When Ward 2 Councilman Roderick Smith talked with constituents on the campaign trail for this year’s municipal elections, one question seemed to be on their minds.
Why isn’t there a festival for East Columbus?
“Once I was elected, I sat back down with my campaign team … and we just started planning and getting different things together,” Smith said.
On Aug. 9, the efforts of that planning will become reality with the East Columbus Day Festival. The event is set to start at 4 p.m. and will go until celebrators head home for the night at the East Columbus Gym, Smith said. The festival is free and open to the entire community and aims to celebrate the aspects that make East Columbus special.
“East Columbus is special, because it’s got a whole lot of soul, and it’s full of hard working people who (show) up for each other,” Smith said. “… They take pride in where they come from.”
The festival will feature 17 vendors that will have items ranging from food to custom jewelry and clothes.
It will also include performances from Jhy World, Brei Carter and Willie Richie.
“We have a lot of talent right here in Columbus and even in East Columbus,” Smith said. “I’m the type of person that I like to showcase our homegrown talents. With me being from Columbus, I feel that it’s necessary to show what talent we have here.”
Avisha Smith, Roderick’s wife and the festival’s assistant treasurer, hopes to see a wide range of locals come out to the event.
“I just want everybody to come together as a family,” Avisha said. “I don’t want it to be just about the Republicans or the Democrats or the independents. I want everybody to come together.”
Through this festival, Roderick hopes it can be the first step toward improving what he says is a negative perception of Ward 2.
“It’s the perception that gives East Columbus a bad name and (reputation),” Roderick said. “But (we’re) rebuilding East Columbus and Ward 2, brick by brick.”
Avisha said she hopes the festival becomes an annual event.
“This is going to be our first annual festival and we are super excited about it,” she said. “… It’s only going to get bigger and bigger.”
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