hands on learning
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out hands on learning events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the hands on learning events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find hands on learning events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
hands on learning Events Today
Join in-person hands on learning events happening right now
Reiki Practice Circle: All Levels Welcome
Join us at Unity of Columbus for our Weekly Reiki Share, a peaceful and uplifting gathering for connection, healing, and growth. A Reiki Share is a time where Reiki practitioners and students come together to give and receive healing energy in a supportive and welcoming environment. These sessions will be moderated by Columbus Unity Reiki. Reiki is a hands-on energy healing method from Japan that first came to the United States in 1938. Since then, it has grown in popularity and is now widely practiced throughout the West.
All levels are welcome, and you do not need to be a practitioner at Unity of Columbus to attend. If you are a Reiki practitioner, a Reiki student, or simply interested in becoming a Reiki student, we warmly invite you to join us. Come practice your healing techniques, learn new approaches, receive healing energy, and connect with a like-minded community in a space of relaxation, renewal, and positive energy.
Candle Making Night at The Arcane Foundry | Design Your Own Custom Candle
## Candle Making Night at The Arcane Foundry \| Design Your Own Custom Candle
**SPECIAL PROMOTION**: Buy 3 and get 1 Free!
Step into The Arcane Foundry and create your own custom candle from start to finish. This is a laid back, hands-on experience where **you’ll blend fragrances, choose your vessel, and pour your own candle using 100% soy wax**. Whether you’re coming solo or with friends, it’s designed to be simple, creative, and a good time.
We’ll walk you through the entire process, from picking your scents to choosing between a traditional cotton wick or a crackling wood wick. You can go with one fragrance or mix your own blend to create something completely unique**. No experience needed**, just show up and we’ll handle the rest.
While your candle sets, feel free to hang out, play a game, explore the shop, or just relax and talk. Drinks and snacks are available, and the atmosphere leans into the **fantasy**, **dark academia**, and **gothic horror** vibe The Arcane Foundry is known for.
Learn More: [Candle Making in Columbus, Ohio at The Arcane Foundry](https://thearcanefoundry.com/candle-making/)
***
### What to Expect:
* Guided candle making experience
* Choose your own vessel, wax, wick, and fragrance
* 100% soy wax candles
* Optional drinks and snacks
* Time to relax while your candle cools
***
### Important Notes:
* Please arrive on time so we can start together
* Candles will need time to set before taking home
* This is a beginner-friendly event
***
### RSVP Required
Reserve your spot on Meetup to lock in your seat.
**Candle Making** (includes vessel, your choice of wick, wax, scented oil, labels and lids)
5oz Glass Jars $15
8oz Candle Tins $25
12oz Glass Candles $35
12oz Amber Jars $40
16 oz Skull or Jack o Lantern Candle Mugs $65 (Limited Edition!)
**All materials included. You just bring yourself (and your drink of choice).**
**Payments accepted:**
* Credit Card
* Venmo: @Daclaud-Lee
* Cashapp: $DaclaudL
Ensuring Software Quality in the world of AI Developers - Matt Eland
**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you.
The building address is 4450 Bridge Park
The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400
You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge.
**Abstract**
Like it or not, AI agents are now capable of turning a quickly written paragraph of requirements into a pull request that is ready to be integrated into real-world production applications and it's now our responsibility to make sure AI doesn't go rogue and take down prod - or corrupt our data by misunderstanding the requirements or our existing schemas. In this session we'll explore strategies to protect our codebases through unit and integration testing, documentation, and code review along with additional ways of providing context and guard rails to our AI agents as they carry out the work we've assigned them to do. By the time we're done, you'll have a firm grasp of the problem and understand some helpful options for protecting your codebase from vibe coding mishaps getting YOLOed into prod.
**YouTube Link**
https://youtube.com/live/BltmWMH1zG0?feature=share
DoJo (Informal Python Meeting)
**Latest Dojo Location!**
**Knotty Pine Brewing**
1765 W 3rd Ave,
Columbus, OH 43212
We're going to try a new dojo location for a few weeks and see how it works
Dojos are informal Python group study sessions where everyone interested in Python gathers to learn about Python, help others with Python, or just hang out. Everyone is welcome from Python beginners to experts. Bringing a laptop is encouraged (we'll have extension cords and power strips). If there's something you want to learn leave a comment on this invite so we can plan ahead.
We're looking for speakers for our Monthly Meetups! Fill out the form if you are interested in presenting to the Python Community.
https://forms.gle/ehSfUAC2WgR34Crq9
In-Person Meeting: How to Improve Relationships with Others
Attend a free seminar on how to have successful and lasting relationships.
At this seminar you will learn:
How to spot and handle negative and toxic relationships.
