A Friday night fight at St. Catharine of Siena’s FunFest on Columbus’ near east side brought the parish fundraiser to an abrupt halt, as a heavy law enforcement response shut down the event and kicked off a police investigation. No injuries were reported.
What officials say
Columbus Public Safety dispatchers said the disturbance started around 7 p.m. Friday, and the festival closed shortly afterward. Authorities advised people to steer clear of the area south of South Gould Road and Fair Avenue, according to 10TV. The station reported that officers from Columbus and neighboring Bexley responded to the scene as detectives opened an investigation.
FunFest schedule and rules
St. Catharine’s event page describes FunFest as a multi-day parish fundraiser with rides, games, live music, food, and a nightly beer truck. The church listed the event for June 4 through 6, with activities scheduled to run until 11 p.m. and an after-8 p.m. age restriction on Saturday for anyone not accompanied by a parent or guardian, according to the parish website. Proceeds from concessions and a silent auction support St. Catharine parish and school, per St. Catharine.
Investigation underway
Officials told 10TV that no one was reported hurt in the altercation and that detectives are still working to determine what sparked the fight. According to the station, reporters also contacted event organizers to ask whether FunFest would reopen on Saturday, but had not received a response.
Neighborhood reaction and broader context
Attendees and nearby residents described a sudden rush away from the festival grounds and shared unverified claims of gunfire on local community forums. Those accounts have not been independently confirmed and were posted on message boards such as Reddit. In a broader pattern of safety-related disruptions at warm-weather events, another Ohio gathering, Cleveland’s Asian Festival, shut down early in May for safety reasons, as reported by Cleveland19.
