Let’s explore social events in Columbus, OH happening this week. Local events are a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Look through this page and consider going out and socializing during one of these social events.
Are you looking to take a break from your regular ventures, build friendships or develop emotional intelligence? Social events could just be just the thing you are missing. As they always say, one’s company, two’s a crowd, three’s a party. In these events, you will get to meet a whole new range of people, engage other cultures and understand different perspectives. You get opportunities to expand your circle through the interactions and conversations elicited. Whether you are looking to improve your social or work connections, this is it for you.
There are many events held across Columbus, Ohio. Events range from backyard outings, outdoor activity events, singles events, professional networking, meaningful discussions, and more. They are all varied and interesting covering your lifestyle and preference. If you find it hard to make connections or socialize in these events, here are a few tips to save your situation.
Local Groups’ Events in Columbus
Wine Tasting – Ugly Christmas Sweater Night
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: Coffee Connections of Hilliard
**It’s Back!** Friday, December 20th *is* **Ugly Christmas Sweater Night**! Break out that Holiday Sweater that you wouldn’t wear *ANY place else* and put it on. Chances are good that it will fit right in. Who knows, it may even win a prize!
**Sample 4 different wines** this Friday for $10. Glasses are provided. Bring a snack to share. Bring a bottle to share if you care to. See all the details b(…)
Pickleball. FREE
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Antrim Park
In order to take advantage of the WEATHER on Tuesday.
We will play OUTSIDE until the weather pushes us INSIDE .
Antrim park has lights. And it’s a good spot I’ve played here many times. Changed to Thursday
I have some extra pickle ball paddles and balls if you don’t have one. Definitely bring your own paddle if you have one and bring some balls if you have them.
Legal Stuff: The event hosts/Or(…)
MIRACLE Christmas Pop Up Bar!
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: The Citizens Trust
**Miracle is a Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar that serves holiday cocktails in the most festive and nostalgic setting in the city – [CITIZENS TRUST](https://www.thecitizenstrust.com/). Featuring wall-to-wall Christmas décor, cheery social experiences, and a whole lot of Christmas spirits!**
**Sip one of the many Christmas cocktails crafted by their jolly staff, take your profile picture in t(…)
freeCodeCamp Columbus: Pair Programming & Mentoring
◦ When: Wednesday, Dec 18th
◦ Where: COhatch Upper Arlington
Step away from the holiday chaos and join us for a relaxed evening of **pair programming and mentoring** with FreeCodeCamp Columbus! This event is not just about coding — it’s about connecting with others who share your passion for learning and development.
Whether you’re looking to **sharpen your coding skills**, **get personalized guidance from experienced mentors**, or simply **meet fellow cod(…)
Lets close out 2024 with a Holiday Gathering!
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: 139 E Main St #500
🎄 Join the Columbus AI community for a special holiday gathering where every member gets their moment to shine! In this unique meetup format, each attendee will have 5 minutes to share their AI projects, favorite tools, or thoughts on the evolving AI landscape.
Whether you’re building something exciting, discovered a new tool, or just want to share your AI journey, this is your stage.
Come read(…)
Choose Your Movie: KRAVEN THE HUNTER or WICKED (Encore) at Marcus Crosswoods!
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Marcus Crosswoods Cinema
Join us as we get together for a Discount Tuesday/Choose Your Movie event to see the superhero-action-thriller KRAVEN THE HUNTER or an encore presentation of one of the year’s best films, WICKED! Here are descriptions, trailers and our plan for this event:
KRAVEN: Kraven’s complex relationship with his ruthless father starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to(…)
BARCELONA! Dining on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 @ 4:00pm
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: Barcelona Restaurant
Wonderful Black Love and Friends Columbus members,
Happy Holidays! 🎄💕 Come share a Christmas dinner at a place reminiscent of Spain, known as “**BARCELONA RESTAURANT AND BAR”**! DATE & TIME: Saturday, December 21st @ 4:00pm (please do NOT be late!). ADDRESS: 263 E. Whittier St., Columbus 43206.
**BARCELONA’S** is in the German district, and it is welcoming to everyone with fine European and Am(…)
Evolve Women’s Network: Worthington (In-Person)
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: FCBank
Evolve exists to connect women entrepreneurs connect with one another, serve one another, and help one another overcome challenges in marketing, sales, networking, and professional development.
