Fundraising Events

Come join us for bingo at Atlas Brew Works in Alexandria. It's free to play. Win prizes on every round, and the winner of the final round gets a $50 Atlas Brew Works gift card for your next visit! More information: https://atlasbrewworks.com/pages/events#calendar-c3cfc1a3-4344-434e-a1b2-fb876f819883 Parking: Wegmans has a parking garage Metro: Eisenhower Ave (yellow line)

On https://blackecon101.podbean.com/ Thursdays at 6 pm. discussing the economy...and Black people.

Join us for an evening at PubKey DC where Andrew Newman & Dan Kablaoui dive into the origin story and vision behind one of Bitcoin's most iconic community spaces. This in-person event offers a unique opportunity to learn about PubKey's history, its lore, and the bold decision to bring that energy to the Nation's Capital. We’ll also discuss PubKey's new partnership with the Bitcoin District Initiative and the vision they have for transforming DC into a thriving Bitcoin circular economy. ​​As always, this is a **FREE** and **PUBLIC** event! 🧡🍻🙏

❄️ **Spare Yourself a Boring Winter - Bowl With Us!** Avoid social hibernation this winter, join our **6-week social bowling league** starting in January! Whether you're looking to unwind after work, meet new people, or just have a fun night out with pals, this league is perfect for everyone! Chill times, cold drinks, and plenty of chances to connect with others. No matter your skill level, this league is all about having fun and meeting new friends. **;)** **🗓 Sunday afternoons \|📍 Bowlero Arlington \| 💵 $66 w/ code DCMUW26** **💻 League Info & Registration**: https://tinyurl.com/DCBowling-Winter26 **Why Join?** 🎉 It’s only 6 weeks - perfect for a low-commitment social plan 🍻 Great mix of people in their 20s-40s, plus post-game hangs at the bar 🎳 Zero pressure - gutter balls totally welcome! 👕 Free league shirt if you sign up early 🧠 Weekly trivia w/ prizes 💬 Super social - join solo or w/ friends! **Want in?** Join our Meetup team Pin Pals 👉 **Click here to join** https://tinyurl.com/2b2mavml Or start a team of your own with a few friends - we’ll all be hanging out either way! 📅 League Dates (Sunday afternoons): Jan 25, Feb 1, Feb 15, Feb 22, Mar 1, Mar 8 ***(The MeetUp event date is deadline to register for the league.)*** **Cost & What’s Included:** ✔ $66 with discount code DCMUW26 ✔ 6 weeks of bowling (1–3 games/week) ✔ Shoe rentals & full league setup ✔ Trivia, prizes, and great people 👉 **SIGN UP NOW** 💻League Info & Registration: https://tinyurl.com/DCBowling-Winter26 🤑Use promo code DCMUW26 to save $23 📸 Follow the fun on Instagram: https://bit.ly/BowlingLeague-IG 📩 Questions? Contact the league: http://bit.ly/2Hjz2Bx Spots are filling fast – don’t miss out on the fun times!

Come volunteer with us refurbishing donated bicycles so that they can be used again by the community! This event is open to new volunteers and existing volunteers. No mechanical experience is necessary. Note: The warehouse location is in the alley behind 1502. Enter through the gray door next to a roll-down garage door. If you drive to the location, be sure to park in the street, not in the alleys or parking lots surrounding the warehouse. And wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty with bicycle grease! Volunteers under 18 need a parent or guardian to accompany them to their first volunteer experience and sign a liability waiver. Volunteers under 16 need a parent or guardian to accompany them at all times while volunteering with Vélocity.

