Mansions, a bohemian bungalow, a converted potato chip factory and a former asphalt company building will all open their doors when the Short North Tour of Homes & Gardens returns to Columbus on Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, 2026. The annual neighborhood event invites residents and visitors to wander through some of the area's most eclectic residences and gardens, from lavish landscapes to intimate courtyards tucked behind Victorian storefronts.
The weekend kicks off Saturday with a preview tour and rooftop party running from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by a rooftop party from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., both hosted at the Columbus Museum of Art at The Pizzuti, according to WSYX. Tickets for the preview and rooftop party cost $125 each and include access to the outdoor rooftop terrace, the museum exhibit, and a reggae bar featuring an installation by artist Tavares Strachan. That installation, known as “Bar Room,” transformed a third-floor gallery of the museum into a permanent interactive community gathering space, according to the Short North Arts District. Strachan's broader exhibition, “The Day Tomorrow Began,” remains on view at The Pizzuti through early 2027.
A Landmark Building With Its Own History
The Pizzuti itself carries a story worth noting before guests even step inside. The museum occupies an 18,000-square-foot 1920s limestone building originally built as the headquarters for the Order of United Commercial Travelers of America, per the Short North Arts District. Real estate developers Ron and Ann Pizzuti restored the structure before gifting it, along with their contemporary art collection, to the Columbus Museum of Art in 2019.
Preview and rooftop party attendees also receive complimentary admission to Sunday's full Tour of Homes & Gardens, per the WSYX report. That broader tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday and highlights magnificent historic homes alongside distinctive architecture, inspired renovations, and thoughtfully designed courtyards and outdoor living spaces reflecting the eclectic character of the Short North.
Tickets, Shuttles and a Historic Meeting Point
Sunday tickets cost $20 in advance and $25 after September 13, and on-street parking is free that day, the outlet notes. Attendees can pick up tickets, a tour map and a program at the Goodale Park gazebo, located at 120 W. Goodale St., with free shuttles running along the tour route throughout the day.
Goodale Park itself is no ordinary meeting spot. Dr. Lincoln Goodale deeded 44 acres to the city in 1851, making it the oldest public park in Columbus, according to the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department. Goodale restricted the deed to ensure the land remained a free public park for community health and recreation, a condition he enforced a decade later: during the Civil War in 1861, the park was temporarily converted into a Union Army staging ground called Camp Jackson, until Goodale threatened legal action, and city officials relocated the troops. The park recently received $250,000 in private funding to install its first new outdoor public sculptures in 15 years, as Hoodline previously reported.
A Fundraiser Rooted in Neighborhood Preservation
The Short North Civic Association hosts and produces the annual fundraiser, with proceeds from both the party and the home tour benefiting its community programs, including the Goodale Park Music Series, Screen on the Green, and neighborhood beautification efforts. The event traces back to the mid-1970s, when Victorian Village and Italian Village faced urban decay and neighborhood pioneers began opening restored residences to encourage private investment, according to shortnorthcivic.org. The tour marked its 50th anniversary in September 2025 and returns in 2026.
Much of the route runs through Italian Village, which the City of Columbus designated a local historic district in 1973 under Ordinance #1579-73. Property owners there must secure approval from the Italian Village Commission for any exterior renovations, preserving the neighborhood's 19th-century Italianate and industrial architecture. According to the City of Columbus, the Italian Village Commission considers applications and issues Certificates of Appropriateness for exterior alterations at properties within the district. According to GIS Open Data Columbus, OH, the city's historic-district map layer lists Italian Village. High Street's signature lit arches, which frame the shuttle route connecting the tour's featured properties, were originally installed in 1888 for a Grand Army of the Republic convention and removed by 1912, according to Columbus Neighborhoods.
Part of a Broader Preservation Tradition
The Short North's tour is one of several historic home walkthroughs across central Ohio. The German Village Society's Haus und Garten Tour, established more than 60 years ago, supports preservation efforts. The tradition underscores how neighborhood associations across Columbus have long used home tours to fund preservation and community programming rather than relying solely on public dollars. The German Village Society says the Haus & Garten Tour is its largest fundraiser. The tour's fundraising role is part of the society's broader preservation work.
The Short North Civic Association's community role extends beyond the annual tour. The group has also held a safety meeting at the Northside Branch Library. The association's safety work is tied to $500,000 in Short North safety funding and a crime-interdiction program with dedicated police patrols, as Hoodline has reported.
