Published on March 24, 2026
Franklin County Board of Commissioners I Office of Economic Engagement and Community Development
Franklin County has approved a $222,072 grant agreement with the Ohio Black Expo to support the 2026 Riverfront Culture Fest, scheduled for May 22 through 24. The vote was taken at the March 24 General Session, with Commissioner Kevin L. Boyce abstaining.
The Riverfront Culture Fest, held annually over Memorial Day weekend, has grown from under 10,000 attendees in 2022 to nearly 20,000 in 2025. Ohio Black Expo CEO Sherry Hamilton told commissioners that 41 percent of attendees came from outside Franklin County last year, with many traveling from other states and spending money at local hotels, restaurants, and businesses. Applying Ohio's official tourism spending benchmarks, Hamilton said the 2025 event generated more than $7.6 million in direct local spending, with the full economic multiplier bringing the total economic output for Franklin County above $13 million, a 48-to-1 return on public investment.
More than 400 Franklin County small businesses have sold over $1 million in goods and services through the Expo's platform since 2022. In 2025, more than 850 local workers, including artists, vendors, security staff, and production crews, earned income and gained professional exposure through the event.
The 2026 program will include a veterans networking session, a Level Up Youth Summit serving at least 250 young people between ages 13 and 19, a mental health and wellness session with licensed professionals, a college resource fair with at least 25 institutions, and a business expo featuring at least 100 small businesses. The full festival is expected to draw between 20,000 and 25,000 residents.
Ohio Black Expo founder Rhonda D. Robinson was present at the session. Hamilton credited the event's growth directly to consistent public investment and asked the board to continue as a partner in its next phase.