Come connect with fellow Startup founders over complimentary appetizers and great conversation at our monthly Startup Grind DC Founders Dinner. Quick heads-up: Your ticket gets you into the event and covers appetizers. Entrées and drinks will be on individual tabs. We’re also looking for sponsors who want to support the DC founder community. Whether that’s hosting us, covering food, or contributing financially, sponsors get the chance to connect directly with founders, get shoutouts in our promotions, speak at events, and reach our 10,000+ Pre-seed to Series A founders across the DMV. Agenda --- Hosted By Mia Orantes, Chapter Director I'm a dynamic speaker, angel investor, serial entrepreneur, the host of the celebrated Founders Only podcast, and the CEO & founder of the award-winning agency that automates online growth and profitability engines, Creative Analytics. As a lifelong entrepreneur, I am devoted to serving founders by showing them the road map for rapid online growth and helping them navigate that journey. A native Washingtonian, I hold several designations, including a PMI-certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, an MBA & MS in Information Technology with a concentration in Project Management, and an in-progress certificate in Digital Transformation & AI from Cornell University. --- Partner Creative Analytics (https://creativeanalyticsdc.com/) Creative Analytics is a B2B growth marketing agency that leverages data-driven strategies and creative design to optimize digital performance and boost conversions for innovative brands. Specializing in SaaS, tech, and professional services, their services include conversion rate optimization, HubSpot implementation, content marketing, and web development. The agency combines deep expertise in CRO and product messaging with automation, helping clients scale faster with less time and effort. --- Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire, and connect entrepreneurs. We host monthly events in more than 600 cities and 125+ countries featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share personal stories and lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Our monthly fireside chat interviews, startup mixers and annual conferences provide ample opportunities to connect with amazing startups and the people behind them, tap into a strong support network, form meaningful connections and gain inspiration for the startup journey ahead. For more information visit StartupGrind.com or follow us on twitter @StartupGrind. --- Complete your event RSVP here: https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-washington-dc-presents-january-2026-startup-founders-dinner/.

Cost: free Court Type: Outdoor Sand Transportation: Parking will be right in front of the courts. MINIMUM 4 people (no incthe host) in attendance otherwise event will be cancelled the day RSVP ends (the day of event). Level: BB and higher level This is an advanced volleyball at BB or higher level.

Hike leaders, this event is for you! In appreciation of our hard-working volunteers, we're hosting a special outing to thank them for contributing their time to make the Capital Hiking Club a success. If you led a trip in the last calendar year, the CHC board members would like to invite you to join us at Swingers Crazy Golf in Dupont Circle. What you'll enjoy: * Tasty food and drinks. * A round of mini-golf * And a chance to test your skills with some carnival games! ****This event is invite-only for CHC hike leaders**--please add yourself to the waitlist, and we'll move you into the event. **Email jen.adach[at]gmail.com by Jan. 9 with any dietary restrictions. Interested in learning how you can be a hike leader? Reach out to us--we'll be happy to get you started!

We’re still working to get more people into these Meetups, but our goal is to give PlayYourCourt members a few social tennis outings each week in addition to your practice sessions and Challenge League matches. These Meetups are co-ed, super laid back, and all skill levels are welcome. Post your skill level and a suggested court in the comments section so we can round up as many players as we can for some tennis fun! Also, if you’re looking to meet new practice partners or play some matches and you aren’t already in the PlayYourCourt Community, you can go here to see what we’re all about and sign up: https://www.playyourcourt.com/tennis-community/alexandria-va/meetup/ If you love tennis, we’d love to have you! Be sure and watch the quick video that explains how everything works. Happy hitting! - Scott

