By Channing Hubbard

n Saturday, July 5, 2008, the Short North will celebrate its 275th consecutive Gallery Hop —marking more than two decades of growth and success. Begun officially in 1985, the original Hop featured two galleries, and attracted about 30 people. Now, it has become a fixture in Columbus, and has generated national attention.

For more than 20 years, performers, artists and the public have gathered on what has become a mile-long stretch of galleries, boutiques, restaurants, pubs and clubs. Today, a good Hop attracts about 10,000 people. As one of the original creators, Maria Galloway, owner of PM gallery, has watched the event grow from an artist’s showcase to one of the biggest social events in the city.

“There is pride and vindication - to see how the area has evolved into an active and dynamic arts and entertainment district from the neglected wasteland that many thought should be flattened,” Galloway says.

From the original handful of galleries involved, the Short North span of High Street is now home to more than 40 galleries and non-traditional art venues, including restaurants, salons and boutiques. Originally called “Cooperative Openings,” the Hop showcases local, national and international artists ranging from the unknown to the well-established.

The success of the event has not gone unnoticed. In the past year, Columbus and the Short North have been featured in the New York Times, the New York Post and National Geographic Traveler’s “Neighborhood Watch.”

“It’s really the Short North’s bohemian spirit and grassroots feel that travel writers love. It gives it that really authentic feel that makes them say ‘You’ve got to go and experience the Short North,'" says John Angelo, manager of the Short North Business Association.

On July 5, Columbus will celebrate the district and its achievement. The Business Association has invited performers from the past 10 years to line both sides of High Street. They expect about 40 entertainers — from saxophonists to stilt walkers — promising a very high energy Hop. Merchants will offer a roster of specials in honor of the milestone.

To replace the current rainbow tube in the arches over the Short North, they will also be revealing a new light program. According to Angelo, this is a display “unlike anything any other city has.”

In a city dubbed “Cow-lumbus,” and known for its Buckeye fever, the Gallery Hop serves to bolster a different, artistically dynamic image. More importantly, the events have helped Columbus stand out in the Midwest. Perhaps now when out-of-towners are asked to name a city in Ohio, they will not only point to its capitol, but to one of its most thriving districts.