“We were lucky enough to be a part of a very like-minded group of people,” says Beth Dekker from Wild Goose Creative, the group responsible for such events like Monday Night Live, or Speak Easy. “[They] just want to see more beauty in this neighborhood, a park was something that was talked about for years, being in that area, and I think that we’ve actually made it happen, in a very odd way, but I think it’s quite beautiful.”

Wild Goose Creative had the impetus for the idea, but the community was involved in every step. In addition to helping to plan and execute the mural, they stirred up excitement as well. “We were out there actually painting [and] people were honking and waving and thanking us already,” recounts Dekker with a smile, “You can tell they’ve been, through that gateway so many times, and you can tell that they’ve been thinking the same thing, that something cool needs to happen there.”

One man who helped to make that “cool thing” happen there is community advocate and local architect, Tim Lai. Lai was part of the planning committee and decided to offer up a design last minute. It was chosen as the final design for the mural, and Tim is pleased with what it can offer to viewers: a reminder of the universality of all neighborhoods, and the ever evolving nature of life. Lai chose to live in the neighborhood because of the large, mature trees that represent the history of the area.

Wild Goose Creative is also looking to consider the history of the area, as well as the future. Dekker: “It [the mural design] was something different, really crisp and clean, and it really reflected the beauty and uniqueness of this area. Coming upon the Columbus Bicentennial we’re looking to the future, all these new things are going to be happening, new businesses are starting, people are renovating these old houses, they’re bringing things back to life here. So [the mural] it really spans, as cheesy as it may sound, the past, present, and future.”

This weekend local comedians will take the stage at Wild Goose Creative for a three-day comedy festival.

Wild Goose Creative has existed for two years in its current space on Summit Street, but many of the programs and events they present started out in one of the founders’ living rooms.

One of those founders, Nicholas Dekker, has made Wild Goose Creative one of the top spots in Columbus to see comedy, and he believes it’s because of a very supportive creative community.

At the Columbus Comedy Festival (2) you can expect to see sketch comedy, stand-up, comedic videos, improv, and grab some food truck food love starting at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  Tickets are $10 at the door.

“There are a lot of great open mics, and comedy clubs…I wanted to focus on local comedians.” said Dekker. “Me and Beth [his wife, and fellow Wild Goose founder] just decided we were going to do a comedy festival. We got a lot of support and it took off really quickly.”

This is the second Columbus Comedy Festival they have put on. The first one birthed Monday Night Live, a monthly event somewhat fashioned after Saturday Night Live with local bands and comedians.

“I really wanted people to give an accessible way to see comics,” Dekker explains, “and to give [the comics] a place to establish themselves.”

Think about this: have you ever gone out to a coffee shop or a bar to enjoy great conversation with friends, only to discover that there’s an errant microphone that anyone can speak into?  Your night of sparkling wit turns into a balancing act of paying attention to the voice coming through the speaker and maintaining some sense of what your original night was.

Now imagine what it’s like to be that person on the other end, that person holding the microphone trying to make a group of people laugh that didn’t necessarily intend to be an audience.

Dekker very much wants to address that fact.  “I want to provide a forum where the audience is actually there to SEE the comedians…not just randomly finding them at an open mic night.”

If you haven’t had the chance to check out Wild Goose Creative, the comedy festival is a great way to see their commitment to the community. Who knows?  You might find out that your quiet co-worker is in an improv troupe.  Or you may get up the guts to do it yourself next year.

Check out the full schedule on their website, or find them on Facebook.