**Hi Everyone,** **I'm deeply sorry, but I am cancelling FUTURE FREE HUGS events until such time that I know what's happening regarding the COVID, FLU and RSV hospitalization data!!** **For FREE HUGS events in the past, I have consulted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to determine if the hospitalizations for COVID, FLU and RSV were elevated or not.** **However, the Trump administration has restricted what CDC communicates to the public and has purged or stopped recent hospitalization data on the CDC website.** **There have been no updates on the chart since September 27, 2025** **[https://www.cdc.gov/resp-net/dashboard/](https://www.cdc.gov/resp-net/dashboard/)** **As a result, I'm not willing to risk people's health, nor mine, unnecessarily and am cancelling FREE HUGS events until the hospital data become available.** **Lots of Hugs and Much Love,** **Jeff** \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* **FREE HUGS on National Mall** **"Spreading More Love"** [FREE HUGS October 2017. 32 sec.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh7v3zucDas) [FREE HUGS Veterans Day 2016. 58 sec.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebTt9Q177zQ) **HEY EVERYONE!** FREE HUGS gatherings generate so much excitement, joy, appreciation, connection, peace, love, smiles, “Thank you’s,” lots of laughter and such positive energy!! Our FREE HUGS movement is all about "Spreading More Love" regardless of political, religious, racial or gender identification or any other identification. **!! IMPORTANT !!** We meet OUTSIDE of the National Museum of Natural History on the NATIONAL MALL SIDE OF THE MUSEUM near the Refreshment stand. ADDRESS: 1306 Madison Dr. NW · Washington, DC **PARKING:** On the street parking OR [Nearest Parking](https://washingtondc.bestparking.com/destinations/national-mall-parking) **METRO:** Smithsonian National Mall Metro Station (NOT Independence Ave.) **We hope you will join us for an AWESOME time!** **Lots of Hugs...jeff** 301-885-8259 (c) \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Note 1: if you agree to participate in any FREE HUGS Event, you agree to the following terms: By choosing to attend this event, you are acknowledging the risks involved (COVID, etc.), and you are committing to participate nonviolently and in accordance with the law. You agree: (i) not to engage in any act of violence or violation of any applicable law (ii) to obey the orders of authorized event marshals and law enforcement authorities (iii) that any Meetup group will not be responsible to any injury or damage to your person or property resulting from or occurring in the course of your participating in the Event; and iv) to release and forever hold harmless Jeff Maurer, Meetup group and their respective employees and volunteers from liability for any such injury or damage. Note 2: FREE HUGS gatherings are 1. NOT for advertising our businesses; 2. NOT about promoting political or religious or racial or gender issues or any other issues.

Sunday Texas Hold-Em Tournament Cost: No cost Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Starting Stack: 30,000 chips Bonuses: 5,000 for arriving early, 5,000 for new players, 5,000 for registering online Blind structure Level 1: 100 chips / 200 chips Level 2: 200 chips / 400 chips Level 3: 300 chips / 600 chips Level 4: 400 chips / 800 chips Level 5: 500 chips / 1,000 chips 10 minute break / chip up Level 6: 1,000 chips / 2,000 chips Level 7: 2,000 chips / 4,000 chips Level 8: 3,000 chips / 6,000 chips chip up Level 9: 5,000 chips / 10,000 chips Level 10: 10,000 chips / 20,000 chips Level 11: 15,000 chips / 30,000 chips Level 12: 25,000 chips / 50,000 chips chip up Level 13: 50,000 chips / 100,000 chips Level 14: 100,000 chips / 200,000 chips Level 15: 200,000 chips / 4000,000 chips

