What's up this weekend? Here are 10 events to check out in Columbus and nearby

Once again, dinosaurs will roam the earth — or at least the main branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library — where a free, interactive exhibit of the largest land animals ever runs through the end of October.

There's also a flock of festivals coming to town: Grove City's Bourbon & Spirits Festival, 614 Funk Fest, and Tequila Fest Columbus, all taking place on Saturday. Or you can head to nearby Marysville for the All Ohio Balloon Fest, which takes to the skies Thursday through Saturday at the Union County Airport.

It's Wallen weekend as well, with country superstar Morgan Wallen doing a two-night stand at Ohio Stadium. If you hurry to Ticketmaster's website, you might still be able to score one of the few remaining tickets!

Keep reading for details about these and other fun events happening this weekend. To receive these ideas in your inbox each week, sign up for the Life in the 614 newsletter.

Jurassic giants stomp into Main Library

For the second year, a free-to-see display of dinosaurs has made a roaring return to the Columbus Metropolitan Library main branch, 96 S. Grant Ave. Bringing visitors of all ages up close and personal with a life-sized Stegosaurus, Carnotaurus, Citipati and three flying Tupuxuara (a toothless pterosaur), the interactive exhibit of models provided by BPI, Inc. is on view through Oct. 30. A variety of activities and special staff-led programs will accompany the exhibit, and staff will have dinosaur books available to check out. (columbuslibrary.org)

Balloon Fest to float into Marysville

Grab a lawn chair and head to Marysville for three days of balloon launches and nightly glows (weather permitting), plus helicopter rides, live music, kids’ activities, food vendors and more at the All Ohio Balloon Fest. The annual event will be held Thursday through Saturday at the Union County Airport, 15000 Weaver Road. Tickets for the fest are: Thursday (The Beach Boys): preferred admission $119.99, general admission $46.99; Friday (The Wallflowers): preferred admission $49.99, VIP admission $89.99, general admission $21.99; Saturday: general admission $10.99. Admission on Friday and Saturday is free for kids 10 and younger. Ticket sales at the gate are cash-only; there will be an ATM on site. Parking is $5; VIP parking is $20.99 on Friday and Saturday. Accessible parking also will be available, and the grounds are wheelchair-friendly. Proceeds from the fest will benefit Marysville's Hope Center. (allohioballoonfest.com)

Homegrown horror coming to Gateway

Sunny, a misfit in a family of survivalists, sets out to prove she's "one of them" by taking on a Pro-Am obstacle course race that soon becomes a game of survival in a new satirical horror comedy by Columbus filmmaker Hope Madden. Featuring locations in Columbus, a female-led crew and mostly local cast, "Obstacle Corpse" is scheduled to run for a week beginning Friday at Gateway Film Center, 1550 N. High St. Madden presented the 85-minute movie at the 2022 Nightmares Film Festival at Gateway, the 2023 Cinema Columbus Film Festival, and other festivals across the U.S. The lifelong horror fan also has published a novel, "Roost." She and George Wolf host "Fright Club Live," a big-screen extension of their podcast "Fright Club," each month at Gateway. Check the website for the film's showtimes. (gatewayfilmcenter.org)

Morgan Wallen to play two-nighter at the 'Shoe

Riding the crest of a wave of success that includes the No. 1 hit "Last Night" and several Top 10 singles in his brief career, country singer Morgan Wallen will headline two concerts at Ohio Stadium, 411 Woody Hayes Drive, this weekend. On Friday, he'll follow opening acts Riley Green and Ernest, then, on Saturday, his openers will be HARDY, Ernest, and Bailey Zimmerman. Both shows start at 5:30 p.m., with doors opening at 4 p.m. In March, Wallen's third studio album, "One Thing at a Time," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and all 36 of the album's tracks charted on the Billboard Hot 100, breaking rapper Drake's record (27) for more songs on the Hot 100 by one artist at the same time. At press time, limited tickets were available, beginning at $174.25 for Friday and $284.25 for Saturday. (ticketmaster.com)

