongs.

🚗 Topic of the Week – Why fall in Columbus feels like coming home, no matter where you’re from.

Let’s dive into this week’s chaos:

📰 The Headlines

✈️ “Delayed” — The Scariest Word at John Glenn

If you’ve ever sprinted to your gate at John Glenn Columbus International only to see that tiny digital heartbreak — “DELAYED” — you’ll feel this one.

Federal data from the U.S. Department of Transportation just confirmed that American Airlines had the highest delay rate out of Columbus (31.3% of flights).

In comparison, Mesa Airlines takes the punctuality crown with over 83% of flights on time.

SkyWest topped the “carrier-controlled” delays chart, meaning their excuses weren’t the weather — just, well, human stuff — maintenance, crew swaps, maybe too many pretzels in the jetway.

It’s a reminder that Columbus travelers are resilient — we’ll wait out any delay, as long as there’s Jeni’s in Concourse B.

→ Full “Getting There” column

🏫 Columbus City Schools: Big Decisions Ahead

The Columbus City School Board is weighing the closure of four additional schools and possible changes to its “lottery” busing program. The moves aim to address a $50 million deficit and refocus resources on neighborhood schools.

It’s one of those moments that makes you realize how deeply schools shape neighborhoods—and vice versa.

Board President Michael Cole put it this way: “We’re not trying to take away student choice; we want to ensure neighborhoods are stronger again.”

The district plans three public forums later this month to get community feedback. Because in Columbus, education is everyone’s conversation.

→ Read the Dispatch story

🌳 Remembering Chuck White — The Voice of “Mr. Tree”

If you grew up in Columbus and ever watched Luci’s Toyshop, you probably remember the wise, gentle voice of Mr. Tree. That voice belonged to Chuck White—a broadcasting legend, Emmy winner, and one of Ohio’s first Black on-air personalities—who passed away this month at 90.

White spent five decades at 10TV, producing, anchoring, and mentoring countless others. But his greatest legacy may have been his kindness. Through the 10TV Family Fund, he helped feed over 90,000 central Ohio families.

He once said, “Television connects people—but it’s what we do with that connection that defines us.” Columbus won’t forget.

→ Full remembrance

🍕 The Pizza House Finally Claims the Crown

After years of coming close, The Pizza House finally claimed first place in the Pizza Connoisseurs of Columbus annual poll (that’s 70,000 local voters—no small pizza).

JT’s Pizza & Pub and Terita’s rounded out the top three, while Hounddog’s proudly clung to its cult following like extra cheese.

Congrats to The Pizza House for their long-earned victory—proof that in Columbus, persistence (and pepperoni) pays off.

→ Read the list

🎃 Circleville Pumpkin Show: Giant Gourds & Giant Hearts

Every October, downtown Circleville transforms into a pumpkin metropolis—streets lined with orange orbs, cinnamon sugar, and community pride. This year’s winning pumpkin?

A whopping 1,972 pounds grown by Mike and Dusti Helberg, earning them $3,000 and statewide bragging rights.

The event runs through the 18th, so grab a pumpkin donut, snag a selfie, and remember: in Ohio, we don’t carve pumpkins—we celebrate them.

→ Circleville Pumpkin Show details

💎 Hidden Gems & Local Legends

☕ The Roosevelt Coffeehouse

Roosevelt Coffeehouse isn’t just a café—it’s a mission disguised as a caffeine fix. Every latte supports causes like clean water, hunger relief, and anti-human trafficking efforts.

Step inside and you’ll find exposed brick, reclaimed wood, and espresso shots that actually make you feel good twice.

🍝 Marcella’s Short North

Back and better than ever, Marcella’s reopened its refreshed Short North location, glowing like a neighborhood reunion spot. From clinking glasses to weekday happy hours (4–6 PM), it’s the kind of place that turns pasta into poetry.

🍷 The Refectory

Tucked away on Bethel Road, The Refectory has been Columbus’s fine-dining soul for decades—25 consecutive years of AAA Four Diamond ratings, and yet somehow it still feels like home. Perfect lighting, perfect pairings, and servers who remember your name even if it’s been months. (Visit: refectory.com)

🎶 Live Music & Entertainment

Alright, Cbus—here’s your day-by-day fall fun map. From prog metal to patio trivia, we’ve got something for every mood and music taste.

