Fall for the Arts is an annual celebration of art, music and creativity held in Downtown Columbus, Nebraska. For one day, businesses become the galleries and downtown becomes the stage, with artists, musicians and performers featured at locations throughout the downtown area.
Visitors are invited to stroll from venue to venue, discovering visual artists, live music, performances, exhibits and other creative experiences along the way. Local businesses and community spaces become part of the festival, creating an opportunity to experience the arts while exploring all that Downtown Columbus has to offer.
Fall for the Arts is free and family-friendly and is designed to bring artists, businesses, residents and visitors together for a day that celebrates creativity and community.
The festival also helps bring attention to efforts to restore Columbus' historic Downtown Theatre and the role the arts can play in the continued revitalization of downtown.
Planning is already underway for Fall for the Arts 2027! Watch for more details as next year's artists, musicians, venues and activities begin to come together. We hope you'll join us and Fall for the Arts all over again!
Founded in 2026
Fall for the Arts debuted in 2026 as a new celebration of art, music and creativity in Downtown Columbus.
Organized by Columbus in Action, the festival was created around a simple idea: turn downtown into the festival itself. Rather than gathering everything in one location, downtown businesses and community spaces became galleries and performance venues, giving visitors an opportunity to stroll from place to place while experiencing visual art, live music, performances and other creative activities.
That idea inspired the festival’s signature message: “Businesses become the galleries. Downtown becomes the stage.”
The inaugural event was held September 19, 2026, bringing together local and regional artists, musicians, downtown businesses and community organizations for a free, family-friendly day of creativity.
Fall for the Arts was also created to help bring greater awareness to efforts to restore Columbus’ historic Downtown Theatre while encouraging people to experience and explore Downtown Columbus.
With the first Fall for the Arts now in the books, planning is already underway for 2027, with the goal of continuing to build an annual event that celebrates the arts, supports downtown and brings the community together.
