Here's what's happening this weekend in central Ohio
Downtown Columbus has regretfully canceled its kickoff event to the UnderCurrent series, which was scheduled for Friday evening, due to forecasted thunderstorms. Stay tuned here and at downtowncolumbus.com/projects-initiatives/undercurrent for details about a possible rescheduled date.
In happier news for sci-fi and fantasy fanatics, Marcon will roll into town on Friday for three days of panels, presentations, discussions, signings, tabletop and video gaming and more.
On Sunday, Columbus Metropolitan Library's Carnegie Author Series will host bestselling author and columnist Lisa Scottoline ("Loyalty" is the latest of her 30-plus novels) at the main branch. Admission is free, but registration is required.
In addition to these events, there's more to do around central Ohio and you can read all about these local happenings below. To receive these ideas in your inbox each week, sign up for the Life in the 614 newsletter.
Franklin Park Conservatory to flash back to the 1990s
The Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St., goes retro with "It's Gonna Be May," a Cocktails at the Conservatory event from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday. In addition to popular cocktails from the era, festivities include '90s cover tunes by The Wet Bandits, trivia and other games, including Yahtzee, Twister, hopscotch, Double Dutch and classic arcade games like Donkey Kong and Super Mario.
Nineties attire is encouraged, so dust off your favorite neon, flannel and denim! Open to 21 and older with valid ID. The cost is $35 general public and $30 for members. Reservations are required; tickets will not be sold at the door. (fpconservatory.org/events)
MadLab to present 16 works in 'Roulette' retrospective
MadLab's "Roulette 25: A Radical Retrospective" celebrates 25 years of Theatre Roulette, central Ohio's longest-running short-play festival by restaging some of the company's most impactful productions.
Sixteen plays are categorized into three themes, each of which includes several plays. "Faded Families," with five plays, is to be presented at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 24 and June 1. "Lethal Liaisons," which includes five plays, is to be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, May 25 and May 30 and 2 p.m. June 1.
Six plays comprise "Twisted Tongues," which is to be presented at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 23 and May 31 and 4 p.m. June 1. All performances are to be at MadLab, 227 N. 3rd St. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $17 for students and seniors and $15 for MadLab members. A limited number of discounted passes for all three nights are also available. (madlab.net)
UnderCurrent events to offer fun under 'Current'
(Editor's note: This event has been canceled due to forecasted inclement weather.)
UnderCurrent, an event series being launched by Downtown Columbus, Inc., begins with a collaboration with the Columbus Museum of Art to bring the museum’s next BAM (Bar, Art, Music) event on Gay Street, between High and Wall streets from 5-9 p.m. Friday.
Like its name, the series takes place directly under “Current,” the cloudlike nylon sculpture by Janet Echelman that was installed last year. BAM offers a live DJ and dance party, interactive photo booth, live painting, food trucks, games and a cash bar. Admission is free. (downtowncolumbus.com)
Long-running convention to bring sci-fi, fantasy to town
Marcon, Ohio’s oldest science fiction and fantasy convention, holds its 59th annual gathering, with panel discussions, author signings, videos and dealers’ room from 4 p.m. to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Crowne Plaza Columbus North, 6500 Doubletree Ave., Worthington.
Guests include author Joelle Presby (“The Dabare Snake Launcher”), poet-podcaster Jarod K. Anderson (“Leaf Litter”), game designer/author Thomas Pope (“Manticore Ascendant”), author Evan Dicken (“Analog” magazine), harpist duo Volfgang Twins, costume-prop-creator TK Bear, war game designer Christopher Weuve, fantasy illustrator Jasmine Stevens and rap duo 2d6.
Tickets cost $70 at the door for the weekend ($45 for children 6-12), or $33 Friday, $45 Saturday and $20 Sunday. (marcon.org)
Neighborhood festivals to kick off on Near East Side
The latest series of Cap City Festivals, which have been held by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department for more than a decade, will be hosted in various Columbus neighborhoods through August, offering free food and live music performances.
The series kicks off on Saturday at Saunders Park, 1380 Atcheson St., on the Near East Side. From 3-7 p.m. festivalgoers can enjoy music by DJ Sonicc Blush, food from Donatos, Johnson's Ice Cream and Al's Delicious Popcorn and activities for all ages, such as a climbing wall, inflatables, a zip line and more. Admission is free. (columbusrecparks.com/capcity)
Breath of Hope Ohio to hold yearly gala
Breath of Hope Ohio (BOHO), a nonprofit dedicated to bringing hope to those diagnosed with lung cancer, hosts its annual gala from 6-9 p.m. Saturday in the Archie M. Griffin Grand Ballroom of the Ohio Union, 1739 N High St, at The Ohio State University.
Activities include pharmaceutical-treatment information, a survivors’ reception, a buffet-style dinner, music and silent and live auctions. Featured speakers are Dr. David Carbone, director of The James Thoracic Oncology Center; Barbara J. Bonner, chair of lung cancer research, co-director of the Translational Therapeutics Program and past president of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC); and Kim Norris, co-founder of the Lung Cancer Foundation of America (LCFA). Tickets start at $150. (bit.ly/4amkr1c)
Illuminati ensemble to sing sacred and spiritual songs
The Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus (CGMC) is hosting a special concert by its sacred ensemble, Illuminati, one of the only LGBTQ+ sacred ensembles in the United States.
The group is to present its annual full-length concert, "Songs of the Spirit," at 2 p.m. Sunday at Worthington United Methodist Church, 600 High St., Worthington. The program consists of sacred and spiritual music (not exclusively Christian) with an increased presence of instrumentation as opposed to prior years.
Illuminati is just one ensemble of the CGMC, which has been an outlet for LGBTQ+ community members who love to sing in a nonauditioned, inclusive environment since 1990. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $10 for children. (cgmc.com)
Carnegie Author Series to feature Lisa Scottoline
The Carnegie Author Series at the Columbus Metropolitan Library main branch, 96 S. Grant Ave., continues with New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline at 2 p.m. Sunday in the library's Reading Room.
Scottoline has penned 35 novels including her latest, "Loyalty," written book reviews for major newspapers and taught a course she developed, “Justice and Fiction,” at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, her alma mater.
"Chick Wit," her weekly column written with her daughter Francesca Serritella, has run in the Philadelphia Inquirer for 15 years. The event is free, but registration is required. (columbuslibrary.org/special-events)
Wind symphony to preview summer offerings
The Dublin Wind Symphony gives a sneak peek of its summer program during "Concert in the Park: A Summer Preview" at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Dublin Scioto High School Marina Davis Performing Arts Center, 4000 Hard Road, Dublin.
Doors open at 2:30 p.m. The 100-member wind symphony is a standard concert band composed of woodwinds, brass and percussion instrumentalists. The group's diverse repertoire consists of American and international symphonic band literature, classic marches, show tunes and other contemporary pieces. Admission is free; donations are appreciated. (dublinbands.com)
Bobby Floyd to usher in Wine Down Wednesdays
The third season of Wine Down Wednesdays at the Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St., kicks off May 22 with specialty cocktails, specially curated wines and delicious hors d'oeuvres, along with live music by local jazz great Bobby Floyd.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and the performance begins at 6:45 p.m. Floyd has performed worldwide and worked with artists including Ray Charles, Chuck Mangione, Branford Marsalis and Mavis Staples. He also is a frequent soloist with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra.
Tickets are $32 and can be purchased at the CBUSArts Ticket Center, 39 E. State St., by phone at 614-469-0939 or online. (lincolntheatrecolumbus.com)
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 10 things to do this weekend in Columbus
