Short North Alliance is currently taking applications for Gallery Hop and Hops On High artists, vendors, organizations and performers. Go to www.shortnorth.org for more information.
“Should anyone be interested in participating, this is meant to be a very open and engaging moment for all in our community to have the opportunity to participate and collaborate. We’re hungry to find ways in which to have the partnerships realized through this,” Betsy Pandora, executive director at Short North Alliance says.
40 years ago when the the first Gallery Hop took place, the Short North’s iconic art community was just starting to build momentum.
The successful Gallery Hop was one of the catalysts for the quick growth and development of the Short North Arts District. It allows for galleries, both new and seasoned, to share art with the community and promote their storefronts.
To celebrate its anniversary, further cultivate community and bring visitors to the area, Short North Alliance, host of the Hop, is giving three of these once-a-month events an upgrade. Referred to as Hops On High, these events are more street-festival style, closing portions of the area’s streets to allow for foot traffic. This will add to the atmosphere as visitors browse through pieces, enjoy live performances and become a part of central Ohio’s arts community.
Photo by Warhol & WALL St. Courtesy of the Short North Alliance
“We shut down High Street for Holiday Hop – which is the largest Gallery Hop of the year – and explored how we could invite people to the community in a very multi-dimensional, exciting, and creative way. We saw 33,000 people show up for it,” says Betsy Pandora, executive director at Short North Alliance. “It is clear that there is pent-up demand for gathering in the urban center of our city in this way, and people are excited by the prospect of reimagining streets in ways that are inclusive of and prioritizing people over cars.”
Business is Booming
Short North is a cultural mecca and one of the areas Columbus is most known for. The area brings in $3.8 billion to the region’s economy and is always growing and changing. It is the densest area of town, making it a popular tourist destination.
Photo by Warhol & WALL St. Courtesy of the Short North Alliance
84 percent of the Short North business community is locally owned or headquartered in the area, many of these businesses being small businesses or micro businesses. Not only are most businesses local, but they’re also staying open for long periods, against the odds.
“The U.S. Small Business Administration says that the average business is at risk for failure by their third birthday and a third of businesses don’t even make it to that milestone,” Pandora says. “So the fact that more than half the businesses in the Short North get beyond that critical birthday, and a large share of them actually make it 10 years or more, shows how you can thrive and innovate and grow as a business owner here in our community.”
Hops on High 2024 events:
Kickoff to Pride Month, June 1 at E. 2nd Ave. to 5th Ave.
Stonewall Columbus Pride is the second biggest Pride celebration in the Midwest, just short of Chicago’s.
Pride Month is a celebration of not only queer individuals but also the diversity of folks living and working in the area as a whole. The arts scene in Columbus has provided an outlet and an inclusive space for anyone who seeks it by celebrating artists’ individuality and unique identities.
Because of this, it is fitting that a Hops on High event will kick off this year’s celebration.
“We deliberately chose to host Hops on High in an enclosure area from 5th Avenue to 2nd Avenue. Stonewall Columbus is located right in the heart of that location and is a great partner in collaborating and serving as a programmatic partner,” Pandora says.
40th Anniversary Celebration, Sept. 7 at Russell St. to E. 2nd Ave.
Held on the day of the first-ever Gallery Hop, this event showcases artists from Gallery Hops past and present, as well as the dozens of galleries that have come and gone in the Hops’ 40-year history.
“We’ve had a great opportunity to impact the whole of the arts community in the City of Columbus in so many different ways,” Pandora says. “So this is really a celebration of that impact and showcasing how we are a center of creativity within our city.”
Short North’s residential demographics confirm it as a popular spot for coming-of-age individuals. While many residents end up moving away as they age and begin different phases of their lives, many do so reluctantly since they love the community. This celebration will invite these artists who have presented in Hops past to present their work again.
“We think it’s really going to be a homecoming,” Pandora says. “Being that space where young professionals live in large numbers is not an uncommon thing for the Short North community across the history, so I think there are lots of memories that are made by people in the Short North community, whether that’s Gallery Hop or otherwise, that make it such a special place for people.”
Holiday Hop, Dec. 7 at Russell St. to E. 2nd Ave.
While Holiday Hop is a beloved annual tradition, this year will have additional programming made possible through Columbus City Council funds. This includes numerous live performances, community engagement activities, public art displays, pop-ups, and an artisan marketplace.
Why shop online when Holiday Hop provides an opportunity for visitors to find unique gifts and make a positive impact on our local economy, helping small business owners?
Pandora says you don’t just have to shop for art pieces and handmade crafts to support the local artistic community. It can be as easy as having a beer with friends or family under the beautiful holiday lights.
“Creativity is realized in so many different ways for so many different mediums,” she says. “So many different types of businesses, whether that’s a brewery that’s being creative and hosting and enabling artists, as well as markets – whether that’s a fine art gallery that’s representing the work of literally thousands of artists and/or ones showcasing individual artists, It’s really exciting to see the ways in which innovation shows up directly on High Street and within our community.”
Short North Parking
While some streets will be closed during the Hops, the Short North’s many garages will be accessible, including:
- Second and High at 965 N. High St.
- The Hub at 26 E. Hubbard Ave.
- The Joseph at 53 W. Russell St.
- Lincoln at Pearl at 40 E. Lincoln St.
- Goodale Garage at 70 E. Goodale St.
- Ohio Center Garage at 400 N. High St.
- Vine Street Garage at 45 Vine St.
For surface lot parking:
- Fourth Avenue Lot at 36 E. Fourth Ave.
- Junior Achievement Lot at 68 E. 2nd St.
- Price Avenue Lot at 921 N. High St.
- North Lot at 1136 N. High St.
Businesses in the area will validate tickets, making the first hour parked in the garage free from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reserve parking before your visit using the ParkColumbus App.
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.
