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✍️ When Columbus Imagined Its Future (And Floating Buildings Were Involved)

Plus: ❄️ Ohio Winter Festivals To Add To Your Cold-Weather Bucket List

Author

Chelsea Wiley
January 06, 2026

In partnership with

Sponsored by Columbus Children’s Theatre
Bring the beloved bear Corduroy to life at Columbus Children's Theatre! Perfect for ages 0–5, this interactive 30-minute SandBox Series performance invites little ones to help Corduroy find his missing button and cheer as he discovers a forever friend. With playful movement, gentle humor, and hands-on pre-show activities, kids will explore friendship, kindness, and imagination like never before. To grab your tickets, please click here. 

Hello, Tuesday! Chelsea here.

At some point, every city stops to wonder what it might become. And Columbus did just that back in the early 1960s. Architects, planners, and local experts were asked to imagine the city decades into the future, and the results were equal parts bold, whimsical, and surprisingly thoughtful. From floating restaurants on the Scioto to futuristic downtown skylines, the illustrations captured a city dreaming big. Some predictions have come true, others are still waiting in the wings, and all offer a fascinating window into how Columbus once saw itself.

❄️ Ohio Winter Festivals To Add To Your Cold-Weather Bucket List
Winter doesn’t have to mean staying inside! Ohio’s coldest months are full of festivals, ice sculptures, and cozy adventures waiting to be explored. From Mohican to Marietta and beyond, we’ve rounded up the season’s best festivals to make the most of every frosty day.

🚔 Columbus Police Release Video Of Person Of Interest In Weinland Park Homicide Investigation
Columbus police have released surveillance video of a person of interest near the Weinland Park home where Spencer and Monique Tepe were tragically killed on December 30. Authorities are asking anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues and the community rallies around the couple’s young children.

Headlines 📰 

🚌 COTA riders can now pay fares by tapping a debit or credit card, or a digital wallet, making bus travel faster and more convenient. Daily and monthly fare caps, along with automatic two-hour transfers, make the new system especially rider-friendly. (WOSU)

🏥 A new analysis finds that some Ohio cities are among the most expensive U.S. cities for medical care, with costs taking a significant bite out of residents’ incomes. Rising health expenses, combined with stagnant wages, are leaving many Ohio families struggling to afford essential services and medicines. (Ohio Capital Journal)

🧑‍⚖️ Columbus City Council is back in action for 2026, with Shannon Hardin holding onto his council president seat and Rob Dorans sticking around as president pro tem. Newcomer Tiara Ross is stepping in to chair the Housing, Homelessness, and Building committee, putting a spotlight on affordable housing and safer neighborhoods. (NBC4)

🌧️ Weather: 51 and cloudy with a chance of rain

Sponsored by the Greater Columbus Arts Council 🖼️
Explore Columbus through a new lens by checking out the arts-focused event calendar from Art Makes Columbus. Discover the events that bring our community together and experience art made authentically. For more info, head over to columbusmakesart.com.

Coming Up This Week 📆

Coming Up This Month 📆

🖼️ The Best Things To Do This January In Columbus
January doesn’t slow Columbus down. From hockey games and big-name comedy to ice sculptures, winter hikes, and late-night museum events, this month is packed with reasons to get out and do something, even when it’s cold.

Today's Photo 🤳

Instagram Post

🍕 There’s nothing like grabbing lunch from the North Market! What’s your favorite spot to grab a bite to eat?

Want your photo to be featured? Use #columbusnavigator or tag us!

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- Chelsea