Join us as we get together to get together to help those in need at this CMG Gives Back event! For this event, we’ll help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents, wash dishes and clean surfaces at Fath Mission – Grant Kitchen. We have a great little community of Movie Group friends so rather than see a movie this time, we’ll help “Create a better world” by helping serve those in need. Here are complete details and our plan for this event: FAITH MISSION – GRANT KITCHEN: The Faith Mission kitchen and dining room serves residents 3 meals a day, every day of the year. Our group will help prepare food, serve meals, assist residents in the dining room, wash dishes, and clean surfaces. PLAN: We will be preparing / serving / cleaning for BRUNCH from 10:30am to 12:30pm and have space for a total of 7 volunteers. Please arrive at 10:15am and wear closed-toe shoes and long pants. LOCATION: Faith Mission – Grant Kitchen is located at 245 N. Grant Ave. Enter the kitchen at Dock 1, indicated in the attached map. On-site and street parking are available in the surrounding area. Below are some links / attachments with additional info/details: \* LSS Volunteer Guidelines: Uploaded to photos. \* Parking Map Info: Uploaded to photos. \* LSS Faith Mission Orientation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp46_6ay6iA \* Link with Additional Details / Info: https://lss.vomo.org/opportunity/faith-mission-grant-kitchen-2025 IMPORTANT REMINDER: Our group will be providing all of the volunteers on this day so a firm RSVP count is essential. Please only sign up if you are certain you’ll be able to attend. If something unavoidable comes up, please update your RSVP no later than one week prior to the event. With very few exceptions, no shows or cancelations within 1 week of the event will not be eligible for future CMG Gives Back events. I appreciate your understanding as we try to ensure the agencies have the volunteers needed to provide the essential services they provide to the vulnerable population they serve. THANK YOU: This CMG Gives Back event provides an opportunity for YOU to get involved in helping others! Benefits go well beyond the help we give to others. Volunteering provides a wide range of personal benefits, including positive effects on mental and physical health, reduced stress/depression/anxiety, increased happiness and improved purpose, life-satisfaction and personal well-being! Plus, the opportunity to get involved, connect with others and help those in need. PARTNER AGENCY: This event is hosted by Lutheran Social Services (LSS), which serves thousands of people in need each day in 27 Ohio counties by addressing the four core societal issues of food, shelter, safety and healing. LSS offers food through the LSS Food Pantries, housing and supportive services through LSS Faith Mission and LSS Faith Mission of Fairfield County homeless shelters, domestic violence services through LSS CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence, senior living and health care, affordable housing communities, and other services that uplift families and strengthen communities. Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

**⚔️ Introduction to Wargaming & Painting Miniature Soldiers at The Arcane Foundry ⚔️** Join me in **The War Room at [The Arcane Foundry](https://share.google/S5i6DYJnJteHWeKtd)** for a laid-back evening of hobby talk and tabletop fun! For just **$15**, you’ll get a **3D-printed regiment of 20 high quality resin models** of your choice to paint — a **$40 value!** Bring your creativity, relax, and let’s make something awesome together. **Choose one from Below:** * 20 Orc Warriors * 20 Empire Soldiers * 20 Dwarf Warriors * 20 Elf Spearmen Step into a world where strategy meets artistry — and where every painted figure tells a story of battle, honor, and imagination. Join **Daclaud** at **The Arcane Foundry** for an evening that introduces newcomers and enthusiasts alike to the timeless craft of **tabletop wargaming** and **miniature painting**. My own journey began with a fascination for fantasy — knights in armor, grim and hardened warriors, and monstrous creatures locked in epic battle. That passion led me to **Dungeons & Dragons**, where I painted my first **Basic Heroes set** and felt the spark that comes from bringing a character to life in miniature form. Not long after, I discovered **Warhammer Fantasy** and **Warhammer 40,000**, and I was hooked. The vision of vast armies clashing across the table — each unit meticulously painted, each story unfolding through dice and imagination — became my creative obsession. During this event, we’ll explore the **origins of wargaming**, from its early military simulations to the richly detailed worlds of modern tabletop battle systems. You’ll learn how to **build and customize your own armies**, paint your first figures, and experience the joy of turning strategy and storytelling into a hands-on art form. Whether you’re drawn by the lore, the hobby, or the thrill of commanding miniature legions, this introduction will open the gates to a world that has captivated hobbyists for generations. **🎨 RSVP today and join us at The Arcane Foundry — where every brushstroke and battle tells a story.**

