Modern Architecture and Design

Join us for a full day of collaborative work at HSBXL! This event is open to everyone who enjoys working in a community environment, whether you're advancing on business ventures, freelance projects, or creative endeavors. Bring your laptops, your enthusiasm, and your projects to collaborate, learn, and share in the main room of our spacious hackerspace. During this **8-hour co-working event**, you'll have the opportunity to work on your project, ask for feedback, offer help to others, and if you wish, share your achievements at the end of the day. **Please Note**: While HSBXL has multiple rooms for various purposes, this coworking event is taking place in the main room. It's important to note that online meetings should be avoided during this event to prevent noise disturbance and to maintain a conducive work environment for everyone. \#\#\# What the day will look like: 1\. Introduction and setting up: Find a comfortable spot in the main room\, set up your workspace and grab a Club Mate\, soft drink\, or a coffee to get your day started\. 2\. Work Session: Dive into your project\, seek assistance\, and collaborate with others\. 3\. Sharing Session: Optional\, but encouraged\! Share what you've worked on\, your challenges\, and triumphs\. \#\#\# How to get to HSBXL: HSBXL is located in Brussels. For detailed instructions on how to get to the hackerspace, please visit [here](https://hsbxl.be/enter/). If you encounter any issues while trying to get in, you can contact us at +32 28804004. Please note that the phone is inside the space. Alternatively, you can also reach out to us in our [Matrix chatroom](https://matrix.to/#/#hsbxl:matrix.org). \#\#\# Requirements Please bring your laptop, and if you have, an extension cord. The space has WiFi, but having your own internet backup solution can also be useful. Join us at this **8-hour co-working day** in the main room of HSBXL, and we hope you'll have made progress on your projects, learned something new, and most importantly, enjoyed the power of community collaboration. Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or creative, we welcome you to this day of productivity, sharing, and collaboration.

Info & booking: [https://ploef.eu/fr/events/concert-handpan-flute-traversiere-et-violoncelle/](https://ploef.eu/fr/events/concert-handpan-flute-traversiere-et-violoncelle/) Suite à un désistement le trio initialement prévu est remplacé par un duo Handpan Sitar Porté par **Gérard Spencer**, l’un des pionniers du handpan en Belgique, ce projet propose une musique à la fois intime et immersive, où se rencontrent **musique du monde, fusion acoustique et atmosphères méditatives**. Sur scène, Gérard joue simultanément du handpan, du didgeridoo et des percussions, créant une base rythmique et mélodique riche et vibrante. Il sera accompagné par Joachim Lacrosse au Sitar Envie de découvrir avant le concert? Un moment musical chaleureux et captivant, qui transforme chaque lieu en espace d’écoute et de voyage. Participation en conscience (prix conseillé: 15€) ``` Due to a cancellation, the originally planned trio has been replaced by a Handpan Sitar duo. Led by Gérard Spencer, one of the pioneers of the handpan in Belgium, this project offers music that is both intimate and immersive, where world music, acoustic fusion, and meditative atmospheres converge. On stage, Gérard plays the handpan, didgeridoo, and percussion simultaneously, creating a rich and vibrant rhythmic and melodic foundation. He will be accompanied by Joachim Lacrosse on the sitar. Want to discover it before the concert? A warm and captivating musical experience that transforms any venue into a space for listening and exploration. Pay what you can (suggested price: €15) ``` [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtl7MxeXCJw&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fploef.eu%2F](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtl7MxeXCJw&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fploef.eu%2F)

**International House Leuven** organizes a coffee morning for those of you who like to chat and meet some friendly (new) faces. It's also a good place to ask questions, get answers and find out about what’s happening in Leuven. Our coffee morning is what you make it. So pop in and out whenever you like, see who is there, and say hi! We meet **every two weeks on Friday morning**, usually at the International House Leuven itself although we tour coffee houses occasionally as well. More on that below. Who's "we"? Well it varies a bit, but our regular hosts are IHL staff member, Anna, or Evelyne, one of the IHL volunteers. Generally we're anything between 5 to 20 participants, a nice mix of regulars and new folks. And we have room for more! **The practicalities**: * the coffee morning goes **from 10:30 until noon**. Feel free to pop in and out at any point, no need to stay the entire time if that doesn't suit your own timing * the location of the event will always be up to date on the Meetup event page. * ask the event volunteer to add you to the Whatsapp group so you can keep up to date with venue changes and other last minute things. * walk-ins are very welcome too! Hope to see you at the Friday coffee morning! PS: If you're keen to host one of the coffee mornings with us, possibly at another time of the week, let us know!