How to get through the "rough patches" in a relationship.
How to choose the right people to work with.
The three things that make or break any relationship.
How to make a good relationship great.
All are welcome. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
Hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
Conversation and Coffee @ Belle's Bread Bakery
Hey Everyone!
Let's meet at Belle's Bread Bakery and Cafe. There is lots of free parking and easy access to the cafe and many shops and restaurants as well. This is a great way to meet new and old friends while chatting about life and practicing English language speaking skills. All are welcome and encouraged to join us anytime between 11am and 1pm. Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Fun & easy way to play more tennis (read event description)
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/columbus-oh/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
hands on learning Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Game Dev Meetup (@Improving In-Person)
PLEASE NOTE!!!
This event will be In-Person for our very 1st Improving collab! If you know the [Columbus Unity group](https://www.meetup.com/columbus-unity-user-group/) location, we'll be at the same place. This is our 1st event and are doing a soft launch with limited attendance. 1st come 1st serve. If you want to be there and we fill up, please email me at [info@thecogg.com](mailto:info@thecogg.com) and I'll be in touch.
All street parking is free on Sundays but you can also pay to park in any of the local garages. See image of [parking map here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mr9_LFIggbs-0_Zd3AJTGNqEhgMf2TzQ/view?usp=sharing).
\-\-\-
On the last Sunday of the month, we're having our usual end-of-the-month social gathering with our GameDev Meetup meeting. There will be announcements and presentations followed by some social networking Let's continue the conversations with good vibes and friends.
All are welcomed from all ages and backgrounds to this public event. If we can, we'll be streaming or uploading the video later via our COGG YouTube channel here:
[https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams](https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams)
(Also please do subscribe if you have not done so!)
No game development experience required!
If you are interested in doing a 20 minute game development related presentation, please fill out our form online here:
[https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1](https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1)
Or e-mail us at info@thecogg.com
with the following:
Your Name, Company/Affiliation, Name of Your Game/Topic, Description, Tech Needs, and Your Contact.
Be sure to check out our Discord for real time news updates:
[https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ](https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ)
Pranic Healing Level I - PH I--- DAY 2 of 2
MCKS PRANIC HEALING® Level I
In PRANIC HEALING® Level 1, you learn the basics of working with your energy aura, including learning to "scan," or feel the energy, to "sweep," or clean away congested energy, and to "energize," or supplement areas in your aura that have a pranic deficiency.
PRANIC HEALING® has been taught to doctors, nurses, massage
therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, shiatsu practitioners, and many others in the healing field. It has allowed them to heal confidently and consistently in the shortest learning time possible. These professionals find PRANIC HEALING® very effective and easy to apply.
Other topics covered in PRANIC HEALING® Level 1:
Energetic anatomy: You will learn to work with the network of chakras, meridians and auras to accelerate the healing processes of your body.
Preventive healing: You will learn to remove the negative energetic patterns of a disease to prevent it from fully manifesting as a physical ailment.
Self-Pranic healing: You will learn to apply these healing techniques to accelerate your own healing.
Step-by-step techniques for ailments related to your:
respiratory system, e.g., asthma,; circulatory system, e.g., heart ailments; gastrointestinal system, e.g., irritable bowel syndrome; musculoskeletal system, e.g., arthritis and back pain; reproductive system, e.g., menstrual problems. You'll also learn how to address common problems as migraines and sinusitis.
Additionally, you'll learn to apply distant healing to loved ones who are not present in the room with you.
All PRANIC HEALING® courses are "experiential," which means that you learn by actually performing the techniques and exercises in class - on yourself and those around you. During class, all the principles will be explained thoroughly and you will practice the techniques exhaustively so you will be confident in your ability to produce positive results when you finish the course.
This is Day 2 of 2 Attendance at day one is required to attend day 2.
The Course text book is Choa Kok Sui, "Miracles through Pranic Healing" Please bring this with you to class.
PRANIC HEALING® Level 1 is a prerequisite to all other GMCKS courses.
For those interested to review the class...Review fee is only $75!!
LOOK AT THIS!! Review for FREE when you bring a new student to class with you.
How to Move on From the Past and Feel Happy
In this local meeting, you will discover knowledge that you can use to get over the past.
The key to improving your personal motivation, self-confidence, and happiness is to get over your painful memories.
When you become free of your past, you will be free from stress, anger, anxiety and depression. Studies show that negative emotions can affect your health. By being free of negative emotions, believe it or not, you will most likely even look younger, feel more energetic, and become healthier!
Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
This group is brought to you by the Dianetics and Scientology life improvement center.
