What's happening in Columbus this weekend? Here are 10 cool events to check out

Barbie fans can live the dream on Saturday, when a truckload of related merchandise literally rolls into town! The Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour will swing into Columbus for a daylong stop at Easton Town Center, where it will be parked near Crate & Barrel with a slew of exclusive items for sale.

Festivals are still in full swing, from Delaware's CREATE! community arts event and the Merion Village Festival to WAG! Fest, which will give Columbus-area canines a break from the dog days of summer. Also, the Columbus Fiery Foods Festival will spice up things for local foodies!

There's more in store this weekend and you can read about it all below! To receive these weekend fun ideas in your inbox each week, sign up for the Life in the 614 newsletter.

Axis to welcome 'Dragnificent' star

Fans of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars” will recognize Alexis Michelle as a season 9 contestant. They’re also familiar as the star of TLC’s makeover series “Dragnificent!” Now they’ll be known to an even wider audience at Axis on High, 775 N. High St. on Friday. Doors open at 9 p.m. Outside of drag, they’re called Alex Michaels, whose first love is theater and performing music. They have appeared in several off-Broadway shows as well as regional/national tours for “Hair,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Oklahoma,” and released an album, “Lovefool,” on Broadway Records. General admission tickets to see Alexis Michelle begin at $20. Meet-and-greet tickets and VIP packages also are available. (axisonhigh.com)

Guitar royalty to play King of Clubs

When Jimi Hendrix died on Sept. 18, 1970, a guitarist was born in Swedish 7-year-old Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck. More than five decades later, the man now known as Yngwie Malmsteen is a world-famous neoclassical musician with more than 20 albums to his name. Named by numerous sources as one of the greatest electric guitar players of all time, Malmsteen will perform with Glenn Hughes at The King of Clubs, 6252 Busch Blvd., at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Malmsteen cites Ritchie Blackmore, not Hendrix, as his greatest guitar influence, and also was inspired by classical composers like Bach, Paganini and Vivaldi. General admission tickets are $30.00 in advance (plus a $6.92 service fee); the cost is $5 more at the door. (tkoc.live)

Barbie truck to haul in exclusive merch

If you're a Barbie girl (or guy) living in a Barbie world, you won't want to miss the Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour when it cruises into Easton Town Center, 160 Easton Town Center, on Saturday. The truck will be parked near Crate & Barrel from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., offering Barbie fans access to exclusive apparel, home goods and accessories including hoodies, denim jackets, throw blankets, totes, jewelry and keychains, coasters, tumblers, mugs and more. There also will be photo ops in front of the colorful, flower power-themed Barbie truck. The Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour comes on the heels of the 60th anniversary of Barbie moving into her first Dreamhouse in 1962. (facebook.com/BarbieTruckTour)

Fiery foods to bring the heat to Genoa Park

Prepare to torch your taste buds at the Columbus Fiery Foods Festival, which has earned a reputation as a sensation destination for spice enthusiasts, venturesome foodies and families seeking flavor and fun. The free fest will put your mettle to the test from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday in Genoa Park, 303 W. Broad St. More adventurous attendees can register online for contests to gobble spicy hot dogs, hot pizza, hot wings and hot peppers. The event also features an artisan market and entertainment. A portion of the proceeds benefits the children’s charity CD102.5 for the Kids. (columbusfieryfoods.com)

Boardman Arts Park invites all to CREATE!

Everyone can be an artist at CREATE! This free community event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday in Boardman Arts Park, 154 W. William St., Delaware. Guests can work on projects guided by skilled instructors, watch a variety of arts demonstrations, and take part in crafts like take-home art. Collaborative projects will range from a large-scale paint-by-number to bottle cap art. Demos will include pottery-throwing, paint-pouring, woodcarving, Tai Chi, chainsaw art, and more. Additionally, there will be hands-on crafts like face-painting and magnet art, as well as food trucks and art for sale. Attendees also will have the chance to paint a car belonging to Boardman Arts Park Director Roxanne Amidon. Those planning to attend should RSVP online. (boardmanartspark.org)

WAG! Fest offers a paw-some time for pups

Thousands of dogs and their human besties are expected at WAG! Fest, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Darby Bend Lakes Area of Prairie Oaks Metro Park, 2755 Amity Road, Hilliard, on Saturday — National Dog Day. The event, North America's largest one-day dog festival, will include more than 80 vendors, a lake for dogs to swim, an ice castle for canine cool-offs and more. The WAG! Marketplace offering products, services, and samples from pet retailers, veterinarians, doggie day cares, pet photographers, groomers, trainers and more. Local rescues and shelters also will be on hand to educate aspiring dog parents on the adoption process. Free. (wagfest.com)

'The Gift of Music' drive on through Sept. 3

From Saturday through Sept. 3, new or gently used instruments, amplifiers and other music equipment (e.g., strings, music stands, etc.) can be donated to give "The Gift of Music" to local schools and after-school programs. Since 2019, Music Columbus' annual drive has collected more than 2,200 instruments with an estimated value of $327,000. All donations are tax-deductible. Don't have an instrument? Then you can donate via Music Columbus' GoFundMe page. A list of drop-off locations and times is on the organization's website. (musiccolumbus.com)

Merion Village to host rain-or-shine fest

The annual outdoor Merion Village Festival will feature a broad assortment of offerings from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday in Moeller Park, 281 Hanford St. Whether the weather brings sunshine or rain, visitors can enjoy a free-to-attend day of makers, retail, services and nonprofit vendors, live music and performances, interactive art, activities for children, and a silent auction. Food, desserts and beverages will be provided by trucks from Chilljoy, Explorer's Club, Paddy Wagon, Pitabilities and Tortilla Street Food, as well as Parsons North's beer garden. All proceeds from this event benefit the Merion Village Association, a 501(c)(3) civic organization. (merionvillage.org/festival)

Sundays at Scioto concerts to get underway

Well-known Columbus '80s party band the Reaganomics will be the main attraction at the first of four "live & local" performances in the Dublin Arts Council's Sundays at Scioto concert series. The fun kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Sunday in Scioto Park, 7377 Riverside Drive. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnics are welcome at the free event, which also will feature food trucks from The Columbus Coffee Co. and A Cut Above - Schnitzel & More. Please arrive early; the park will close when at capacity. If free onsite parking is full, guests are urged to find nearby public parking and use rideshare services. More details about parking and upcoming concerts are online. (dublinarts.org)

Shakti coming to the Palace with Bèla Fleck

World music masters Shakti, featuring founding members British guitarist John McLaughlin and Indian percussionist Zakir Hussain, will bring their 50th anniversary tour to the Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Touring in support of their latest release, "In This Moment," Shakti also includes vocalist Shankar Mahadevan, violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan and percussionist Selvaganesh Vinayakram. The show will be opened by innovative banjo virtuoso Bèla Fleck, who has reimagined the banjo from a bluegrass instrument to explore jazz, classical, rock, and various world music genres. Tickets are $44-$129, and there is an eight-ticket limit per person or household. (cbusarts.com)

bpaschal@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 10 things to do in Columbus this weekend