**## 💃 Dance & Meet Experience – Afterwork pour danser et rencontrer** ***Scroll down for EN*** **📅 Vendredi 22 Mai** **📍 café lux** **🕖 18h – 21h** **Et si on changeait la façon de faire des rencontres à Bruxelles ?** **Bienvenue à** **Dance & Meet Experience****, un concept original qui mêle** **danse, rencontres et bonne énergie** **dans une atmosphère conviviale et élégante.** **Inspiré de la nouvelle tendance des** **soirées dansantes en début de soirée****, cet événement vous permet de profiter pleinement de l’ambiance festive** **sans devoir sortir toute la nuit****.** **Après le travail, venez vous détendre, bouger, rencontrer de nouvelles personnes et partager un moment vibrant — tout en gardant votre soirée libre.** ******* **### ✨ Le concept** **Dance & Meet Experience** **n’est pas simplement une soirée.** **C’est une** **expérience sociale autour de la danse****, conçue pour favoriser des rencontres naturelles et authentiques.** **La soirée combine :** **• une atmosphère chaleureuse et ouverte** **• de la musique entraînante pour faire bouger tout le monde** **• des rencontres spontanées** **• une énergie festive mais détendue** **Pas de pression, pas de formats artificiels :** **la musique et la danse créent naturellement les connexions.** ******* **### 💫 Ce qui vous attend** **• une ambiance internationale et conviviale** **• un dancefloor accessible à tous** **• des rencontres simples et naturelles** **• une énergie afterwork positive** **Que vous veniez** **seul(e) ou avec des amis****, l’atmosphère est faite pour que chacun se sente rapidement à l’aise.** ******* **### 🕺 Pour qui ?** **Pour les personnes à Bruxelles qui ont envie de :** **• rencontrer de nouvelles personnes** **• danser et relâcher la pression de la journée** **• vivre une soirée élégante et différente** ******* **👗** **Dress code :** **smart casual / chic décontracté** **📍 Lieu : café lux** **📅 Date : Friday 22 Mai** **⏰ Horaire : 18h – 21h** **🎟 ******Ticket\*****:** 12 euros** ********\*****Restez en contact** **avec l'****ambassadeur** pour l'obtenir.** **✨** **Danser. Rencontrer. Ressentir l’expérience.** **# 💃 Dance & Meet Experience – Afterwork Party & Social Vibes** **📅 Friday 22 Mai** **📍 Barabar – Brussels** **🕖 18:00 – 21:00** **Looking for a different way to meet new people in Brussels?** **Welcome to** **Dance & Meet Experience****, a fresh social concept where** **music, movement and connection** **meet in a relaxed and elegant atmosphere.** **Inspired by the new wave of** **early-night dance events****, this experience offers the joy of dancing and socializing** **without the late-night exhaustion****. The idea is simple: come after work, move your body, meet inspiring people and enjoy a vibrant evening — all while still having your night ahead.** **✨** **The concept** **Dance & Meet Experience is not just a party.** **It’s a** **social dance experience designed to spark authentic connections****.** **The evening blends:** **• a friendly and stylish crowd** **• uplifting music to get everyone on the dancefloor** **• spontaneous encounters and conversations** **• a vibrant yet relaxed atmosphere** **No pressure, no complicated icebreakers —** **just music, energy and human connection****.** **💫** **What to expect** **• A welcoming international crowd** **• Great music to dance and connect** **• A social atmosphere where meeting people feels natural** **• A vibrant afterwork energy** **Whether you come** **with friends or alone****, you will quickly feel part of the experience.** **🕺** **Who is it for?** **Professionals, expats, creatives and curious minds in Brussels who want to:** **• meet new people** **• dance and release stress** **• enjoy a classy yet relaxed social evening** **💡** **Dress code:** **Smart casual / stylish** **📍** **Location: café lux** **– Brussels** **📅** **Date:** **Friday 22 May** **⏰** **Time:** **18:00 – 21:00** **🎟 ******Ticket\*****:** 12 euros** **\*****Stay in contact** **with the** **ambassador** **to obtain it.** **Come for the music.** **Stay for the connections.** **✨** **Dance. Meet. Experience.**

