First Thursdays Downtown Columbus, IN

05/18/2026

Grab a drink - coffee, cocktail, or water - no judgement, and join us on 4th Street for an evening of connection and growth. Plus the Downtown Merchants are staying open later for First Thursdays Downtown Columbus, IN!

05/06/2026

05/05/2026

Congrats to Maria for winning April’s downtown passport challenge and earning two $25 gift certificates to your participating business of choice!

May’s First Thursday event is coming up in two days - make sure to grab a passport (valid all month long), shop local at downtown businesses, and earn entries to win your own gift certificates! This months theme is ColumbusIN Bloom and we will have an outdoor vendor market along 4th street, a chalk art station so you can help Columbus “bloom”, and additional chalk art opportunities outside of each participating business that is staying open late for shopping and special deals.

04/15/2026

Local Vendors wanted for the outdoor vendor market on 4th street during the next First Thursdays event on May 7th from 4-8pm. Comment below or send us a message to get a link to the application!

04/09/2026

Congrats to Patia for winning the March Spring Awakening passport challenge by shopping local! She receives two $25 gift certificates valid at any of our participating businesses.

As a reminder, passports are valid all month long! If you didn’t pick one up during Aprils First Thursday Event, you can still stop by a participating businesses to grab one. Each purchase made counts as an entry to the raffle. Drop your passport off by April 30th to either Viewpoint Books or the Visitors Center.

04/02/2026

Hop and Shop with us tonight! While you’re out and about, grab a passport and get it marked each time you make a purchase. Hold on to it and keep racking up those punches for each purchase at a participating merchant all month - they each earn you an entry to win a gift certificate valid at any of the participating merchants.

Thanks for shopping and supporting local! See you tonight!

04/01/2026

Due to potential bad weather tomorrow, our Outdoor Vendor Market has been postponed until the May Event. HOWEVER, several vendors have moved inside of , all the downtown businesses will still be open late, we'll still be offering an egg hunt for the kids outside each business and an egg surprise inside for the adults.

So plan on stopping down, supporting our local businesses, and bringing the kids out for some fun

Participating Downtown Businesses:
Baker's Fine Gifts & Accessories
Bespoke Events + Experiences with additional vendors inside
Blondie's Salon & Spa
Boutique Elise
Gallery 411
Visit Columbus, Indiana
Cummins Powerstore
Hotel Indigo Columbus Architectural Center
kidscommons
Lucabe Coffee Co.
Melissa Reardon Art
Pollert Design Associates Inc.
Turtle's Flowers
Viewpoint Books and Chapter 2 (with Dilly Dally Flowers and Friends of the Library)
Zaharakos
Zap'd Permanent Jewelry inside McBride Cosaint Insurance

03/31/2026

Hop and shop downtown this Thursday April 2nd from 4-8pm! Downtown businesses staying open late, a vendor market along 4th street, discounts and specials, and an egg hunt for the kids!

03/12/2026

Don’t forget, spring awakening passports are good all March long! If you didn’t get one during First Thursdays, stop by any participating merchant to pick one up, get a stamp for purchases, and turn it in to or the Columbus Visitors Center by March 31st to be entered to win a gift certificate valid at any of the participating merchants!

05/09/2025

Sign up to help 6th Street Arts Alley get its new stripes!!!

‼️ Volunteer ‼️ Visit https://www.artsincolumbus.org/arts-alley to sign-up!

🩶🤍🩵💛 Make your mark on the Arts Alley—literally! Join us for a community paint day where volunteers help bring the mural to life, one bold line at a time.

Public Paint Days:
Saturday, May 17 & Sunday, May 18

Each participant gets to paint a single line stretching curb to curb. Sign up is first come, first served—or sponsor a line to guarantee your spot and show your support for public art in Columbus.

This activity is recommended for ages 18 and older; youth ages 14–17 may participate with an accompanying adult. No artistic experience is required, but participants should be able to chalk a line on the ground and use a roller on a pole to paint while standing.

Let's make this happen, one line at a time!