This Sunday, coffee lovers of Ohio will flock to Ohio Village for the third annual Columbus Coffee Fest.
The festival, organized and hosted by online media outlet Columbus Underground, gives attendees a chance to taste a variety of coffees from roasters across the state. Guests will also have the chance to enjoy food trucks, live entertainment and multiple interactive experiences.
Megan Green, director of events at Columbus Underground, said Columbus Coffee Fest is a showcase of the craft of coffee and a great way for attendees to learn more about coffee.
“The roasters and baristas who join us are talented and passionate about it,” Green said. “They can speak about the origin of where their beans come from, what they specialize in and that just gives a deeper, richer — pun intended — experience while you’re enjoying your coffee.”
The festival — which is expected to attract over 3,000 guests — started in 2016 after Columbus Underground noticed a steady increase in the number of coffee roasters in Columbus, said Walker Evans, co-founder of Columbus Underground.
“We figured there could be a cool event that’s kind of an experiential version of that trend that we could help produce,” Evans said. “Our readers [and the] larger community would have the opportunity to sample and explore all the different types of coffee being produced by small business owners here in Columbus.”
The festival kicks off Saturday with “Brewed!,” a celebration of coffee and beer. Guests will receive six drink tickets to sample coffee-flavored beer. Combustion Brewery & Taproom, Canton Brewing Company, Stauf’s Coffee Roasters, Bacca Coffee and Backroom Coffee Roasters will be in attendance.
Sunday marks the main day of the Columbus Coffee Festival, and is filled to the brim with coffee-tasting opportunities. Crimson Cup, Roosevelt Coffeehouse and Stauf’s are some of the local vendors and roasters who will be brewing up coffee for attendees.
Columbus Coffee Fest has also expanded to feature roasters from across Ohio, Green said, including Red Cedar Coffee from Berea, Ohio, Akron Coffee Roasters from Akron and Coffee Emporium from Cincinnati.
While sipping on coffee, guests can indulge in local food vendors, including Coco Cat Bakery & Treats, Peace Love & Little Donuts and Mikey’s Late Night Slice. Bands will be performing at four stages on the festival grounds, and every 30 minutes a poet will perform.
Interactive activities, such as a giant outdoor crossword puzzle, giant Sudoku and a maze, are also available for guests to participate in. A maker’s tent with locally made goods will provide shopping opportunities for festival attendees as well.
The festival will take place Sunday, Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Ohio Village, 800 E. 17th Ave.