Sunday Arts & Crafternoon: Launch Event! 🎉
**Let’s kick off our very first CBUS Maker Meetup!**
Whether you are looking to carve out dedicated creative time, wanting to get a lingering project across the finish line, or just looking to chat with fellow local makers—this is the space for you.
🧵 **What to Bring**
Bring any art or craft project you are currently working on, as long as it is portable and quiet. Think:
* **Yarn & Thread:** Knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, hand-sewing, mending.
* **Paper & Sketching:** Sketchbooks, adult coloring books, watercolors, bullet journaling.
* **Digital:** Tablets, iPad drawing, laptop writing/design.
* *Please note: Because we are meeting in a shared public space, no power tools, sewing machines, or high-odor materials (like strong solvents or spray glues), please!*
**📍 Where to Find Us**
* We will be meeting at **Columbus Metropolitan Library - Karl Road Branch** in **Meeting Room 1**. Room is reserved under **CBUS Maker Meetup.**
**⏱️ Timeline**
* **1:00 PM:** Arrive, grab a seat, get settled, and do a quick round of introductions so we can see what everyone is working on.
* **1:15 PM - 3:00 PM:** Open maker time! Chat, craft, relax, and swap creative ideas.
**⚠️ A Note on RSVPs**
Space for this first meetup is strictly limited to 10 spots.
If your plans change and you can no longer attend, please update your RSVP to "Not Going" as soon as possible so someone on the waitlist can grab your spot. We ask that you try to give at least 48 hours' notice if you need to cancel.
***
**We can't wait to meet you and see what you're making! All skill levels welcome.**
Columbus Museum of Art, Free Admission Sundays
Let’s meet and wander the galleries! General admission on Sundays is free.
Christians in Tech - Meetup #36 @ Improving
Christians in Tech is a community at the intersection of faith and technology. Our meetups are designed to spark meaningful conversations, promote knowledge sharing, and encourage growth—both in your career and your spiritual walk with God. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your tech journey, CIT welcomes you.
Our Website
[https://linktr.ee/citcbus](https://linktr.ee/citcbus)
Sponsors and Partners
* Improving (Venue Sponsor)
* Bethel World Prayer Center (Fiscal Sponsor)
* Fruits & Roots (Coffee Partner)
hands on learning Events Near You
Connect with your local hands on learning community
Yarn Social at Northwest Library
If you enjoy knitting, crocheting, working with yarn, this is the group for you. Meet new friends, bring your projects, learn from others.
We normally meet a few times a month during the week from 6-8pm. We will occasionally meet on weekends during daytime hours.
Columbus Yarn Club at the Grandview Heights Library
5:45-7:45 in Conference Room B, Library lower level. Bring your yarn projects, meet new friends.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP yes. If you can’t attend, please change your RSVP to no. This helps anyone who is waitlisted and it allows me to have an accurate count of attendees as our space is quite limited.
Plenty of parking in the lot, in the overflow lot across the street, and on the street.
See you there!
Cocoaheads
Come out to Improving for our monthly iOS and Mac meetings.
This Month's Presentation:
Nothing yet. (You should volunteer).
What is Cocoaheads (http://cocoaheads.org/)?
CocoaHeads is a group devoted to discussion of Apple Computer's Cocoa Framework for programming on MacOS X and iOS (including the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch). During monthly meetings, members present on their projects and offer tutorials on various programming topics.
What is BuckeyeCocoa (http://buckeyecocoa.org/)?
BuckeyeCocoa is a group of Objective-C/Swift developers/enthusiasts. We host monthly Cocoaheads and near-weekly NSCoder meetings in Columbus, Ohio. The meetings are free to attend.
Presentations!
Presenters welcome! We are always in need of people willing to present material. Any Swift and/or Objective-C related topic is welcome. Times can be 5 minutes (i.e. lightning talks) to a maximum of 2 hours. Interested? Contact info is on the BuckeyeCocoa website.
To volunteer for a presentation contact us at @BuckeyeCocoa on Twitter.
Follow us on Twitter! @BuckeyeCocoa (https://twitter.com/#!/Buckeyecocoa/) For more information: http://buckeyecocoa.org/
QA or The Highway 2026
QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry.
This is a ticketed event please register here:
https://www.qaorthehwy.com/
Featured Keynote Speakers:
**Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\.
**Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.
Franklin Park Conservatory / Columbus Brewing Company
**History**
The [Franklin Park Conservatory](https://www.fpconservatory.org/)’s roots trace back to 1852 when the Franklin County Agricultural Society purchased 88 acres of land to host the Ohio State Fair. After the fair moved to its permanent home, the city of Columbus transformed the grounds into Franklin Park in 1884. This transition shifted the space from a temporary event site to a dedicated public green space for the growing community. The park became a central hub for outdoor recreation and early civic gatherings in the neighborhood.