Join us as we get together for something dark, humorous, twisted, violent and thrilling: SEND HELP! Rachael McAdams and Dylan O’Brien star in this film that follows a worker and her boss stranded on an island following a plane crash and their attempts to survive. Here are details, trailer and a plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: Two office colleagues find themselves stranded on a deserted island after they are the only survivors of a plane crash. They must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it is an unsettling and darkly humorous battle of wills and wits to make it out alive. The film is directed by Sam Raimi (the Evil Dead franchise, the Toby Maguire Spider-Man trilogy) and stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4wiXj9NmEE PLAN: Details for this event have already been confirmed! Please purchase your ticket for the 7:15pm showing and meet in the lobby area between 6:45 and 7:00pm! Possible pre-show bite – we’ll confirm that part as the date gets closer! Tickets just $5.50 and advance purchase is advised! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments below! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Coffee and conversation at [The Roosevelt Coffeehouse](https://www.olentangybrew.com/roosevelt-coffee), located at Olentangy River Brewing. They will also have a Venezuelan [food truck](https://www.olentangybrew.com/eventsandfood) that always gets good reviews.

***(She loves me!)* A Brief History of Quarry Trails** [Quarry Trails Metro Park](https://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/quarry-trails/) traces its origins to a vast limestone quarry operated by the Marble Cliff Quarry Company starting in the early 20th century. The site, located along the Scioto River west of downtown, supplied crushed stone for local construction projects and roads throughout central Ohio. Operations peaked mid-century, with massive excavation creating deep pits and steep cliffs that reshaped the landscape. By the 1980s, demand declined, and the southern section of the quarry closed (with the northern section of the quarry remaining in operation to this day by a separate company), leaving behind scarred terrain and abandoned equipment. Environmental concerns arose as the area became a dumping ground and off-road playground for locals. Columbus Metro Parks began eyeing the property in the 1990s for potential reclamation into public green space. In 2015, Metro Parks acquired the initial 180 acres from the quarry's owners, marking a pivotal step toward transformation. Thrive Companies, a local developer, partnered in the deal to build adjacent housing while funding park improvements. Cleanup efforts removed tons of debris, stabilized cliffs, and addressed water quality in the flooded quarries. Planners envisioned a mix of adventure and preservation, incorporating the site's industrial remnants as features. Community input from nearby Grandview Heights and Hilliard residents shaped early designs. The project gained momentum with state and federal grants supporting habitat restoration. The park officially opened its first phase in November 2021, featuring 3.5 miles of trails, a waterfall overlook, and climbing walls on the quarry faces. Visitors quickly embraced the unique terrain, with mountain biking loops and a 25-foot waterfall drawing crowds from across the metro area. Metro Parks added a canoe/kayak launch on the Scioto River, connecting to the city's broader trail network. Dog parks and picnic areas rounded out the amenities, making it a year-round destination. Expansion continued with land acquisitions pushing the total toward 600 acres. By 2023, the park hosted events like guided hikes and birdwatching tours. Ongoing development includes a planned adventure center with zip lines and more extensive single-track trails set for completion in the coming years. Metro Parks collaborates with conservation groups to plant native species and monitor wildlife returning to the reclaimed quarries. The site now serves as an educational hub, with interpretive signs explaining its quarrying past and ecological recovery. Local schools incorporate field trips to study geology and restoration science. Quarry Trails exemplifies Columbus's shift from industrial reuse to innovative urban parks. It stands as the newest addition to the Metro Parks system, complementing favorites like Scioto Audubon and Highbanks. Today, Quarry Trails continues evolving, with future phases adding connections to the Olentangy Trail and more water access points. Annual visitor numbers have surged, boosting nearby businesses in the evolving west side neighborhoods. The park's success has inspired similar reclamation projects elsewhere in the region. It highlights how Columbus balances growth with green space preservation. Residents enjoy a one-of-a-kind spot that honors the area's gritty history while offering modern recreation. Quarry Trails remains a testament to community vision and adaptive reuse in our city. ***(She loves me not.)* A Briefer History of Valentine's Day** The origins of Valentine's Day trace back to ancient Rome and the festival of Lupercalia, celebrated in mid-February to honor fertility and purification rites. During this raucous event, young men drew names of women from a box in a matchmaking lottery, often leading to pairings or marriages. By the late 5th century, Pope Gelasius I officially replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine's Day on February 14 to Christianize the pagan holiday. Although several early Christian martyrs were named Valentine, the most commonly associated figure is a 3rd-century Roman priest who secretly married couples against Emperor Claudius II's ban on young men marrying, believing single soldiers fought better. Legend claims Valentine was imprisoned and later executed on February 14, around 269–270 AD. The romantic associations with Valentine's Day emerged much later, during the Middle Ages. The pivotal moment came in the late 14th century when Geoffrey Chaucer, in his poem "Parlement of Foules" (c. 1381), linked St. Valentine's Day with courtship, writing that birds chose their mates on this date. This literary connection spread rapidly among the English and French nobility, transforming the saint's feast day into a celebration of romantic love. By the 15th century, lovers began exchanging handwritten notes called "valentines," often containing verses or simple declarations of affection. