Where Great Design Meets Fall Vibes: Columbus, Indiana

If you love art, architecture and design, there is truly no better place to be this fall than Columbus, Indiana!

For decades Columbus has stood at the forefront of the global design conversation, a small Midwestern city whose architectural treasures rival those of the world’s largest cultural hubs.

That legacy continues this fall with Exhibit Columbus, a downtown design celebration that transforms streets, parks, and public spaces into a living gallery of creativity and conversation.

Next Generation Day – September 6

Families and young creatives won’t want to miss this interactive celebration at the Bartholomew County Public Library Plaza. The day begins with a program honoring local students involved in STEM and design education projects, highlighted by performances from the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and a dynamic dance ensemble.

Afterward, families can embark on the Yes And Scavenger Hunt, visiting all 13 installations across downtown. Complete the challenge to earn sweet treats from Lemonade Bros and Caypops, and a chance to win a grand prize. Throughout downtown you’ll see more than 30 miniature architectural models crafted by fifth- and sixth-grade students reimagining favorite Columbus buildings for the future.

The day concludes with Rock the Block, a high-energy community event that celebrates the finale of the Columbus Pride Festival. Together, these events create an inclusive and empowering space where residents and visitors alike can celebrate diversity, creativity, and local heritage in the heart of downtown

Miller Prize Conversations

Throughout the fall, Exhibit Columbus hosts intimate conversations with this year’s J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller Prize recipients.

More than lectures, these are rare opportunities to hear directly from visionary designers about their inspirations and the installations they created for the 2025 exhibition, Yes And. Each event begins with a reading by an Indiana Author Award–honored poet, followed by a moderated dialogue that explores the designers’ practices and their specific Exhibit Columbus works:

September 10 / with Adaptive Operations and Shannon Stratton – A deep dive into Accessing Nostalgia, the installation located at The Crump.

October 1 / with Studio Barnes and Joseph Zeal-Henry – A conversation about Joy Riding, the installation located at the Public Parking Garage.
October 15 / with Studio Cooke John and Julia van den Hout – Exploring Lift, the installation located at First Christian Church.
October 29 / with AD–WO and Billie Tsien – Examining Ellipsis, the installation located at the former Irwin Block Building.

Each evening begins with a community reception and concludes with an engaging Q&A, offering audiences the chance to interact directly with the designers shaping this year’s exhibition.

Credit: Photo: Hadley Fruits for Landmark Columbus Foundation

University Design Research Fellow Colloquium – October 9–10

This two-day event unites six University Design Research Fellows with national experts in placemaking for keynotes, panel discussions, and site visits. Attendees will gain insight into how academic research translates into installations that shape the quality of place in Columbus.

Presented in partnership with Indiana University’s J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program, the colloquium reinforces Columbus’ role as a national hub for design innovation and education.

Credit: Photo: Hadley Fruits for Landmark Columbus Foundation

Progressive Preservation Talks

Progressive Preservation Talks offer an inside look at Columbus’ architectural heritage, revealing untold stories and surprising details about some of the city’s most significant buildings. Blending history with forward-looking dialogue, these talks highlight how Columbus’ design legacy continues to evolve. This series is popular with design professionals and locals who want to learn more about the buildings they grew up with.

September 16 / Progressive Preservation Talk, Bartholomew County Jail Edition with Curt DeClue
September 23 / Progressive Preservation Talk, Smith Elementary School Edition with Glenda Winders
November 20 / Progressive Preservation Talk, Southside Elementary School Edition with Glenda Winders

Credit: Photo: Hadley Fruits for Landmark Columbus Foundation

Book Discussions

Progressive Preservation Talks Book Edition connects literature with architecture, offering in-depth discussions about key design publications:

September 11 / American Modern and Eventually Everything Connects by Landmark Columbus Foundation and Cranbrook Academy of Art
November 4 / What a Building Does: The Hoosier Modernisms of Evans Woollen by Phillip Cox and Niall Cronin

These talks invite both design professionals and casual enthusiasts to engage with architecture through the lens of storytelling and scholarship.

Gallery Shows

Alexander Girard, Reverberations — Forever

On display through November 7

Don’t miss this colorful exhibit at 411 Gallery, presented by the Columbus area Arts Council and curated by Rick Valicenti and Suzie Shin, friends of the Columbus design community. Alexander Girard, Reverberations — Forever celebrates the timeless influence of Alexander Girard, whose work is woven tightly throughout the town of Columbus, Indiana. As a close friend of the visionary Millers, J. Irwin and Xenia, Girard displayed a masterful touch across the iconic Miller House with his ability to blend art, architecture, and whimsy into everyday life. Impossibly, the colors, forms, and patterns hold a freshness that continues to inspire generations of artists and designers globally.

Poetics of Space

The Columbus Area Visitors Center is proud to present Poetics of Space, an exhibition by Indiana artist Lloyd Brooks, on view in Gallery 506 from September 10 – December 4, 2025.

Inspired by Columbus’s world-renowned modernist architecture, Brooks’ paintings explore the intimacy of designed spaces, rooms, piazzas, and landscapes, through form, color, and geometry. Drawing on Columbus’s design legacy, his work highlights the harmony of modernism and its resonance in everyday life.

A public reception will be held Tuesday, September 30, from 5:00–7:00 p.m. Guests can meet the artist, enjoy refreshments, and experience Brooks’ work alongside original poems by Indiana author S. L. Berry, offering visitors a layered artistic experience.

Select prints and postcards of the exhibition will also be available for purchase in the Visitors Center gift shop.

Beyond Design: Fall Festivals and Community Spirit

While Exhibit Columbus is the centerpiece, Columbus’ fall calendar is filled with events that celebrate culture, tradition, and community spirit. The Columbus Pride Festival (September 6) fills downtown with vibrant parades and inclusive celebrations, while Fiesta Latina (September 12) showcases Latin music, dance, and cuisine. That same month, the Scottish Festival (September 13–14) transports visitors to the Highlands with bagpipes, kilts, and traditional games.

For car enthusiasts, Hot Rods & Rock ’n’ Roll (September 20) combines classic cars with live rock music. Later in the month, the beloved Hope Heritage Days (September 26–28) highlights small-town Americana with crafts, local food, and family fun, followed closely by the first annual Octoberfest (September 26) with local beer, bratwurst, contests and more! Wrapping up that weekend is the Mill Race Marathon (September 27), a premier race that draws athletes from across the Midwest.

October brings culinary and cultural highlights: Taste of Columbus (October 2) offers signature dishes from local restaurants; the kidscommons 20th Anniversary Bash (October 3) celebrates two decades of hands-on learning and fun for children; and the Corn Maze Beer Fest (October 4) pairs craft beer with a uniquely Indiana fall tradition. The season culminates in the colorful Ethnic Expo (October 10), transforming downtown into a global marketplace with food, music, and performances from around the world.

Why Columbus This Fall?

From groundbreaking architectural installations to heritage festivals and culinary celebrations, Columbus offers a fall season where design and community intersect at every turn. Whether you’re drawn by the chance to explore world-class art in a small-town setting or eager to immerse yourself in a vibrant cultural calendar, this is the perfect moment to discover Columbus at its most inspiring.

Come for the design, stay for everything else.