Columbus Events and Your Car: A Driver's Calendar
Published October 26, 2026 · Updated October 26, 2026 · 6 min read · By Hassan, Owner of Roadmate Services
Big Columbus events change how and where you drive and park. Game days, races and holidays mean closed streets, full garages and cars parked for hours. This calendar lists the main Columbus events through the year, what each one means for your car, and where to check the official details.
Dates come from each event’s official page or the city, checked on the date shown above. Times and closures change, so open the linked page before you go. Live traffic is on OHGO.
Coming up in Columbus
| When | Event | For your car |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, November 1, 2 AM | Daylight saving time ends | Evening commutes turn dark overnight. Check that your headlights and wipers work before the week starts. |
| Saturdays, November 7, 14 and 28 | Ohio State home games at Ohio Stadium | Long days parked in a lot. Do not run the radio or a cooler off the battery for hours. |
| November 20 to January 3 | Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo, Powell | Heavy evening traffic near the zoo. The zoo says weeknights Monday to Thursday are less crowded. |
| Thursday, November 26 | Thanksgiving travel | Gas, tire pressure and a charged phone before you leave. Cold mornings find weak batteries. |
November in Ohio can bring a 60-degree afternoon and a frozen windshield in the same week. Pack for both.
Columbus events month by month
| Month | Big events | What drivers run into |
|---|---|---|
| January and February | Blue Jackets home games at Nationwide Arena (October to April); snow and ice | Dead batteries on the first hard freeze, cars stuck in unplowed side streets |
| March | Arnold Sports Festival at the Greater Columbus Convention Center (late February or early March); daylight saving time starts | Full downtown garages; darker mornings for a few weeks |
| April and May | Pothole season after the thaw; Memorial Day travel | Bent rims and flats from potholes; full highways on the long weekend |
| June and July | Summer heat and road work; Ohio State Fair starts late in July | Hot cars, tired batteries, packed lots, keys locked in while unloading the trunk |
| August | Ohio State Fair at the Ohio Expo Center (into early August); Ohio State move-in (mid to late August) | Heat on batteries and tires; moving trucks and one-way streets around campus |
| September to November | Ohio State home football; Columbus Crew (season February to November); Columbus Marathon (mid-October); daylight saving time ends | Long hours parked on game days, marathon road closures, dark evenings, the first cold mornings |
| November and December | Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo; holiday shopping at Easton and Polaris; Thanksgiving travel | Crowded lots, lockouts with arms full of bags, cold-weather battery failures |
Game days: Ohio Stadium, Nationwide Arena and the Crew stadium
Ohio State football
The remaining 2026 home games are on November 7, 14 and 28, per the Ohio State schedule. Ohio State police say campus lots open early on game day and Woody Hayes Drive closes between Cannon and Tuttle hours before kickoff (Ohio State Department of Public Safety). Plan your route in and out before you leave home.
A long game day is a long day for a battery. A radio, a phone charger and a power inverter running with the engine off add up. If you run anything for hours, start the car now and then, or bring a portable jump starter. Our guide on whether a power inverter drains your battery explains how fast it goes.
Blue Jackets and Crew games
The Blue Jackets play at Nationwide Arena from October to April (2026-27 schedule). The Crew play at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, and the club lists its parking lots and garages on its parking page. Both are in the Arena District, so garages fill fast on a busy night.
In a garage, note the level and the nearest stairwell before you walk away. Take a photo of the sign. Your phone remembers everything else, so it may as well remember this too.
Big events and road closures
- Columbus Marathon, mid-October. The organisers list closed downtown streets and suggest allowing double your usual travel time (marathon parking page).
- Ohio State Fair, late July into August at the Ohio Expo Center. The fair lists its parking and a free park-and-ride on its parking page.
- Arnold Sports Festival, late February or early March at the Greater Columbus Convention Center (expo information).
A busy lot is an easy place to lock your keys in while unloading the trunk. Keep the keys in your pocket until the trunk is shut. If it happens anyway, read what to do when you are locked out of your car. If a child or a pet is locked inside, call 911.
Seasons that change Columbus driving
Fall: dark evenings and leaves
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, at 2 AM (NIST). Columbus collects leaves as yard waste in paper bags or marked containers, not loose in the street (City of Columbus yard waste). Wet leaves on the road are slick, so brake earlier on leafy side streets.
Winter: snow plowing and cold starts
The city’s snow and ice control plan clears main roads first and asks residents to park off the street when they can. Cold mornings are when weak batteries give up; see why a car won’t start in the cold and our winter roadside safety tips.
Spring: potholes
Report potholes on city streets to Columbus 311 at (614) 645-3111 (City of Columbus). A deep one can bend a rim or cut a sidewall. Our post on driving on a cracked rim shows what that looks like.
Summer: heat and move-in
Heat is hard on batteries and tires, and a hot parking lot makes both worse. In August, Ohio State move-in changes traffic around campus; CampusParc posts the move-in traffic changes.
What to keep in the car for a big event
- A charged phone and a car charger
- A portable jump starter or jumper cables
- A spare key kept somewhere other than the car
- Water, a flashlight and, from November, a warm layer
- A photo of where you parked
Our emergency car kit list has the full version. Most of this you will never use, and that is the best outcome.
Car trouble at a Columbus event
On a highway shoulder on the way there, get safe, then call: hazards on, and stay buckled in or move well away from traffic. In a lot or a garage, stay with the car in a lit spot.
If the battery is dead, a jump start in Columbus usually gets you home. If the keys are inside, we handle car lockouts in Columbus too. If a friend with cables is parked two rows over, you may not need us at all.
We work 6 AM to 8 PM daily, Eastern Time. On big event days, traffic around the venue can slow any arrival, so tell the dispatcher which lot or garage you are in.
Frequently asked questions
When does daylight saving time end in 2026?
Sunday, November 1, at 2 AM, when clocks go back one hour, according to NIST. Evening drives get dark about an hour earlier from that Monday.
Where should I park for an Ohio State home game?
Use an official campus lot or a garage and arrive early, because lots fill and some roads close hours before kickoff. Ohio State posts parking and traffic details before each home game.
Can I rake leaves into the street in Columbus?
No. The City of Columbus collects leaves as yard waste in paper bags or marked containers, not loose in the street. Leaf piles in the street can also be slick and hide potholes.
Who do I call about a pothole in Columbus?
Report potholes on city streets to Columbus 311 at (614) 645-3111. The city says potholes on state-maintained roads go to ODOT at 1-800-372-7714.
What should I do if my car won't start after a game or big event?
Stay with the car in a lit spot, turn off everything that draws power, and call for a jump start. If you are in a garage, tell the dispatcher the level and the nearest stairwell.
The bottom line
Columbus events are worth the drive. Check the official page for closures, arrive early, remember where you parked, and do not ask your battery to run the radio for six hours.
Stuck after a Columbus event?
Call (380) 288-2822, 6 AM to 8 PM daily, Eastern Time. A dispatcher confirms the price and an arrival estimate before anyone heads your way.
See you on the road, ideally on the way home from a good game.