[Add to Calendar Here](https://evolvecolumbus.eventcalendarapp.com/)
What to Expect:
\~ Welcome team to greet you, introduce you to others, and make sure you feel a part of the group from your very first(…)
Columbus Medical Marijuana Meetup- Mix/Mingle/Network/Collaborate/Celebrate
◦ When: Wednesday, Dec 18th
◦ Where: Ace of Cups
Our next Columbus meetup is on **TUESDAY** **December 17** **from 7-10 pm at ACE OF CUPS**. Meet patients, cultivators, processors, dispensary managers/staff, physicians, educators, activists, nonprofits, artists, attorneys, business owners, writers, students, and supporters to network, share our knowledge, collaborate, support each other and make new friends!
Hope you can join us! Save the date (…)
Conversacion en español (en persona)
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: El Acapulco
While some are still meeting online, a few of us have started meeting in person again. So I’m posting the event here in case anyone else would like to join.(…)
Coffee and Conversation @ La Chatelaine Worthington
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: La Chatelaine French Bakery and Bistro
Let’s meet up at La Chatelaine in Worthington for some fun conversation and coffee. We will meet at the big table in the back room. They have a large menu of food and drinks and there is plenty of public parking nearby. Hope to see you there.(…)
Ugly Sweater Bingo!
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Nocterra
Join us for a *jolly* evening of **Ugly Sweater Bingo**, where the tackier, the better! Embrace the holiday spirit in your most outrageous holiday sweater and get ready for a night filled with laughter, fun, and festive prizes. As always, free to play and open to all ages!
**PARKING**: nearby and at public lots east and south of the railroad tracks. Look for Public Parking signs.
**FOOD**: Bring a(…)
Japanese Language Meetup at Dublin Library
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: Columbus Metropolitan Library: Dublin Branch
Come and join our lively Japanese language meetup, where language learning is combined with fun games and interactive conversation practice. Whether you’re just starting out or already advanced, this meetup provides a laid-back atmosphere to enhance your language abilities while mingling with fellow Japanese enthusiasts.
After the library let’s take a leisurely walk together to get dinner. There (…)
Ugly Sweater Christmas Bar Crawl after lights at the Commons with CBUS 20’s & 30
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: TBD
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Make or order your sweater ASAP – the uglier the better. Or dress up as something festive. Santa, Mrs. Claus, a reindeer, a present, an elf or even a grinch. Get ready for a night of holiday fun with new and old friends.
We’ll plan to start hopping or maybe even some of us will be crawling from Barr to Barr after looking at the Christmas lights and gettin(…)
Open-Table RPG Meetup!
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Tabletop Game Café
Try new games, meet new people, and find out what story games are all about!
Explore the reaches of space! Witness kingdoms rise and fall! Create and explore tragedies! All within a single game night.
We play story games like Fiasco, Kingdom, Polaris and Microscope that encourage everyone at the table to participate creatively. We also have one-shots of indie, OSR, and narrative-focused RPGs suc(…)
State of the Word Watch Party (TIME/LOCATION TBA)
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: undefined
Matt Mullenwag’s annual State of the Word is scheduled to happen during WordCamp Asia on Dec. 16. The time has not yet been announced, but we organize a place for us to join together to watch and work together while we do.(…)
Creekside Christmas Lights
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Creekside Gahanna
Join us for a beautiful evening of holiday lights as we hike around Creekside Gahanna. Get some steps in and enjoy the night air with us as we taken the lights together. Hope to see you then.(…)
Shut Up & Write! Kingsdale Shopping Center
◦ When: Wednesday, Dec 18th
◦ Where: Giant Eagle Market District Kingsdale
Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington.
The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo.
Writing is largely a solitary craft(…)
NFT AI ART Columbus
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: The Point at Otterbein
NFT’s are here to stay folks!
This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT’s.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more.
**PLUS**
This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART(…)
Tips to meet people at social events
You can make more friends at one party by showing interest in them than in a month by trying to meet people online. Meeting new people and making genuine connections in local events can be fun and easy if you go with the right mindset.
When it comes to meeting new people, nothing beats showing up in the real world. But none of the tips will work if you are not coming from the right place. Keep an open mind when attending social events. Reframe strangers as potential friends, it will make it much easier to approach conversations and fully engage in them.
When choosing an event, keep an eye on interesting themes, something you can relate to. Meeting new people in the context of mutual interest increases your chances of being friends.
Research events with the types of people you want to meet. They could be people in your age group, your field of work, or a specific neighborhood. Do not be too strict though, loosen up a little bit from your expectations.
Go where people are intentionally looking to make friends such as networking events where it feels normal and expected to walk up and introduce yourself.
