FREE EVENT
Art & Adventure on Jefferson Avenue
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th FROM 1-5 PM ON JEFFERSON AVENUE
This event is hosted by Columbus Landmarks Foundation, Thurber House, and Jefferson Avenue Center. Check in is at Thurber Center (91 Jefferson Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215).
ABOUT THE EVENT
Join us for Art & Adventure on Jefferson Avenue! The Jefferson Avenue Center is a historic campus of nonprofit organizations, including Thurber House and Columbus Landmarks Foundation.
Festivities include plein air painting, a fairy door trail, a scavenger hunt, and FREE guided and self-guided tours of Thurber House. End the day with a community reception from 4-5 pm. Enjoy art, exploration, history, and community in one dynamic event. Artists, families, and art enthusiasts are welcome at this free event.
This event will be held in connection with the 2024 Ohio Open Doors celebration. Ohio Open Doors shares stories of important landmarks, highlighting the history and unique nature of some of Ohio’s most treasured places. During Open Doors Ohio, building and landmarks are open to the public for special tours, events, and programming.
This FREE event is hosted by Columbus Landmarks Foundation, Thurber House, and Jefferson Avenue Center. Check in is at Thurber Center (91 Jefferson Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215).
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This event will take place on the Jefferson Avenue Campus from 1:00-5:00 pm. Please check in at Thurber Center (91 Jefferson Ave., Columbus, OH 43215).
‣ Free Guided and Self-Guided Tours of Thurber House | Thurber House | 1:00-5:00 pm
Founded in 1984, Thurber House (77 Jefferson Ave., Columbus, OH 43215) is a nonprofit literary arts center, James Thurber museum, historic landmark, and gathering place for readers, writers, and artists of all ages. Our historic building has been restored to look the way it did when the Thurber family lived here in the early 1900s. Don't miss our gift shop for fun collectibles, t-shirts, and more!
‣ Plein Air Painting | Campus-Wide | 1:00-3:30 pm
Stroll around the Jefferson Avenue Center campus and experience art in the open! Artists will be hard at work creating “en plein air,” or in the open air. Join the artists at the community reception for the opportunity to purchase their artwork!
‣ Urban Strings Performance | Thurber Park | 3:15 pm
Join us in Thurber Park to experience the sounds of Urban Strings. Urban Strings Columbus recruits and supports underserved, urban, African American and Minority Youth to become string musicians and perform all genres of music, from classical, sacred, R&B, hip hop, and contemporary music, including music by African American composers and arrangers.
‣ Historical Jefferson Avenue Guided Tours | Campus-Wide | 1:00-4:00 pm
Discover the Jefferson Avenue Center and learn about its rich history and community impact. The Jefferson Avenue Center occupies one block of historic and new buildings on the east side of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Thurber Park, located in the center of the campus, is a Columbus public park that provides green space and a gazebo.
‣ Scavenger Hunt | Campus-Wide | 1:00-4:00 pm
Check in at Thurber Center (91 Jefferson Avenue) to start the scavenger hunt. Turn in completed page for a prize and entry into the gift basket drawing.
‣ Fairy Door Trail | Campus-Wide | 1:00-4:00 pm
Check in at Thurber Center (91 Jefferson Avenue) to receive your Fairy Door Trail Map. Turn in completed page for a prize and entry into the gift basket drawing.
‣ Community Reception | Thurber Center | 4:00-5:00 pm
Join the artists at Thurber Center (91 Jefferson Ave., Columbus, OH 43215) for light bites as we conclude the event. You'll also have the opportunity to browse and purchase their artwork.
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This event will be held on the Jefferson Avenue Center campus (GPS: 91 Jefferson Ave., Columbus, OH 43215).
Parking on Jefferson Avenue: Free, easy street parking is available all along the Jefferson Avenue oval. Note: only the spots along the one-way oval are free; the spots along the two-way ends of Jefferson Avenue (near Broad Street and Long Street) are not free.
Parking off N. 11th Street (behind Thurber House): Free visitor parking is available in the small lot directly behind Thurber House, accessible off N. 11th Street and located here. There is no time limit as long as you are visiting Thurber House/Jefferson Avenue Center. All other parking lots do not belong to Thurber House and you may be towed.
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The first floor of Thurber Center and Thurber House are handicap/wheelchair accessible, including the first floor restrooms.
How to reach the wheelchair ramp for Thurber House:
If you park on Jefferson Avenue: There is a slight curb (some wheelchairs can navigate this). The closest “ramp” cut is the entrance to the large parking lot on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Long Street (here). Follow the sidewalk through the Thurber House front gate. Take the sidewalk around the left side of the House. The entrance to the wheelchair ramp is near the rear corner of the House (here).
If you park in the Thurber House rear parking lot: Follow the sidewalk between the handicap parking signs (here). The sidewalk will take you around the north side of our multipurpose building, Thurber Center. Continue east past Thurber Center toward the street (Jefferson Avenue) and turn right toward Thurber House. Follow the sidewalk through the Thurber House front gate and around the left side of the House. The entrance to the wheelchair ramp is near the rear corner of the House (here).
How to reach the wheelchair ramp for Thurber Center:
If you park on Jefferson Avenue: There is a slight curb (some wheelchairs can navigate this). The closest “ramp” cut is the entrance to the large parking lot on the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Long Street (here). Follow the sidewalk through the Thurber Center front gate. Take the sidewalk around the porch on the right side of the building. The entrance to the wheelchair ramp will appear on your left, past the porch.
If you park in the Thurber House rear parking lot: Follow the sidewalk between the handicap parking signs (here). The sidewalk will take you around the north side of our multipurpose building, Thurber Center. The ramp will appear on your right and leads up to the front porch.
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For any questions that are not answered here, please email Jess Cox at jcox@thurberhouse.org or call 614-412-5955.
‣ Do I need to register? Yes. Please register here.
‣ Is this event appropriate for kids? Yes! All ages are welcome to enjoy our music, activities, tours, and festivities.
‣ Are you offering guided tours of Thurber House? Yes, Thurber House will offer FREE guided and self-guided tours during this event.
‣ Do I need to wear a mask? Masking is optional, but this policy is subject to change. Please check this page for any updates about masking.
‣ Will there be a bathroom? Yes, accessible bathrooms will be available.
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Disclaimer: Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by event and program speakers in all mediums are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Thurber House, its affiliates, or its staff/board.