Photo courtesy of Timothy White
Grab your blankets, chairs and baskets because Picnic with the Pops and Popcorn Pops are back in full swing for the 2021 season. Tickets are on sale Monday, May 24 at 10 a.m. and all concerts will take place at the Columbus Bicentennial Pavilion (160 S. High St.) in the John F. Wolfe Columbus Commons.
“We have taken great pride in being here for the community throughout the pandemic. Picnic with the Pops and Popcorn Pops will give us exciting opportunities to celebrate returning to being together,” states CSO Executive Director Denise Rehg in a press release. “Our patrons can be assured of adherence to the most current safety protocols as provided by the CDC and the Columbus Health Department. We are looking forward to a great summer and being here for our community. Come celebrate, relax, and enjoy!”
Let’s take a look at this year’s lineup.
Picnic with the Pops
For Picnic with the Pops, gates open at 6 p.m. and all concerts begin at 8 p.m.
Windborne’s The Music of Queen is up first on Saturday, June 12. Conducted by Stuart Chafetz, the Columbus Symphony, along with a full rock band, will be performing songs from Classic Queen, A Night at the Opera, The Works and more to capture the sounds of Queen.
Next up on Saturday June 19 is Michael Cavanaugh performing the music of Elton John. Cavanaugh, who received a Tony and Grammy nominations for his role in the Broadway Musical Movin’ Out, will be sure to rock your world with some of Elton John’s greatest hits, such as Your Song, Bennie and the Jets and many more.
Photo courtesy of Randall L. Schieber
On Saturday, June 26 the Columbus Symphony plans to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, patriotic favorites and Sousa marches. N’Kenge, award-winning vocalist, will be performing during this evening of Patriotic Pops as well.
Following the Fourth of July on Saturday, July 10, is the award-winning American female music group En Vogue. En Vogue will be performing some of their greatest hits such as Hold On, Free Your Mind, Never Gonna Get It and many more fan favorites.
On Saturday, June 17, Tito Puente Jr. honors his father, “The King of Latin Music” Tito Puente with an electric celebration featuring songs such as, Ran Kan Kan, Mambo Gozón and Oye Como Va. Campanas de America will also be doing a special mariachi performance to further embrace the Latinx community.
Next up is Michael Bolton’s Symphony Sessions on Saturday, July 24. Bolton, a Grammy award winner, will be sure to tug at your heartstrings will songs such as When a Man Loves a Woman, How Am I Supposed to Live Without You and more.
And to end the summer with a bang, the Ohio State University Marching Band will be performing on Friday, July 30 and Saturday, July 31 for what will likely be the biggest tailgate party of the year. Be sure to bring your Buckeye spirit for this special event.
As for seating, lawn seating is available with general admission tickets priced at $36.75 per guest. Children aged three to 12 is priced at $10.50 while children two and under are free. Table seating for 10 may be purchased at a price range of $578 to $893 per table, and tables of four may be purchased from $231 to $357. For table tickets, guests may email tickets@cbusarts.com or call 614-469-0939.
Guests may bring their own blankets or lawn chairs, as well as food, and admission tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 614-469-0939 or by visiting this link HERE.
Popcorn Pops
This year’s Popcorn Pops will feature two family-friendly events with performances aimed at children ages three to 12. There will be activities beforehand such as balloon art, games, open play activities and a selfie station with Beethoven. For Popcorn Pops, gates open at 5:30 p.m. with activities running until 6:45 p.m. The concerts start at 7 p.m. and will last one hour.
On Friday, June 18, Space Out & Step Up! will feature music inspired by space. Moonwalking is encouraged at this out of this world event. Next up, on Friday July 16, is All the Colors of Columbus. Music from all over the world and the community will be showcased to celebrate diversity and inclusion of different cultures.
Tickets for Popcorn Pops are priced at $12.60 for adults and each paying adult receives one free admission for a child aged three to 12. Additional tickets for children are $5.25 and children two and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the event, by calling 614-469-0939 or by visiting this link HERE.
Helen Widman is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