Have you always wanted to learn Bachata? Now is the perfect time! Our regular classes at Albert Hall are designed to help beginners progress quickly and master this beautiful social dance that is very popular right now! 💃🕺 We have just started a new session where everyone can learn at their own pace. Come with or without a partner. After the beginner's class, there are more advanced classes, followed by a free dance party for students. 🎉 A nice venue and a warm atmosphere—don't miss this opportunity! 🔥 PROGRAM 🔥 7:00 p.m. → Bachata Beginner NEW (Room 1) 7:00 p.m. → Bachata Advanced (Room 2) 8:00 p.m. → Bachata Beginner II (Room 1) 9:00 p.m. → Bachata Intermediate (Room 1) 💥 10:00 p.m. → Bachata Social Party with DJ Felito on the decks for a wild night of dancing! 🎶 🍍 Fresh fruit buffet provided to recharge your batteries between dances! 📍 Location: Albert Hall 651 chaussée de Wavre 1040 Brussels 💸 Prices: 1 class: €15 10-class pass: €120 20-class pass: €210 Dance party only: €10 (cash) 👉 Registration on site

Making news Friends doesn’t not be hard at all🤍❤️

NL - Een nieuwe lente een nieuwe DinsdagClub in Vorst! Vanaf nu kan je ieder seizoen terecht in Ten Weyngaert voor een nieuwe editie van Don Vitalski's poëtische, absurde, doldwaze, onweerstaanbare variété show met talent uit Vorst, de rest van Brussel... en de parking. Verwacht je aan een wervelwind van acts, van goochelshow en burleske dans tot new wave muziek en opera, vakkundig aan elkaar gesoldeerd door gastheer Don Vitalski. Dit alles wordt doorspekt met een live quiz, sterfscènes, een tombola en een snelcursus heel voorzichtig knuffelwerpen. Deuren: 19u Showtime: 20u Last show: 23u \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- FR - Un nouveau printemps, un nouveau DinsdagClub à Forest ! Désormais, chaque saison, rendez-vous au Ten Weyngaert pour une nouvelle édition du spectacle de variétés poétique, absurde, déjanté et irrésistible de Don Vitalski, avec des talents venus de Forest, du reste de Bruxelles… et du parking. Attendez-vous à un mélange de spectacles, de danse burlesque, de musique new wave et d'opéra, le tout savamment assemblé par l'animateur Don Vitalski. Le tout sera entrecoupé d'un quiz en direct, de scènes de mort, d'une tombola et d'un cours rapide sur le lancer de câlins. Le programme est un mélange des habitués de Vitalski, complété par des noms connus de Bruxelles et des talents de Forest. Portes: 19h Showtime: 20h Last show: 23h

Hi everyone, This coffee morning event is @MIR Concept Coffee Store! Saturday, 23 May 2026, from 10:00 - 13:00. MIR opened its doors 4 years ago, right off Place Jourdan. Doriana, the owner, is a super nice host, and is excited to have our group as her café. The café is very beautiful and has great coffee, and many yummy food options. Their Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/mirconceptstore/ **The address is:** MIR Concept Coffee Store Rue Gray 4A 1040 Etterbeek *** 1. The **prime time** of the event is **10:30 - 12:30**. That's when most people will be there. 2. When you enter the gallery, it's either on the right-hand side or left-hand side of its hallway, depending which entrance you take. 3. If you intend **to join past 12:00** (high noon), then there is no need to register. Just come and join! 4. **DON'T forget to cancel** if you can't join! 5. **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** **As always, feel free to follow us on INSTAGRAM!** [https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==](https://instagram.com/weekendmorningcoffee?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==) **THE STRUCTURE of THE EVENT:** * I will post the event on Saturday/Sunday evening for the following Saturday. * I send out a reminder to everyone on Friday. * There is sometimes a waiting list. * In case RSVP is closed (once there are 10-15 people on the waiting list), I might reopen it on Friday, depending on the number of cancellations in the meantime. * **For everyone on the waiting,** please check your status and messages on Friday evening the latest. I message everyone on the waiting list on Friday. * **Please, move to "not going" AS SOON AS you know that you can't come anymore, that includes everyone who is on the waiting list.** **IMPORTANT:** * **Please, be respectful towards each other during the event. (And after ;))** * When you register yourself, be careful not to register accidentally a +1 guest (unless you bring a guest). It happens very often. * If you have any questions then, message me. *** **A MESSAGE FOR NEWCOMERS:** *In the three years of hosting this coffee group, I have met many people who struggle with anxieties when coming to an event for the first time. Sometimes, it took them more than one attempt before being able to join.* *Occasionally, people reach out to me before the event, and I have always been grateful for that as it offers the opportunity to communicate with each other and to find the best and most gentle way for that person to join the group.* *I would like to encourage everyone who struggles with this to contact me before. It would really be too bad if you can't join us, as it mostly gets better the second or third time you come.* *In addition to that, if you arrive and notice any signs of nervousness or fear, you can always let me know right then.* **THANK YOU AND SEE YOU ALL ON Saturday!**