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Valentine's Day became increasingly commercialized, especially in England and later the United States. The introduction of printed valentines in the 1840s, pioneered by Esther Howland in America, turned personal notes into mass-produced cards adorned with lace, ribbons, and Cupid imagery. Factories began producing elaborate cards, and the tradition of giving flowers (especially roses), chocolates, and jewelry took hold during the Victorian era. Today, February 14 is one of the most widely celebrated secular holidays worldwide, generating billions in spending on cards, candy, flowers, and romantic dinners. While still officially the feast day of Saint Valentine in some Christian traditions, the modern version has largely shed its religious roots in favor of universal expressions of love and friendship. From ancient fertility rites to global commercial phenomenon, Valentine's Day has evolved dramatically over two millennia while retaining its core focus on human connection. ***(She loves me!)* Map of the Park** Here is a [Map of Quarry Trails](https://www.metroparks.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Quarry-Trails_JUNE-2025_1980px-Web.jpg). ***(She loves me not.)* Summary** For this hike, we'll do a loop of the park. This will be about four miles. Now, this won't be one of our longer hikes. However, in my experience, Quarry Trails tends to wear people out more quickly than other parks. I suspect this is because most of the trails are either paved or heavily graveled (no surprise at a park which abuts an active stone quarry), with some elevation changes along the way. ***(She loves me!)* Where We'll Meet** Quarry Trails has multiple entrances, but none of them are connected internally within the park. So you must drive to the correct one for this event. Set your GPS to [2319 Quarry Trails Dr, Hilliard, OH 43026](https://www.google.com/maps/place/2319+Quarry+Trails+Dr,+Hilliard,+OH+43026/@39.9998462,-83.0873077,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x883891dd76f5eedf:0xf1cb9d34c1069580!8m2!3d39.9997868!4d-83.0872621!16s%2Fg%2F11y17k0ms5?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTExMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D), or use the map pin I've provided here. Do not just type "Quarry Trails" into Google Maps and expect it to take you to the correct place. It probably won't. We will meet in the parking lot of the Lake Area. The best entrance to this parking lot will be your first left off of Quarry Trails Dr after Gunnison Dr (which will be on your right). I recommend taking a few minutes and looking at Maps before you head out to make sure you know where you're going. ***(So walk with me...)* Restrooms and Water Fountains** There are a few port-a-potties sprinkled throughout the park (including two at the parking lot we'll be meeting at), and the Park Office, roughly in the center of the park and which we'll pass twice on this hike, has restrooms and a water fountain. This is the only water fountain, though, at Quarry Trails. ***(At Trails Quarry!*)** **After the Hike** Afterward, we'll head over to [Johnnie's Tavern](https://johnniestavern614.com/) for [drinks](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Johnnie's+Tavern/@39.993202,-83.0903169,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sCIABIhAulLarLYZC3hY_vRGwoakV!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2Fgps-cs-s%2FAG0ilSzkwnMN29-lrgzp50Rzeaq5jXCGM1xLS1poH0Mc52-E9NYBvdS99ei7zGmlAYJZyk8OeNW5YvS7agj8M2Bom4ri1m_-NcJiT-LQUDphkS-SB5Vq8JhO-8NSP-_m80HeLz4-pGhjrwhuBKSv%3Dw146-h195-k-no!7i4284!8i5712!4m7!3m6!1s0x883891c4d61ba04d:0x5134f225cbf678bf!8m2!3d39.9932439!4d-83.0902078!10e9!16s%2Fg%2F11c1p57s3t?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTExMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) and [food](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Johnnie's+Tavern/@39.993202,-83.0903169,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sCIABIhB5lD4Uly_4O9BjNH4r3ywB!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2Fgps-cs-s%2FAG0ilSy7tQcc7CtCeuUAKwEVJoxtOs8Ycohjy3mGZZOC_kJVdB8wEaGuC4-p5z_jxn2JnpmSEkh_HG7Aok_ZPEgmK57rEBqNIPH8J5tiyAP5vbrRYkUso_fKTkW5vJc47UusNoGiRzs2Vf0m1JcV%3Dw146-h195-k-no!7i4284!8i5712!4m7!3m6!1s0x883891c4d61ba04d:0x5134f225cbf678bf!8m2!3d39.9932439!4d-83.0902078!10e9!16s%2Fg%2F11c1p57s3t?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTExMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D). Its actual address is [3503 Trabue Rd, Columbus, OH 43204](https://www.google.com/maps/place/3503+Trabue+Rd,+Columbus,+OH+43204/@39.9932491,-83.090227,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x883891c4d6199677:0x1fda03b0add81e7c!8m2!3d39.9932491!4d-83.090227!16s%2Fg%2F11c14yf3m6?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTExMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D), and it's only about a five minute drive from where we'll be parked at Quarry Trails. We should be at the tavern by 5 if you can't make the hike and just want to meet us for drinks.