In 1895, the landmark Victorian-style Palm House opened its doors, drawing heavy inspiration from the Glass Palace of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This iron and glass structure became an immediate icon, housing exotic plants that residents would otherwise never see in the Midwest. It remains the oldest part of the facility and serves as a primary link to the conservatory’s 19th-century origins. For decades, it stood as a singular testament to grand horticultural architecture in Central Ohio.
A major turning point arrived in 1992 when Columbus hosted AmeriFlora '92, an international horticultural exhibition. This massive event prompted a $16 million renovation and expansion, adding significantly more greenhouse space and the Dorothy M. Davis Showhouse. The festival put the conservatory on the international map and fundamentally changed its scale and ambition. Following the event, the facility transitioned from a city-run park to a private, non-profit organization.
In 2003, the conservatory’s identity was further defined through a long-term partnership with world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. After a successful exhibition, the Friends of the Conservatory purchased most of the glass installations, creating the largest permanent collection of Chihuly’s work in a botanical setting. These vibrant glass sculptures are now woven throughout the biomes, blending art with nature. This addition helped cement the conservatory as a premier cultural destination rather than just a botanical garden.
Recent years have seen the site expand beyond the glass walls to emphasize community engagement and outdoor education. The 2018 opening of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Children’s Garden added two acres of interactive landscape designed for hands-on learning. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company Community Garden Campus also provides local residents with space to grow their own food and learn sustainable practices. Today, the conservatory balances its historic Victorian charm with modern commitments to local ecology and the Columbus community.
**Maps of the Conservatory**
Here is the [main map](https://www.fpconservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/franklin-park-zones-scaled.jpg) of the Conservatory grounds. Here's a [map of the areas](https://www.fpconservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ConstructionMap-2026.jpg) in which the Conservatory has ongoing construction (see below).
**Summary**
For this event, we'll explore Columbus's highly-rated and very popular Conservatory. As mentioned above, the Conservatory is doing renovations on parts of the facility. These renovations are scheduled to be ongoing until the Fall of next year.
Basically, no matter when you go to the Conservatory over the next 18 months, you're going to see some metaphorical orange barrels. So let's just go now.
**Tickets and pricing**
On the first Sunday of every month, the Conservatory is free for residents of Franklin County and the city of Columbus. You must bring an ID to receive this discount. (Yes, they do check.) Otherwise, tickets are $25.20.
Members of the Columbus Zoo (of which I am one) do get a discount on tickets, though I have never actually bought a ticket to the Conservatory (I've always gone on free days). I believe the discount is $4.
Parking is always free.
If you have additional questions about pricing or whether and for what you qualify, you can reach the Conservatory at 614-715-8000.
**Where we'll meet**
We will meet just outside the main entrance. I guarantee there's going to be a line. The Conservatory is always popular on free days, and especially in nice weather.
**Your GPS is stupid!**
Be careful simply typing "Franklin Park Conservatory" in your GPS and going where it tells you.
The only way to access the parking lot to the Conservatory is off of Broad Street. Unfortunately, since Google Maps is unable to find its way out of a wet paper bag, it has a tendency to want to take people to a mythical, non-existent Conservatory entrance on Nelson Road.
If your GPS does this, just drive to the north side of the Conservatory along Broad Street. Your GPS should then redirect you to the main Conservatory entrance. If your GPS doesn't, then throw your phone away\* and look for the big Conservatory sign on the south side of Broad Street between Nelson Road and Franklin Park West.
You also should be able to use the map pin I've provided, below, and it should properly direct you to where you need to drive.
\* Don't really do this.
**After the event**
After stopping to smell the roses, for those that are interested, we'll head to the nearby [Columbus Brewing Company Beer Hall](https://columbusbrewing.com/location/beer-hall/) for [drinks](https://columbusbrewing.com/location/beer-hall/#draft-list) and [lunch](https://columbusbrewing.com/location/beer-hall/#food-menu).
The Beer Hall's actual address is [200 Kelton Ave, Columbus, OH 43205](https://www.google.com/maps/place/200+Kelton+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43205/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x883889a94ac4acad:0xadb2e60240dbc38b?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111) (it's literally just on the south side of the Conservatory). Be sure this is where your GPS is taking you when you use it, as the Brewing Company has a taproom on Harrison Avenue that is *not* what you want for this event.
We should be at the Beer Hall by 1 if you can't make the Conservatory and just want to join us for drinks.
Psychic Development Series II - Pueo Group
Private Group. Closed to the Public
Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy.
In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected.
The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve.
I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia



















