Hype for the Future 51V: The Research Interests of novaTopFlex for Columbus, Ohio

Located within the City of Columbus is The Ohio State University, though the culture associated with the university largely extends into the overall area representing the University District, including Old North Columbus and Glen Echo in the northern part of the area. Further east is the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds, for which the Ohio RV and Boat Show, the Ohio National Poultry Show, the All American Quarter Horse Congress, Schmidt’s Columbus Oktoberfest, the All American Youth Horse Show, Scott Antique Markets, and the Ohio State Fair, just to name a few.

Typically, the events of the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds occur at different times throughout the year. In the case of the Ohio RV and Boat Show, mid-January is considered the typical timing. For the Ohio National Poultry Show, early-to-mid-November is the expected time of year. With respect to the All American Quarter Horse Congress, typical timing is late September through mid-October, following Schmidt’s Columbus Oktoberfest earlier on in September. The Scott Antique Markets are typically associated with the ends of November, December, January, February, and March; the All American Youth Horse Show with May; and the Ohio State Fair proper with the end of July and the beginning of August.

Hype for the Future 51K: The Columbus Area, Continued

The Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds

In 2026, the Ohio State Fair is slated to be scheduled between July 29 and August 9. The Quarter Horse Congress has not announced dates yet, though the event is expected to run from late September through the middle of the month of October. Additional events associated with the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairgrounds, located north of Short North, east of the University District, and south of Old North Columbus, include the Ohio National Poultry Show, Oktoberfest, the Ohio RV and Boat Show, and numerous trade shows and antique markets.

Hype for the Future 50COL: The Columbus (OH) Area, Explained

Introduction

By most definitions of the Midwest, Columbus is the second-largest city in the Midwestern United States, and only Chicago is identified as larger. However, Chicago is most appropriately identified as a global city, while Columbus is more of a regional city, the latter serving the role of the capital city of the State of Ohio in the modern day. While Chillicothe was an earlier capital in the State of Ohio, the City of Columbus currently serves the role and contains the state government agencies, including the Ohio State House, which is actually designed in the Greek Revival style of architecture, thus resulting in the signature lack of a dome at the top of the state capital building.

About Columbus

The City of Columbus is centrally located within the State of Ohio, though the true geographic center of the State of Ohio is located in Knox County further northeast. However, Columbus itself is located in Franklin County and serves as the county seat. Even though Columbus is the largest city, state capital, and county seat, the Franklin County Fairgrounds are actually located in the Hilliard area further west, though the Ohio State Fair is on the northern side of the area, with Old North Columbus to the north and The Ohio State University to the west. Short North is located immediately to the south of the University District and contains select art galleries and related installations, and the downtown area is home to the aforementioned capital city infrastructure. Located in the Arena District is KEMBA Live!, and located in the suburban enclave of Bexley is Capital University, home to the Capital Comets on the eastern side of the Columbus area.

International Airports

Columbus is actually home to two (2) distinct airports branded as “International.” The primary airport servicing the Columbus area is the John Glenn Columbus International Airport, near Interstate 270 with Gahanna on the opposite (outer) side as the airport is located on the east side of the city. The secondary airport, known as the Rickenbacker International Airport, is located primarily in Franklin County but extends south into Pickaway County in parts as Rickenbacker is located south of Columbus.

City Orientation

Overall, the City of Columbus is oriented north to south, with US Route 23 serving the dominant role for the city in the modern day. To the north of the Columbus city limits is the suburban community by the name of Worthington, named for Thomas Worthington and today located along Ohio State Route 161 oriented from east to west. Like Columbus, Worthington to the north also maintains an independent historical significance, particularly with the aforementioned Worthington family as well as the Kilbourne family and numerous associated families, all from around Hartford, Connecticut.

Outside the urbanized area, including the suburbs of the core city of Columbus, universities also include private institutions in the nearby area, including Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Denison University in Granville, and Kenyon College in Gambier.

Hype for the Future 18D: Why Columbus over Cincinnati?

Fear of judgment at numerous social events is often multifaceted, dependent on the event, event type, event duration, event location, and additional factors. Within Columbus, however, is an environment that dispels the fear of judgment through the citywide promotion of modern–even postmodern–values and cultural ethics. Therefore, novaTopFlex shall focus on and prioritize Columbus-area opportunities and prize such opportunities above Cincinnati-area opportunities, particularly as Columbus is already the capital city of the State of Ohio but also because of the cultural vibrancy that exists throughout city limits in particular.

Hype for the Future 18/284: Interesting Facts about the Ohio Fairgrounds District

The Ohio Expo Center and State Fair

The Ohio Expo Center and State Fair is massive–taking up even more space than The Ohio State University’s main campus boundaries. Located to the east of the University District associated with the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Big Ten, the Fairgrounds District is often under construction and is largely identified by the related, yet often distinct, buildings associated with a common thread and sense of community and purpose. While the Ohio State Fair occurs, the entire exposition center becomes the Ohio State Fairgrounds; however, the physical location overall is generally open throughout the year, though exceptions may also exist in certain cases.

The Celeste Center

Of the buildings at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair, the Celeste Center is particularly iconic and notable flexible for hosting trade shows of up to 300 booths, concerts of up to 10,200, banquets, sporting events, equine and livestock centers, and more.

Hype for the Future 11B: Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland

Cincinnati is the most traditionally-minded of the three (3) listed cities. Social roles tend to be significantly stricter than within the more autonomous cultures of Columbus and Cleveland alike. Because of the traditional cultural values of Southwest Ohio, novaTopFlex is often insecure within the region, particularly based directly on the historical context of the region.

Columbus is located in the central portion of the State of Ohio. Compared to Cincinnati, Columbus allows the community to express social roles with significantly greater flexibility, and novaTopFlex is unlikely to fear judgment based on deviations that may exist from the societal norm. Also, the City of Columbus and the surrounding areas alike are known for state and governmental events, as well as the Quarter Horse Congress in the fall, KEMBA Live! for concerts, and elsewhere.

Cleveland and surrounding regions, including Akron, Youngstown, and the balance of the Western Reserve, are the locations that the novaTopFlex community identifies as the central hub of intelligence for the State of Ohio at large, particularly with the Northeast Ohio region existing as a population hub and powerhouse for the State of Ohio which continues south toward Canton as well. The Public Square and Tower City Center nearby are of particular importance; however, the community even within Kent, Ohio, is equally as important even in spite of a significantly smaller population.