FOREST PLAY (10h-12h) The Forest Play - sessions are inclusive, nurturing and natural reconnecting events, focussing on restoring or replenishing energy, the sense of joy and personal perspective by interacting (and playing) with nature's healing elements. Combining tension-releasing stretches, easy flow-restoring exercises (using trees, branches, logs, stones, hills...), doing silent or touch meditations and playful authentic relating games, we're able to get in touch with our inner-child and start to feel free, open-hearted, unassuming and adventurous again, bringing back the joy and vitality we all carry deeply within, but often believed to have been lost. Our hearts gradually open and start reconnecting again. The 2h-sessions focus on gradually increasing physical resilience, but include emotional and energetic aspects as well to restore general holistic balance in body, mind and spirit. There is no competitive stake to it, there are no extremes or high-intensity actions involved. But we do play gently with our personal comfort zones, sliding in and out, at times challenging our personal beliefs, convictions and limitations. These edges are where the real learning takes place, so take note. The sessions have powerful therapeutic value. They are developed, customised and guided by specialised trauma therapist Ken Christiaens. All exercises, while feeling light and fun, have a foundation in trauma and tension-releasing therapies, with elements of inner child work, constellations, reiki, NLP, somatic work, role/game play and meditation. Nature's increased healing potential (forest bathing) is fully being harnessed here. For more info on the therapeutic practice of Ken, please visit: www.nieuwegrond.be PRACTICAL The Forest Play-session starts at 10h sharp and ends at 12h. It costs 18e to participate. Meeting and end-point is always Parking Forest Playground Everzwijnbad, Weertsedreef 8-10, Oud-Heverlee (please read location description well, Google Maps can be a bit tricky). You actually might get a bit dirty and sweaty at some point, please prepare for outdoor nature workout: sporty shoes with ribs, sporty clothes, maybe a small towel (feet might get dirty or wet) or anything you feel comfortable with. Regarding the payment: You will be asked to transfer 18e to Ken's account beforehand or bring it on the day itself. Your participation is only confirmed if you have confirmed the payment as well. The event will be cancelled only when the weather really doesn't allow it. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask via personal message. We hope to see and connect with you there!

Spend time in the company of other writers putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard. Work on your current project or start something new. If you are fresh out of inspiration a member of the Wordcraft Collective will be ready with a prompt to get you going. You can use that to unlock your creative brain before moving back to your own project or run with it. Who knows where the story will take you? Arrive when you like, leave when you like, or join us for a drink in the bar downstairs afterwards. Location: Pianofabriek, Rue du Fort 35, 1060 Saint-Gilles.

If you have a ball, please bring it... Let's gather at the Parc du Cinquantenaire close to the Tour de Tournai (https://goo.gl/maps/RsxFtTJydq92) and organize a *low-level* football match on the grass. Unless it rains badly as we're about to play, the game is on. Players of any age, weight, sex and size are allowed. Come as you are, at any time after 4pm. IMPORTANT REMINDER -- As Shitty Players, we don't bite or growl when someone misses the ball. We don't do penalties or yellow cards because we're so gentle we don't need them. We vaguely know of the existence of other rules like off-side but we'd rather ignore them than argue about them. We may or may not keep track of the score: this is a game where everyone wins. To help build the Team, come with 2 t-shirts white and black (or similar colors: light grey and dark blue etc). Beer session will follow on the grass, for those who survive till the end. You can also join the Facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/176606662846112/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/a/b/3/600_460870931.jpeg