*GOhio!* turns 8!! 🥳 Come celebrate with us at [Pins Mechanical](https://www.pinsbar.com/locations/easton)! 😄 **Summary** Pins Mechanical Co. is a social entertainment venue that combines old-school games like duckpin bowling, pinball, and other classic arcade and table games with craft cocktails, local beers, and punch. The vintage-industrial atmosphere is designed for playful, face-to-face gatherings with friends, family, and colleagues, offering a casual and lively alternative to a typical bar. Pins' Easton location spans over 38,000 square feet, making it the largest in the United States. This massive entertainment venue features two floors, a mezzanine level with stadium seating, and three full-service bars. It offers 16 duckpin bowling lanes, two indoor bocce courts, and more than 60 classic and modern pinball and arcade games. For additional fun, the location is known for its two outdoor patios, an indoor slide, and an expanded patio pong setup. **Activities** As noted below, some machines take actual quarters. Pins has two change machines (one downstairs and one upstairs) that accept ones, fives, or tens (only), and return quarters (only). * *Duckpin Bowling* [Like Bowling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duckpin_bowling) but with smaller balls, stubby pins, and no oil on the lanes. The cost is $9 per game per person. * *Pinball* [Who](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Who)'s a [wizard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinball_Wizard) on these [retro machines](https://pinballmap.com/map/?by_location_id=15311)? At $1 per play, everyone! Takes quarters. * *Arcade* Play classics like Gorf, Pac-Man, Gorf, Donkey Kong, Gorf, Galaga, and Gorf! The best part is, there's Gorf! And all the arcade games are free! * *Patio Pong* The classic college party staple but bigger. Instead of tossing a ping pong ball into cups, you use a regular ball and oversized buckets. There are two of these upstairs, and they're both free! * *Ping Pong* The most popular sport in China! They have two ping pong tables downstairs and two more ping pong tables upstairs. For those of you who have studied topological spaces and set theory, you will know this means they have four total ping pong tables. They have bubble gum dispensers with ping pong balls in them for 25¢ each. The dispensers take quarters. However, they also have racks where they store the ping pong paddles, and in these racks are slots for ping pong balls. It's not uncommon to see balls already here, so there's a chance you may be able to play ping pong for free if you want to. * *Hookie* You can't put your eye out! The safe alternative to darts: Hook thrown rings on a board. Outdoors on the upstairs patio, and free! * *Bocce* Like bowling, except there’s turf and a lot more balls. You can also knock your opponent’s balls out of the way. There are two of these upstairs, and they're both free! * *Foosball* Everyone loves [foosball](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_football)! 50¢ a game. Takes quarters. * *Giant Jenga* Stack massive wooden blocks into a tower, then take turns pulling out one block at a time without collapsing the tower. There are four of these sprinkled throughout the venue (two downstairs and two upstairs, with one on each patio), and they're all free! * *Skeeball* There are three skeeball machines on the first floor (near the Gorf machine!), and they're all free! * *Giant Connect Four* On the outdoor patio upstairs, and free! * *Bubble Hockey* This is upstairs. Up to four people can play at once, and it costs $1. Takes quarters. * *Cornhole* There are two cornhole lanes