In this digital era, apps and websites are the most convenient solutions for finding out about local events. If you are not sure where to look for events happening in Columbus, you can try out Experiencecolumbus.com, Columbusonthecheap.com, or Capa.com.
RELATED: How To Meet People In Columbus, Ohio
Columbus Tech Community Holiday Party
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: The Columbus Idea Foundry
We’re celebrating our active and passionate tech community here in Columbus!
2024 Appalachia Heritage Luncheon
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Ohio Statehouse
Honoring the rich history of Ohio’s Appalachia region.
Feel Trip
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: Gallerie by CFA
Break free from the ordinary at Gallerie by CFA on December 20th, starting at 9pm!
AXEMAS ft. Alla Xul Elu (with special guests) @ The Summit Music Hall 12/21
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: The Summit Music Hall
AXEMAS ft. Alla Xul Elu, Super Famous Funtime Guys, S.O.N., & many more @ The Summit Music Hall 12/21/24
Ugly Sweater Drag Queen Bingo
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: Seventh Son Brewing Co.
BINGO, Glitter and Themed Drinks! Count us in. Grab your friends for Ugly Sweater Drag Bingo at Seventh Son Brewing!!
AREAA Columbus – Holiday Celebration
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: Peking Dynasty
WHAT A YEAR, AREAA COLUMBUS!!! Please join us for a lunch to celebrate with fellow members. This season, we just want to say Happy Holidays
Ladies’ Night Holiday Bingo
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: The Dashing Suite Venue
Ladies! Get ready for a fun filled night of BINGO! Unwind before the hectic Christmas weekend with fun, music & prizes!
SKILLA BABY “CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE CONCERT”
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: The Forum Columbus
THE FORUM & MEMBERZ ONLY PRESENT THE BIGGEST TOY DRIVE CONCERT WITH SKILLA BABY “LIVE” ON STAGE
Artistic Peace Winter Paint Party!
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Grove City Brewing Company
Join us for a cozy and creative night of painting, music, and good vibes at our Artistic Peace Winter Paint Party!
Standup From the Waist Up: ANDREW RUDICK
◦ When: Thursday, Dec 19th
◦ Where: Sweeney’s Walnut Street Tavern
Season 3 of INTIMATE COMEDY BEHIND THE BAR! National headliners and local features every month!
Winter Solstice Cello Sound Bath with Herbal Broth | The Sanctuary
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: The Sanctuary
Come celebrate the Winter Solstice with a hOm Sound Bath + Sam Johnson on the Cello. We will be serving Herbal Broth w/ Cook Forage Feast
DIY Holiday Ornaments & Wreath Workshop
◦ When: Monday, Dec 16th
◦ Where: Nocterra Brewing Co. – Audubon
Join us for this beginner-friendly DIY craft workshop with Makers Social at Nocterra – Audubon!
Mantra of Great Compassion: OM MANI PADME HUM
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: 645 W Rich St
This two-hour workshop will introduce students to the Chenrezig mantra, one of the most powerful prayers for compassion and peace.
FriendsMAS! Ugly Sweater Party, Gift Exchange and Journey Down The Bayou
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: 401 North Front Street, Columbus, OH, USA
Get ready for a night of festive fun, fabulous laughter, and unforgettable holiday memories with delicious food!
Cocktail Class: Old Fashioneds and Boozy Prohibition Cocktails
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: Echo Spirits Distilling Co.
Learn to make cocktails in a craft cocktail bar that was named Best Cocktails in Columbus by ColumbusMonthly in 2023.
Relax before the Holidays: Build Your Own Succulent Terrarium
◦ When: Tuesday, Dec 17th
◦ Where: Columbus Brewing Company Beer Hall
Makes for great holiday decor or a great hostess gift!
• 12/20/24 6PM Sew To Speak Christmas Sugar Cookie Decorating Class
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: Sew to Speak
“Yule” not want to miss out on this holiday-themed cookie decorating class in Worthington, OH!!
Hard Candy Columbus with Auntie Heroine & Jaharia
◦ When: Monday, Dec 16th
◦ Where: District West
Dragula S6’s Auntie Heroine & Jaharia come to Columbus!
Trap Trivia: A VERY CRUNK CHRISTMAS
◦ When: Friday, Dec 20th
◦ Where: The Kee
Join us for A Very Crunk Christmas at The Kee on Friday, December 20th! We’re throwing it back to the golden era of crunk!
“A Very Terry Christmas”
◦ When: Saturday, Dec 21st
◦ Where: The Olde Oak
Join us for this festive occasion with Terry & Friends as we celebrate this holiday season with joy, music, and good cheer!