June is AIA Columbus’s time for community and showing up to many different public events. We started the month off with the 2026 Columbus Arts Festival. AIA Columbus and NOMA Columbus welcomed hundreds of young creators to their Kids Activities Tent, where imagination and design took center stage. Families stopped by throughout the weekend as children explored hands-on activities inspired by architecture, community, and creativity.
From building structures out of pool noodles to sketching their dream houses, participants discovered how design shapes everyday spaces. Volunteers from both organizations shared their passion for the profession while encouraging the next generation of thinkers, makers, and problem-solvers.
The tent was a vibrant reminder that design is for everyone—and that inspiring future architects and designers can start with a simple idea, a few materials, and a lot of imagination.
