Chicago Trio Dehd, Columbus-Based MojoFlo and Ghost Shirt Headline Free Concerts on Genoa Park Main Stage at Columbus Arts Festival
For immediate release
April 17, 2023Contact: Jami Goldstein
jgoldstein@gcac.org
(614) 221-8492
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Arts Festival, presented by the American Electric Power Foundation and produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC), announce the national and Columbus-based headliners performing on the Genoa Park Main Stage at the 2023 Columbus Arts Festival, June 9-11.
Headliner Performances
On Friday, June 9 at 8 p.m., the Genoa Park Main Stage will host a fashion show curated by designer and fiber artist Celeste Malvar-Stewart. At 9 p.m. the Festival welcomes Columbus favorite MojoFlo to the stage. Fronted by vocalist Amber Knicole, MojoFlo’s infectious blend of neo funk and soul will have everyone dancing the night away.
On Saturday, June 10, the Genoa Park Main Stage hosts Chicago-based indie rock group Dehd at 9:30 p.m. The trio, formed in 2015, includes Emily Kempf, Jason Balla and Eric McGrady. Dehd released its fourth studio album with Fat Possum Records, Blue Skies, to critical acclaim in 2022. Their 2023 tour also includes Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. Promotional support for this performance is provided by CD92.9.
Opening for Dehd is Ghost Shirt, a Columbus-based power pop group led by singer and songwriter Branden Barnett. Ghost Shirt will take the stage at 8 p.m.
The 2023 Festival will have three performance stages offering music, theater, dance and spoken word throughout the weekend.
“An exciting and diverse schedule of music, theater, dance and spoken word is a key part of the Columbus Arts Festival,” says Festival Director Alexis Perrone. “This year we’re proud of our assembled line-up; all throughout the weekend Festival guests will be entertained by some of Columbus’ best dancers, actors, singers, poets, storytellers and musicians. Our headliners will certainly draw in audiences, too, from local favorites like MojoFlo, Ghost Shirt and accomplished fashion designers like Celeste Malvar-Stewart, to the nationally recognized trio Dehd.”
Genoa Park Main Stage
Throughout the weekend, the Genoa Park Main Stage will also play host to a variety of music, dance and theater performances from Columbus-based groups. On Friday, June 9 Oniya Divine, Cultivate Dance Project, LeXircus and Grandview Bella Tappers will perform, with musical acts like fo/mo/deep and Lily Bloom as well. Highlights on Saturday, June 10 include Oyo Dance Company, Columbus Children’s Theatre, Mahana Productions, Global Water Dances Columbus and TRANSIT ARTS, Dynamo Fuzz, amongst others, while Sunday, June 11 groups such as It’s All Been Done Radio Hour, Copacetic, Columbus Modern Dance Company and OSU Hillel Folk Dancers will take the stage.
Word is Art & Acoustic Lounge
The Word is Art & Acoustic Lounge, located in the courtyard of the Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center, features musicians, poets, writers, storytellers and other spoken word artists all three days of the Festival. Friday highlights include Bold Voices: Contemporary and Traditional Storytellers, Starlit Ways, Backwall Poets and Black Women Rise Poetry Collective. Saturday the stage welcomes Flip the Page Teen Literary Journal, Poets’ Corner, Chaz & Nicki, Skaters Gonna Skate: Stories of Fun on Wheels, and Writers’ Block Poetry Night, amongst other groups. Sunday’s selections include (Everything Is) Cells and Bodies: Ohio Migration Anthology Vol. 2 and Perfect Prose: Fiction & Nonfiction.
Big Local Arts Stage
The Big Local Arts Stage, located again under the railway overpass on West Rich Street, serves as a gateway between the Festival grounds and the Franklinton Arts District. The stage sits next to the Big Local Arts Village, and will feature a variety of Columbus-based bands all three days of the Festival. Friday’s lineup includes Chris Gatton, Andy Shaw Band, Conversion Delay and Fedd Up, while Saturday features The Labra Brothers, The Fifth House, Red Healer, The Deeptones and Funk City Show Band. Sunday’s lineup includes Perennial Rye, Honey & Blue, Molly Winters and All Powerful Sungoddess.
The complete performance schedule for all of the Festival stages and all three days of entertainment is viewable at columbusartsfestival.org/visit/performance-schedule.
Festival Hours: Friday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 10 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Please note: on Friday and Saturday artist booths close at 9 p.m.; artists have the option to stay open later.)
To volunteer at the Columbus Arts Festival, please go to columbusartsfestival.org/engage/volunteer/.
For more information on the Columbus Arts Festival, call (614) 221-8625 or visit columbusartsfestival.org.
Download the Columbus Arts Festival app through the Apple app store or Google Play at guidebook.com/app/cafg/.
For a selection of high-res images, visit the Festival’s press media page.
The Columbus Arts Festival is produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council.
The 2023 Columbus Arts Festival is presented by the American Electric Power Foundation. Additional sponsors and partners include Art for Life, Bank of America, Bath & Body Works, Battelle, Cardinal Health, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, COSI, Deloitte, Encova, Graeter’s, High Bank Distillery, Holiday Inn Downtown, Hotel LeVeque, Huntington, IGS Energy, JP Morgan Chase, The Junto, King Business Interiors, ML Concessions, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University, OSA Technology Partners, Paul-Henri and Erika Bourguignon Charitable Trust, Pepsi, Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center, Rhinegeist, Toyota, The Westin Great Southern Columbus, White Castle and Whole World Lemonade. Media sponsors include ABC6/FOX28, CD92.9, Dispatch Media Group, Lamar Outdoor, Ohio Magazine, Orange Barrel Media, RSVP, WCBE, WOSU Public Media and WSNY/Mix 107.9.
Mission of the Greater Columbus Arts Council: To support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. www.gcac.org
The Greater Columbus Arts Council receives major financial support from the city of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners, Ohio Arts Council and The Ohio State University. There are no funds from the city of Columbus, Franklin County or Ohio Arts Council used to support the production of the Columbus Arts Festival.
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