Friday, October 17TH

🎸 Dream Theater @ Palace Theatre

The prog-rock titans celebrate their 40th anniversary with cosmic solos and time signatures your math teacher would envy.

→ Feel the riffs

🎭 Nightmares Film Festival @ Gateway Film Center

One of the best genre film fests in the country turns 10. Horror, community, and the friendliest screams you’ll ever hear.

→ Get spooky

Saturday, October 18TH

🎃 Circleville Pumpkin Show @ Circleville

Pumpkin pizza, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin glory. Family vibes, small-town joy, and a gourd weighing nearly a ton.

→ Go full pumpkin

🏃 Jesse Owens 5K Kickoff @ North Bank Park

Part of marathon weekend—runners take off under the downtown skyline to honor an Ohio legend.

→ Cheer them on

🎨 High Spirits Art + Music Festival @ Warehouse District

An all-day collision of alternative art, punk pop, and street vendors—Beauty School Dropout and Call Me Karizma headline.

→ Join the chaos

Sunday, October 19TH

🪄 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Touring) @ Ohio Theatre

The magic returns to Columbus — no Floo Powder required. ✨

→ Get cozy

Monday, October 20TH

✍️ Speculative Fiction Writers’ Group @ Lane Road Library (Hickory Room)

Calling all world-builders, story dreamers, and sci-fi scribes — your creative coven awaits

→ Make connections

Tuesday, October 21ST

🍺 Trivia + Movie Night @ Land-Grant Brewing Co.

Classic film screenings paired with local brews and brainy competition. (This week: The Goonies.)

→ Grab a pint

🎶 The Complete History of Indie Rock w/ Chris DeVille @ McConnell Arts Center

A love letter to guitars, rebellion, and mixtape culture. Come ready to reminisce.

→ Attend the talk

Wednesday, October 22ND

📖 Bible Study: The Beatitudes @ Panera Bread

Open discussion, hot coffee, and reflection on humility and heart. All welcome.

→ Join the circle

Thursday, October 23RD

🎥 Sunset Movie: Wicked @ Columbus Commons

Free movie night under the skyline—bring blankets, hot cocoa, and your inner theater kid.

→ Sing along quietly… or not

🎬 Cult Movie Night: Hocus Pocus @ Mikey’s Late Night Slice OSU

Pizza, blankets, and Bette Midler—truly the holy trinity of fall nights.

→ Get spooky-silly

Friday, October 24TH

🎸 Rearrange Things with George Barrett @ Southern Theatre

Local singer-songwriter and business leader celebrates his new album in a soulful, story-rich performance.

→ Experience the mix

🎶 Tab Benoit @ Lincoln Theatre

Louisiana blues with grit, soul, and guitar solos that sound like thunder over the bayou.

→ Hear the storm

🚗 Topic of the Week: “Fall Feels Like Home”

It’s funny how this city can feel so big one minute—new towers, packed highways, planes streaking overhead—and then, as soon as October hits, it shrinks into something softer. Something personal.

You walk past Schiller Park on a foggy morning and hear laughter from the playground. You see runners practicing for the marathon, faces focused, strangers cheering them on anyway.

You drive to Circleville and pass families lining Main Street for pumpkin pie and parades that haven’t changed in fifty years.

Columbus in fall isn’t about spectacle — it’s about connection.

It’s in the way the barista at Roosevelt remembers your name and asks if you’re “doing the half or full” this weekend. It’s the marathon volunteers in yellow vests clapping for every single runner.

It’s the way the leaves seem to linger on High Street, like they don’t want to miss the next thing.

Maybe that’s what makes this season feel like home—it invites you to slow down and notice the small stuff. The smell of wet leaves in Victorian Village. The hush before the starter pistol downtown. The shared awe at a pumpkin nearly a ton heavy.

We’re all part of the same small-town-in-a-big-city rhythm, even if we don’t realize it until the air turns crisp.

👉 What’s your Columbus fall ritual? Do you run, bake, sip, spectate, or just wander? Reply and tell me—I’ll feature a few next week.

🍁 See You Next Week

So here’s your friendly reminder: don’t just scroll this week. Show up.

Go where the music hums, where the pumpkins glow, where the people wave just because.

Because this time of year, Columbus isn’t just a city—it’s a neighborhood with 900,000 porches.

Until next Friday,
Stay curious. Stay caffeinated.

— Nate
Columbus Curiosity