The Short North is the official arts district of the Columbus Region. Located on the near north side of downtown, it's a mile-long stretch of art galleries; unique shops and boutiques; hot bars, cool clubs and traditional pubs; pocket parks and hidden green spaces; beautifully restored turn-of-the-century architecture; and some of the best cuisine in town. For the people who call the area's lofts, condominiums, historic homes, and luxury apartments home, the fun and excitement of living in this dynamic, culturally rich neighborhood never stops.

As the subject of the New York Times' article "Columbus Cool," and the spot to keep your eye on in National Geographic Traveler's "Neighborhood Watch," the Short North has a well-deserved national reputation as a sizzling destination.  Art is everywhere—from building murals and public art installations to the more than 20 galleries that line the streets—and festivals and events take place with delightful regularity.

The people who call the Short North home range from young professionals to empty nesters because the neighborhood isn't about age, it's about attitude. If you have a passion for the arts, an appetite for excitement, and an enthusiasm for the new and unusual, the Short North is your kind of place.

• Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral  Built in traditional Byzantine style, the Cathedral is both a magnificent place of worship and the location of the wildly popular Greek Festival held every Labor Day weekend.

• The North Market  The only remaining of Columbus's four original city markets, the North Market—originally built before 1876— has a long history of providing the finest and freshest meats and produce to the city. After a fire ruined the original Spruce Street building in 1948, merchants continued to sell their goods out of a portable hut for nearly fifty years. In 1995, the Market opened new doors at 59 Spruce Street, and today attracts more than one million people a year who come to shop with traditional butchers, bakers, fishmongers, green grocers, and ethnic and gourmet food purveyors.

• Greater Columbus Convention Center This 1.7 million square foot facility with its exhibition halls, ballrooms, meeting rooms, and banquet spaces brings millions of people to town each year for trade shows, social events, conventions, and exhibitions.

• Gallery Hop Held the first Saturday of every month, the Gallery Hop welcomes thousands of visitors as they converge on N. High Street for an evening of shopping, food, music and fun. On a typical hop, more than forty boutiques and art galleries featuring nationally and internationally known artists keep their doors open until 10:00 p.m. Bars and restaurants stay open considerably later to keep post-Hop crowds happy and well-fed.

• The Doo Dah Parade An alternative to the traditional patriotic parade, this one officially celebrates both "liberty and lunacy." Every year thousands of spectators line the streets to see all sorts of folks making complete spectacles of themselves.

• The Arches In 1888, dozens of wooden arches were built to span High Street and light the roadway, and were later used to power the city's street cars. Torn down in 1941, they were reconstructed in 2002 when residents petitioned for improvements. Today, 17 metal archways once again light up the area.