University District to host 2nd annual Pearl Alley Jam this weekend

A popular Columbus arts and music festival will return to campus for its second year this weekend, just before the Buckeyes take on Western Michigan.

The University District’s second annual Pearl Alley Jam is set to take place Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. at the University Square, on the corner of East 15th Avenue and North High Street. The event will feature live music from local bands including Pink Maskerade, Ink, MUDD, Dairy Family and more, along with booths from vintage vendors and official University District merchandise.

According to the University District’s website , the event — which is sponsored by the City of Columbus, Gateway Film Center, Designing Local and Orange Barrel Media — will also include live art demonstrations during which “artists Nina Richardson, Repo, Isabel Francis Bongue and Yorckh Jacome will transform dumpsters into treasure” by painting murals on receptacles located throughout the University District.

Nora Gerber, the University District Organization’s executive director and the festival’s event lead, said she hopes the event can serve as an “unofficial tailgate” before Saturday’s game.

“It’s our second home game, and it’s at night,” Gerber said. “It’ll be gorgeous weather, and I’m hoping people will wanna come out, and hang and get in the fall mood.”

Gerber said following the success of last year’s debut, this year’s Pearl Alley Jam aims to offer even more happenings for this year’s guests, including more live performances and 16 new vendors.

“If you come on Saturday, you’ll get one experience, and if you come on Sunday, you’ll get a whole different experience,” Gerber said.

Gerber said though she hopes these additions will make the event more exciting, her main goal is providing a platform for local artists.

“We want to uplift the creativity in the University District and our rising artists that are here living in Columbus,” Gerber said. “That’s the whole point.”

Ava Stanard, a third-year in architecture, said she attended the event last year and was excited when she heard it would be returning for 2024.

“I thought it was really cool last year, and there [were] a lot of cute vintage vendors and thrifting,” Stanard said. “I think it’s just a good opportunity to find cool stuff, and it also brings people into High Street to come hang out as a fun thing to do.”

Stanard said the festival provides an opportunity for people living within the University District to meet each other and learn more about their broader community.

“It brings students together with other members of the community,” Standard said. “It’s not just for students. There’s just a lot of cool people there.”

For more information about the event, visit the University District’s website .