As August slips away, students likely look toward fall with equal parts apprehension and excitement. Even if temperatures drop, the number of available opportunities to explore Columbus — as well as its neighboring areas — remains high. Click on the title of any event for more information. 

Please note: Admission prices are listed before taxes/fees. 

Experience Greek lifestyle and culture at this year’s Columbus Greek Festival, hosted by the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in downtown Columbus. Returning for its 50th anniversary, the vibrant event will once again offer guests a deliciously wide range of Greek eats, from moussaka to baklava sundaes. Additional components include periodic dance performances and a wedding fashion exhibit.

Held every September — which happens to be National Honey Month — the Lithopolis Honeyfest is a cheerful celebration of bees’ environmental importance. Visitors can sample a rich variety of honey courtesy of Ohio-based beekeeping vendors like Bee Man Apiaries and Combs Bee Farm; a honey bake-off, photography contest and live music are likewise part of the fun.

Drop by the Ohio Expo Center for Columbus Oktoberfest, an annual bash that honors the city’s German heritage. The three-day festival boasts an “Art & Craft Marktplatz,” “Craft Bier Garten” and a series of “Gemütlichkeit Games,” among other happenings. 

The Columbus Serbian Festival — a staple event for the St. Stevan of Dechani Serbian Orthodox Church, located on North Cassady Avenue — is sure to delight attendees with a powerful surge of Serbian flavor. Spit-roasted lamb and apple strudel are just two mouthwatering items on the 2023 menu.

A coffee lover’s paradise, the Columbus Coffee Festival is known for its wide selection of Midwestern brews. Vendors local to Ohio — The Lady Dylan Vintage, Staircase Ceramics, Columbus’ own Prologue Bookshop and more — will enhance the fest’s already warm atmosphere. 

Cartoons and comics often stir up feelings of nostalgia, passion and creativity. Cartoon Crossroads Columbus, also known as CXC, is planned with these exact values in mind. One of this year’s special guests will be Ohio State alum Derf Backderf, an acclaimed comics creator who has authored “Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio,” “My Friend Dahmer,” and more. 

Many people might not consider Columbus a fashion hotspot, but Fashion Week Columbus aims to prove the naysayers wrong. Some runway shows lined up for 2023 are the “FWC23- 14th Annual High Fashion Tea Runway Show” Sept. 24, the “Passport 2 Fashion By The Spice Age” show Sept. 26 and the “Recycled Fashion Show by Nurtur” Sept. 27.