Queen Bee Cabaret to create buzz at Sotto Terra

Classic burlesque from Cincinnati will come to Columbus on Friday, when Queen Bee Cabaret lands at Sotto Terra at The Sanctuary, 610-618 Neil Ave. Doors open at 8 p.m. At 9 p.m., it's on with the show, which will offer a full band and artists from around the region, including Chicago's Bobbeyonce, Indianapolis's JuJu Bone and Cincinnati’s Queen Bee, Madame Mira. Tickets are $25 general admission, and $40 VIP, which includes front table seating and a complimentary Bees Knees cocktail. (sottoterraatthesanctuarycom)

Bevy of beverages to flow at bourbon fest

The only thing better than learning how bourbon is created is sampling the finished product, and you can do both at the Heart of Grove City Bourbon & Spirits Festival, from 1-10 p.m. Saturday in the city's Historic Town Center, 3359 Park St. Visitors can taste libations from well-known heritage brands to up-and-coming craft distilleries while listening to live music and savoring snacks from various food trucks. The festival is inside the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA), where only beverages in DORA cups are allowed and protected by Grove City’s open-container laws. No cans, bottles or alcoholic beverages bought at non-DORA establishments are permitted within the DORA. Tickets, which are $30 for 8 tickets and a tasting cup, will be available the day of the event. Most tastings cost one ticket each, though some will require more. (heartofgrovecity.org)

Cameo, others to bring the funk to Columbus Commons

Flashback funk from Cameo, Zapp and the S.O.S. Band will get the audience shakin' their groove things (and probably saying, "Word up!") on Saturday during 614 Funk Fest at Columbus Commons, 160 S. High St. From 4-11 p.m. festgoers can boogie-oogie-oogie to hits from the '70s through '90s, grab a bite from on-site food trucks and sip their drinks of choice from a cash bar. (Artist lineup subject to change.) Attendees may bring camp/folding chairs. Tickets start at $85 and are available online, as well as at several Columbus businesses. See Facebook for ticket and parking details, and prohibited items. Proceeds will benefit the 22nd Foundation, which exposes low-opportunity youth to diverse sports options and healthy lifestyles through tennis, baseball, golf, lacrosse and field hockey, while teaching leadership, sportsmanship, confidence, discipline, courage, accountability and teamwork. (facebook.com/events/651601380148970)

Gravity to take a shot at Tequila Fest

If you've got limes and salt, then you're ready for Tequila Fest Columbus, where more than 50 different tequilas will be yours for the tasting at Gravity, 500 W. Broad St. The event, which is open to 21 and older with photo ID, will happen from 3-9 p.m. Saturday, with tequila sampling from 4-8 p.m. Other offerings will include a 50/50 raffle, beer and taco specials, a margarita bar and live entertainment. General admission is $55 online and $65 at the door (cash only); both include 12 sample tickets, food and souvenir flask. VIP admission is $125, which includes everything in the general ticket plus access to the VIP rooftop area and eight high-end tequilas. (tequilafestcolumbus.com)

Author Series welcomes Donte Woods-Spikes

Donte Woods-Spikes, a local author, artist, motivational speaker, filmmaker and community advocate, seeks to educate and connect people beyond perceptions and stereotypes through storytelling and documentation. He'll be the next guest in the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Sesquicentennial Author Series at 2 p.m. Sunday in the second-floor Reading Room at the main branch, 96 S. Grant Ave. Seating begins half an hour before the event. Woods-Spikes — called "a rare find" by mentor and fellow Columbus artist Richard Duarte Brown — is the author of "So Long: Unfinished Good-byes with the Children of COVID-19." Free parking is available in the library's attached garage. The event also is free, but registration is required. (columbuslibrary.org)

The Lincoln offers way to 'wine down'

Wine Down Wednesdays will continue Aug. 16 on the rooftop patio of the Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St., with a performance by Kevin D. Harris. The Columbus musician explores the close kinship between jazz and gospel, a marriage of styles evident from Louis Armstrong's interpretations of spirituals to the sacred music of Duke Ellington. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 6 p.m. Hors d'oeuvres and a specially curated wine selection or specialty cocktail also will be available. In the event of inclement weather, the show will be moved indoors to the Lincoln lobby. General admission tickets are $32. (lincolntheatrecolumbus.com; 614-469-0939)

bpaschal@dispatch.com

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