The Columbus Mac & Cheese Festival Caps Off This Week
The 9th annual Columbus Mac & Cheese Festival runs Friday, September 25, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at The Yard at Easton Town Center, with mac and cheese samples from Central Ohio restaurants and live entertainment benefiting a local cancer program.
There's a specific kind of festival energy that comes from an event built entirely around one comfort food, and Columbus has genuinely embraced that idea for nearly a decade now. This week wraps up with the Mac & Cheese Festival, a cause-driven event that's become a real late-September tradition at Easton.
Here's what to know before you go, whether this is your first year attending or you've made it an annual habit.
When and Where Is the Festival This Year?
The festival runs Friday, September 25, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at The Yard at Easton Town Center, 3989 Merchants Row in Columbus. The Yard is one of Easton's newer districts, tucked near Macy's and Nordstrom with easy access to the Worth Avenue parking garage, so finding a spot shouldn't be a major hassle even during a busy event.
Tickets run $25 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under with early pricing, rising to roughly $30 for adults after the early deadline passes. A Family Four Pack, covering two adults and two children, runs $65 in advance or $70 later, and VIP passes with bonus bites and drinks start around $100. The event has sold out in recent years, so buying ahead is worth doing if you know you're planning to attend rather than waiting until the week of.
What's Actually Happening at the Festival?
Every ticket includes mac and cheese samples from a lineup of Central Ohio's favorite restaurants, essentially a tasting tour of the region's best takes on the dish, all in one afternoon. Beyond the food, the festival includes live entertainment, a dedicated kid zone with activities, and giveaways throughout the event. Water, soda, beer, and wine are available for purchase separately, since ticket price covers only the food tastings themselves.
The festival is hosted by the NextGen James Ambassadors Society alongside the Easton Community Foundation, and it benefits the Adolescent and Young Adult cancer program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, the James. Last year's event alone raised more than $100,000, pushing the total raised over eight years past $591,000, a genuinely significant amount for a single-afternoon community festival that's grown considerably since its first year, back when it drew a fraction of today's crowd.
Is This Worth Bringing the Whole Family To?
Yes, and it's built with families specifically in mind. The kid zone gives younger attendees something to do beyond just sampling mac and cheese, and the shorter overall window, 4 to 7:30 p.m., makes it easy to treat as an early dinner outing rather than a full evening commitment. Since it's held at The Yard rather than an enclosed venue, strollers and younger kids tend to navigate the space reasonably well, though it's worth expecting genuine crowds given the event's popularity and history of selling out well in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Columbus Mac & Cheese Festival in 2026? The 9th annual festival runs Friday, September 25, 2026, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at The Yard at Easton Town Center, 3989 Merchants Row in Columbus.
How much do tickets cost for the Mac & Cheese Festival? Early pricing runs $25 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under, rising to roughly $30 for adults after the early deadline. A Family Four Pack runs $65 to $70 depending on timing, and VIP passes start around $100.
What does my ticket actually include? Ticket admission includes mac and cheese samples from participating Central Ohio restaurants. Water, soda, beer, and wine are available for purchase separately.
What cause does the festival support? The festival benefits the Adolescent and Young Adult cancer program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, the James, and has raised more than $591,000 over its first eight years combined.
Does the Mac & Cheese Festival typically sell out? Yes, it has sold out in recent years, so purchasing tickets in advance is genuinely worth doing if you know you plan to attend.
Whatever your Friday looks like, I hope you find your way to Easton for a genuinely good cause and a genuinely good excuse to eat a lot of mac and cheese. It's the kind of event that's grown steadily since its first year while still keeping its community, cause-driven feel intact. And if a festival like this makes you curious what it's actually like to live near Easton or the surrounding neighborhoods, I'm always happy to talk it through.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. All real estate services are provided in compliance with Fair Housing laws, RESPA, TCPA, the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, and Ohio Real Estate Commission advertising regulations. Equal Housing Opportunity. Chrisi Hagan, Collins Lassiter Group, Red 1 Realty.
