Brews and Jams at the Blues & Jazz Fest

Every year, central Ohio flocks to Gahanna for the highly anticipated Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival®. Typically held the third weekend of June, the 2021 fest is instead being held in September to bring the community together in the safest and healthiest way.

The Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival® brings together the best parts of Gahanna – food, cocktails, brews and blues – for residents and visitors to enjoy as part of the three-day cultural celebration. Gahanna’s largest signature event invites the best blues and jazz performers to grace its stages and amaze the crowds with their talents.

Located on the waterfront of the breathtaking Creekside District of Gahanna, the Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival® fills the heart of the city, incorporating local shops and eateries on the grounds for good eats and great memorabilia in addition to the food and drinks tents between stages.

Festival goers can take full advantage of the Creekside District by canoeing across Big Walnut Creek and enjoying the live music from the water, or by picking up a passport to start on the Herbal Cocktail Trail and making progress toward earning the coveted Herbal Cocktail Trail prize.

The Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival® is set for Sept. 17-19, 2021 and June 17-19, 2022. Buy individual tickets and private tables in advance or check out the line-up of musicians on creeksidebluesandjazz.com or by calling 614.418.9114.

Whether you’re staying at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Columbus Airport Gahanna or driving in each day, there are plenty of places to explore in Gahanna for the weekend.

With views of Big Walnut Creek plus the opportunity to kayak alongside the concerts, the Creekside District includes both shopping and green space enjoyed by community members year round. New to the Creekside District is the city council approved CORA, or Creekside Outdoor Refreshment Area. Although the CORA will not be in effect during the CBJF, alcohol may still be consumed on festival grounds.

For an extended list of things to do, go to www.visitgahanna.com.

Photo by Love Emma Photography

myuniquegahannastory

Tim Courlas, Tim Courlas Video & Photography

Describe your very first experience in Gahanna. In 1994 we were moving back to central Ohio. Some friends in Gahanna invited us for dinner. We realized this would be a good place to look for a house. We’ve been here ever since. Why did you select Gahanna to open your business? We’ve lived here for 26 years. I left my job at a local production company in 2014 to start a freelance video and photography business, so Gahanna was the place. I am very proud to be a small part of a vibrant video and photo business community here in Gahanna represented by OhioHD, EclipseCorp, The 5 Stones Group as well as many other freelancers such as myself. In your opinion, what is the best kept secret within the Gahanna community? Probably the Bolt High Speed Motion Controlled Robotic Camera Arm at OhioHD. It’s one of only a handful outside of the coasts. OK, one for people who don’t care about robots – The Chicago Dog at Pam’s Popcorn on Johnstown. Better than I’ve had in Chicago! Why do you love Gahanna? The people … and I have almost everything I need right here. Gahanna is ridiculously conveniently located. There are very few places in metros this size with the kind of accessibility Gahanna affords. I travel for work and a 10-minute drive to the airport is a fantastic amenity. What’s your favorite thing to do in Gahanna? We love to bike downtown Gahanna and eat at one of the great restaurants, especially outside at Creekside. What’s your favorite place to visit in Gahanna? One favorite? Impossible. Why do you like living here? In a word – comfort. It sounds corny but Gahanna is like your favorite vintage sweatshirt you can’t wait to get home and change into.