The Moments We Didn’t Expect—But Won’t Forget from the Hilltop Spring Jamboree

We were expecting the wind and had extra sandbags ready to go, but this year’s Hilltop Spring Jamboree had rain in mind. The second weekend in May has brought high winds to Columbus for the past three years, so when volunteers helped us set up the tents and we inflated the bounce house, we made sure everything was securely staked down.

In the end, the tents came in handy for huddling under during sporadic rain showers, and the bounce house turned into an epic water slide. While we’re sure some potential attendees stayed cozy at home, 200 neighbors showed up in rain jackets and under umbrellas—and that captured exactly what the Jamboree is all about: community coming together for a day of market shopping, music, and making memories with the people we love.

The 4th Annual Hilltop Spring Jamboree, hosted by We Amplify Voices, Hilltop Arts Collective, and the Westgate Farmers Market, is a free, family-friendly event featuring a lively mix of live music, art-making activities, market vendors, and community resources.

We had an incredible lineup of local musicians, artists, community partners, and volunteers offering a full day of programming, but the most meaningful moments aren't always planned.

The Band We Didn’t See Coming

In past Jamborees, Music Columbus provided an instrument petting zoo where kids and adults could try out different instruments. They laid a great foundation for this part of the event, and while they couldn’t provide the petting zoo this year, we were inspired to keep that aspect of the Jamboree alive.

We reached out to Grandview’s Musicologie, and they generously agreed to bring instruments and one of their teachers, Spencer, to run the petting zoo booth. What we weren’t expecting was their next message: “Would you also be interested in having one of our student rock bands perform at your event?”

Our answer was immediately, “Tell us more.” Flash forward to event day, and we had an incredible youth band of 10–12-year-olds, known as Juvenile Records, performing at the Jamboree. As a youth-serving organization, we were thrilled to showcase young talent.

Our lineup also included WAV alum Payton Ramirez and headliner TrigNO, and every artist brought their own style and energy to the stage. Supporting local Columbus talent is at the heart of what we do, and we were honored to share the stage with so many incredible artists.

The Puppets, the Mural, and the Magic

This year, we were able to bring in live artists who sparked unexpected awe from attendees. Arris' Cohen created a surprise live mural under the calm shade of the big tree in the yard, and as the event progressed, we watched it come to life.

Pilgrim Heidi Kambitsch from Open Heart Creatures brought two of her large puppet heads to the event, and as soon as they appeared, you could hear someone say, “Wow, what is that?” They danced to the music and let little ones try on the giant heads, creating moments of curiosity and joy throughout the day.

One thing we love about this event is bringing together unique artists and showing our community something creative and unexpected. It brings us together and reminds us that there is unexpected beauty and imagination right here in our neighborhood.

One attendee shared:

“You all are connected to such a beautiful and diverse group of artists. It fills my heart to see everyone come together and have a great time, whether rain, heavy wind, or shine. It was a nice, family-friendly place to play and engage with the arts while being able to shop local at the farmers market.”

Community Partners Showing Up

We had an incredible group of community organizations come together to offer resources and connection throughout the day. We welcomed Fresh A.I.R. Gallery / Southeast Healthcare, Highland Youth Garden, Cap4Kids, SAFER Station, and the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

Attendees were able to learn about resources they may not have known about, spin a prize wheel, or walk away with a new vegetable plant, a pop art portrait, or free Narcan, fentanyl test strips, and hygiene items.

We were inspired by how intentionally attendees engaged with each booth and how naturally our partners came together. Team members from partner organizations were spotted getting their faces painted, having pop art portraits drawn at the Fresh A.I.R. booth, and taking home tomato plants from Highland Youth Garden.

We love seeing our nonprofit partners really join in the event, enjoying the day alongside neighbors, and provide such valuable resources to the community.

Small Moments Matter

Events are often measured in attendance or funds raised. Those milestones are important—but so do the unscripted moments that remind us why this work matters in the first place. This event showed us that we can do more together, and we're excited to carry that energy forward into our next community moment.

“I loved the intersection of arts, community resources, and farmers market. This is a great way for community members to celebrate local art and access resources in a fun environment."

Thank You to Our 2026 Hilltop Spring Jamboree Sponsors

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