upstairs, and they're both free! * *Basketball* There are two basketball machines downstairs. They're tucked behind the downstairs bar, so they're not always obvious unless you go look for them. They're $2 per play, and they take quarters. * *NES and Sega Genesis video games* These are collections, downstairs (near the Gorf machine!), of video games that you can play for free! * *The Big Metal Indoor Slide* This large two-story slide is for kids, and certainly no adults would ride this. After all, it's not like it's free or anything. **Outdoor Patio** Pins at Easton actually has two outdoor patios. But for our purposes, only the upstairs one matters. See, it will be winter and likely cold. But their upstairs patio has multiple ceiling heaters and two massive gas fire pits that put out a ton of heat. Sitting out here may be a real option. As mentioned above, the upstairs outdoor patio has one of the venue's two Patio Pong setups, one of their multiple Giant Jengas, the Giant Connect Four, and Hookie. **Food** Pins doesn't serve food, but there's a [Mikey's Late Night Slice](https://www.latenightslice.com/) next door. This Mikey's is basically an extension of the Easton Pins; there's a large open doorway between both establishments. Mikey's has a fountain dispenser with Coke products. You can also get Coke and Diet Coke (but not Coke Zero, like you can at Mikey's) at the bars in Pins, but I think the quality of the soda pop from Mikey's fountain is better than that from the bar hoses Pins uses to dispense soft drinks. You are also quite allowed at Pins to either bring food in or order it in via your favorite delivery app. **Parking** I recommend parking in the [Worth Garage](https://eastontowncenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/parking-at-easton-updated-file-sept-25.pdf). It's literally right next door to Pins, and it's free as long as you park on Level 2 or above. They recently started charging people to park on Level 1, and you pay for parking on this level the same way you pay for street parking in Columbus, with the [ParkColumbus](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.parkmobile.parkcolumbus&hl=en_US&pli=1) app. I've seen them enforce this by ticketing people's cars, but I don't know how they actually compel payment. The garage is not a public street that actual cops can write you tickets for parking illegally on. If you have an actual ticket from a cop that you don't pay, they can go so far as to issue a warrant for your arrest. But all Easton has, seemingly, is, "[Please pay our ticket](https://eastonpreferredpark.com/)." Still, in my ongoing efforts to eliminate needless stress and aggravation from my life, I just park above the first Level. The actual address of the garage is [4049 Worth Ave, Columbus, OH 43219](https://www.google.com/maps/place/4049+Worth+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43219/@40.0542293,-82.9137962,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x88388a86de3af559:0xc1dc8b4661fc834f!8m2!3d40.0542293!4d-82.9137962!16s%2Fg%2F11sgzjp4ml?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkyNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D). However, your GPS is stupid. The actual entrances to the garage are on the cross steets Brighton Rose Way and Fenlon St, not Worth Ave. Just keep this in mind once you get to the garage. **Where we'll meet** I'll post in the comments where I am. People will obviously want to explore different areas of the venue over the course of the event (and there's a lot to explore), but please just let me know (as in, come find me) once you've arrived. **Peroration** Come on out and say hi! 😄