*A workout while practicing an art form.* This beginner ballet workshop is designed for adults who are curious about ballet and want to move, learn, and enjoy themselves in a relaxed and supportive environment. *No dance background is required.* You’ll be guided through basic ballet movements, posture, and coordination at an accessible pace. No prior dance experience is needed — just curiosity and comfortable clothes. *It is best to wear comfortable clothing - similar to what you might wear to a yoga class.* To receive full details and updates, please sign up for our newsletter: [@ballet.brussels.bahar](https://substack.com/@balletbrusselsbahar?utm_source=user-menu)

Welcome to the IHL's Sci-fi book and movie club. Exceptionally, this month's event is about Microchip Implants with a workshop titled "What If We All Get Chipped?" led by Charlotte Parion, a PhD student from KUL. In her words: You will be invited to a 2-hours workshop (might be less) in which we will investigate the potential future implications of the widespread implantation of microchips or other technologies (the scenario in question will be presented at the start of the session) in human bodies for non-medical purposes. This makes part of my PhD project where I study the (future) use and societal implications of non-medical implants. I aim to shed light on how to implement these technologies in a way that contributes to building a fairer society and increasing people’s well-being in work and life. This study should allow us to better understand the positive and negative long-term implications of human enhancement (and insertables in particular) and what policy-makers, employers, technology producers, researchers and citizens need to be mindful about when envisioning the development of these emerging technologies. During the workshop, you will be confronted to a scenario of a future society where most people have microchips or other technologies implanted under their skin. It will be written in a circle on a large sheet of paper. You will then be asked to think (and write down around the circle), in groups of 4-6 people, about the potential implications it can have from a social, political, economic, legal, environmental, ... point of view (both positive and negative implications). For every consequence identified, each group will then be asked to identify and write down the consequences that would ensue from this first set of consequences. There will then be a final round of iteration to identify even longer-term consequences. This is called the Futures Wheel method. At the end of the workshop, you will be able to present your thinking to the other groups and reflect on each group’s contribution. The discussions will take place in English. Are you wondering how Thomas (as a moderator) will go about with the discussions? See books&babble’s very helpful guidelines:[ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-52rt7q9pVWTwgBhhbCxymrrD6b-q3De/view?usp=sharing](https://antispam.leuven.be/fmlurlsvc/?fewReq=:B:JVMxOj47MS19NjklOy1ibzY7OjE7Oi14Ymxlan9+eW42aDk4Pj4/O2g4OTxqOm5pODppOG85PG5qPjg6OD48Mj87aj46OTs/PC1/Njo9PD47Ojs7OzgtemJvNjg7X0xcZG0zOzg6Oj88Jjg7X0xcZG1KOzg6Oj88LXloe382SmVlaiVfeWJ7e0tnbn59bmUlaW4taDY5Py1jb2c2Ow==&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrive.google.com%2Ffile%2Fd%2F1-52rt7q9pVWTwgBhhbCxymrrD6b-q3De%2Fview%3Fusp%3Dsharing) Registration is required so we know how many people to expect. If you sign up and can no longer come, PLEASE let us know in advance. This is a volunteer initiative and it is important to respect their time put into organization and preparation. Hope to see you soon at Sci-fi Leuven!

BALAGAN X SANCTUM WE ARE BACK on Saturday, May 23 ! This Saturday 23th of May 2026 \| we are going to La Terrasse O2 for an unforgettable summer party \! BALAGAN & SANCTUM go to La Terrasse O2 w/ Party Finder - FREE ENTRANCE ☉ Priority free pass : [https://www.partyfinder.com/en/event/16117](https://www.partyfinder.com/en/event/16117) ☉ Facebook [https://fb.me/e/83Gq2wLxJ](https://fb.me/e/83Gq2wLxJ) ☉ Table booking : [https://www.la-terrasse.be/fr/reservation-du-salon/](https://www.la-terrasse.be/fr/reservation-du-salon/) ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ☉ Line Up (A-Z) → GERSH → VICC → JEREMIE CHARLIER ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ☉ DATE ? → Saturday 23 May ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ☉ TIME ⏰ → 6Pm - 12PM ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ☉ LOCATION ? La terrasse 02 Chaussée de la Hulpe 51-53, 1180 Uccle, Belgique ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ☉ Casual elegance with a touch of summer vibe priority pass with the free tickets , firt in first served

## 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

Let’s meet and wander the galleries! General admission on Sundays is free.

**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.**

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**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.