Need to get out? Check out these 10 fun events happening in Columbus

They say everyone's a little bit Irish on St. Paddy's Day, so don your green apparel and get ready to celebrate! Enjoy a day of music, dance and more, beginning with the Columbus St. Patrick's Day Parade on Friday morning and ending with the Irish Family Reunion right after the procession.

Archaeology aficionados and Egyptology enthusiasts will be thrilled by the new exhibit opening Saturday at COSI, "Tutankhamun - His Tomb and His Treasures." With more than 1,000 realistic re-creations of artifacts owned by the Boy King, this display is a must-see!

Also on Saturday, "And There I Was" will observe the 20th anniversary of Operation Enduring Freedom and promote awareness of veterans' issues with a night of performances at Big Room Bar.

In addition, several theater productions will open, with Short North Stage's 'Into the Woods' leading the pack on Thursday, and concerts will range from opera and pop to Sinatra standards and blues.

You can read more about all of these events below. To get these ideas in your inbox every week, sign up for the Life in the 614 newsletter.

Short North Stage ventures 'Into the Woods'

Starring "American Idol" and Broadway alum Diana DeGarmo as The Witch, Short North Stage's production of "Into the Woods" will begin a monthlong run Thursday on the Garden Theatre MainStage, 1187 N. High St. Featuring music and witty lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s imaginative storytelling, the musical weaves together the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales including "Little Red Riding Hood," "Rapunzel" and "Jack and the Beanstalk," among others, and explores the risks the characters must take to reach their goals. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, and various times through April 16. Single tickets ranging from $37-$55, student rush tickets for $20, and pay what you want tickets are available. (shortnorthstage.org)

Columbus to celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Looking for a St. Paddy's alternative to quaffing green beer? Instead, get your Irish on with bagpipers, drummers, dance troupes, floats and more at the annual Columbus St. Patrick's Day Parade. Sponsored by the Shamrock Club of Columbus, the procession will step off from Washington Boulevard and West Broad Street at 11:45 a.m. Friday and end at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., for the Irish Family Reunion. The kid-friendly reunion, which runs from 12:30-6 p.m., will feature live music, Irish dance performances, a 50/50 drawing and more. (facebook.com/ShamrockClubCol)

Abbey Theater goes gaming in 'Press Start!'

Jump inside the colorful pixelated world of video games in "Press Start!," the latest production coming to the 200-seat Abbey Theater of Dublin, located in the Dublin Community Recreation Center, 5600 Post Road. Recommended for ages 5 and older, the show features hilarious musical numbers as famous video game characters run out of lives and put on a fundraiser to earn the gold rings they need to keep playing. Performances are at 11 a.m.,1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday. General admission tickets are $12. (dublinohiousa.gov/abbey-theater)

Evening to focus on veterans' issues

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq and promote awareness of veterans' suicide and homelessness, "And There I Was," an evening of performances hosted by Jake Rockwell will take place from 8-11 p.m. Saturday at Big Room Bar, 1036 S. Front St. The event was created by veteran Kirk Diggler, who will perform and has released an album, "Live from Morgantown, WV," available on all streaming platforms. Other performers will include Dominique Larue, Royal T, Jai Carey, D.H., Mayh3m! and The Blood of Nat Turner.Tickets are $15 presale; $20 at the door. Veterans will be admitted free with ID. Proceeds will go to Veterans Affairs. (and-there-i-was.ticketleap.com)

Gallery Players to stage Renaissance era farce

"Something Rotten" — lauded by Time Out New York as "the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years" — will be presented by the Gallery Players this weekend through April 2. Set in the late 16th century, the show revolves around two brothers who step out of the shadow of “The Bard” to write the world’s first musical, learning along the way that reaching the top means being true to thine own self. Performances will be in the Roth/Resler Theater on the Eisenstein Stage at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus, 1125 College Ave. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Saturday and March 25 and April 1; 2 p.m. Sunday and March 26 and April 2; and 7 p.m. March 23 and March 30. Tickets are $30, except for Thursdays, when the cost is $20. (columbusjcc.org/gallery-players)

King Tut's treasures on display at COSI

The long-awaited "Tutankhamun - His Tomb and His Treasures" exhibition at COSI, 333 W. Broad St., will open Saturday, offering visitors a look into the archaeology of ancient Egypt. More than 1,000 expertly crafted replicas of Tut's treasures and burial chambers reflect the real artifacts discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter. General admission tickets are $40 for ages 13 and older; $35 ages 2-12; $38 for seniors 60 and older with ID, and military ages 13 and older with ID; $33 for military ages 2-12 with ID; $15 teachers with ID. Children younger than 2 are admitted free. (cosi.org)

Chamber orchestra goes to the opera

If you fancy "A Night at the Opera," join the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Luis Biava, for their winter concerts by that title at two venues in Columbus. On Sunday, the chamber orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. at Ascencion Lutheran Church, 1479 Morse Road, with an encore presentation at 5 p.m. March 26, at Glenwood United Methodist Church, 2833 Valleyview Drive. The programs will include Puccini's "Madama Butterfly," Acts I and II and Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Suite for Viola and Orchestra." The concerts are free; donations are welcome. (metropolitanchamberorchestra.com)

Choirs partner for CRIS benefit concert

Capriccio Columbus and the Capriccio Youth Choir (CYC) will unite for "All of Us," a special concert benefiting Community Refugee and Immigrant Services (CRIS) at 4 p.m. Sunday at Powell United Methodist Church, 825 East Olentangy St., Powell. The choirs will perform together and individually, including a collaboration on such numbers as Billy Joel’s “Everybody Has a Dream" and Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Admission is $20 for adults; $5 for students. Because this is designated as the annual Capriccio Cares concert, a special offering will be collected to benefit CRIS. (capricciocolumbus.org)

Local vocalist to sing Sinatra standards

Enjoy fan favorites from "Ol' Blue Eyes" when Brian Michael Smith as Frank Sinatra with Vaughn Wiester's Famous Jazz Orchestra present "Sinatra Lives" from 7:30-10 p.m. Monday at the Clintonville Woman's Club, 3951 N. High St. Smith has performed Great American Songbook standards in New York — including gigs at the legendary Rainbow Room, where Sinatra himself sang decades before. No-reservation tickets are $15 adults and $10 students. Parkingis free. There will be a concession table and patrons may bring their own alcoholic beverages. (614-263-4014; famousjazzorchestra.com).

Tedeschi Trucks Band heading to the Palace

Grammy Award-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band will be on the road for a run of tour dates that will make a stop at the Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St., at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The band boasts a vast catalog spanning rock, blues, jazz and country, with no setlist ever the same. A new element to the shows this year will be a single support act each night, allowing TTB to play longer sets. The Palace show will feature Myron Elkins as the supporting act, playing a gritty mix of classic rock, country and blues. Tickets are $34.50-84.50, with a limit of four tickets per person/household. (cbusarts.com)

bpaschal@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Entertainment and events happening this weekend in Columbus