Looking for fun? Here are 10 things to do in Columbus this weekend and beyond

Even though there's rain in the forecast, don't let that dampen your fun! Grab your umbrella and get out to experience what Columbus has to offer!

Lovers of dance can enjoy two unique collaborations: "Love to Death (Amor a la muerte)" focusing on the plight of the Indigenous Mapuche people of Chile, and a joint presentation by local company Hixon Dance and Cleveland-based The Movement Project.

In the world of music, Backstage at the Lincoln will celebrate a decade of intimate concerts by performers including Lincoln alumni, the popular Bobby Floyd Trio will play a free Happy Hour show at Natalie's Grandview, and another free offering will feature "Singing Organist" Rebecca Abbott. Also, Nationwide Arena will welcome country crooner Kane Brown and rap revolutionary Future.

There's more in store and you can read all about it below. To get these ideas in your inbox every week, sign up for the Life in the 614 newsletter.

Collaboration focuses on Indigenous Chileans

"Love to Death (Amor a la muerte)," a powerful collaboration exploring the reality of Chile's Indigenous Mapuche people, will run Thursday through Saturday in Mershon Auditorium at Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High St. This work by Samoan director-choreographer Lemi Ponifasio will feature Mapuche singer-songwriter and activist Elisa Avendaño Curaqueo and contemporary flamenco dancer Natalia García-Huidobro, two Chilean women seeking a more just, equal future for the Mapuche people. The work was inspired in part by national protests after the murder of young Mapuche man by police in 2018. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6 access; $12 members, seniors, and students (suggested); $24 general public (suggested); and $48 access sponsor. (wexarts.org)

Country's Kane Brown coming to town

Kane Brown, who first caught the public's eye on social media a decade ago, will come to Nationwide Arena, 200 Nationwide Blvd., with guests Dustin Lynch and LoCash at 7 p.m. Thursday. Currently on his "Drunk or Dreaming" tour, the 29-year-old Brown is the first Black solo artist to receive an ACM Award for Video of the Year for his poignant hit “Worldwide Beautiful.” He also was named to the Time100 list of the most influential people in the world. Tickets for the concert start at $55. (nationwidearena.com)

CATCO to present coming-of-age play

CATCO will stage the Ohio premiere of “…but you could've held my hand" from Thursday through April 8, in the Riffe Center’s Studio Two Theatre, 77 S. High St. JuCoby Johnson weaves dance, music, poetry, gender and racial themes into the coming-of-age, friendship, emerging sexuality and adulthood story of four 10-year-olds who meet by chance at a wedding. The play is suggested for ages 14 and older because of strong language and mature content. Tickets are $45.24 (plus fees). CATCO offers a Pay-What-You-Want ticket option for preview performances, which will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and 8 p.m. Friday; opening night is Saturday. Showtimes during the run are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays. (cbusarts.com)

Dance troupes team up on new show

Hixon Dance announces its new production, “216 Meets 614: dance, in concert” at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at Columbus Dance Theatre, 592 E. Main St. Featuring Cleveland-based guest artist The Movement Project, the evening will showcase new dance works by both groups, as well as a joint piece using improvisation. General admission tickets are $20, senior tickets $15, and student tickets $12, available in advance or at the door. (hixondance.com)

Conversation to cover comics and cognition

On Saturday, OSU's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, 1813 N. High St., will host two events during "Comics and Cognitive Science" in Sullivant Hall. From 2-3 p.m. guests are invited to attend an open house in the Lucy Shelton Caswell Reading Room featuring a curated collection of comics focusing on cognition and human perception. From 3-5:30 p.m. in the Jean & Charles Schulz Lecture Hall, cognitive scientist Neil Cohn will discuss his research on the cognition of comics and language, after which he and award-winning cartoonist and author Chris Ware will discuss their shared passion and history with comics. Attendees will have opportunities to ask questions during the event, which is free, but registration is required. (cartoons.osu.edu/events)

Future & Friends to throw 'One Big Party'

Rap pioneer Future will play Nationwide Arena, 200 Nationwide Blvd., as part of his “Future & Friends - One Big Party” tour. The show begins at 7 p.m. Saturday with surprise supporting acts. Known for hits like “Turn on the Lights” and “Honest,” Future is touring in support of his current album, “I Never Liked You.” Known for his prolific output, he has amassed eight No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, 153 Hot 100 hits and close to 100 million RIAA-certified units since 2012. Tickets start at $83. (nationwidearena.com)

Happy Hour to feature Bobby Floyd Trio

Natalie’s Grandview, 945 King Ave., will host a Happy Hour show featuring the Bobby Floyd Trio at 5:15 p.m. Sunday. Doors open at 5. A Grammy nominee in 2020, Floyd has performed extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan, playing with artists including Ray Charles, the Count Basie Orchestra, Dr. John, and locally, Byron Stripling. The trio also features Derek DiCenzo on guitar and bass, and Reggie Jackson on drums. There is no admission charge for the show, but tips will be greatly appreciated. Reservations are recommended. (nataliesgrandview.com)

'Singing Organist' to give free concert

Rebecca Abbott will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday as "The Singing Organist" as part of the Chalice Art series at Northwest Christian Church, 1340 Fishinger Road, Upper Arlington. Abbott, who teaches with the Columbus-based Sacred Music Institute of America, will present a variety of Celtic tunes during the first half of the concert, and the second half will feature selections from her album, "As a Matter of Fancy," available later this month on CD and through Spotify. Admission is free; a freewill donation will be collected. (northwestchristian.org)

Podcasters put funny spin on paranormal

Podcasters and New York Times bestselling authors Em Schulz and Christine Schiefer (a Cincinnati native) will appear at 7 p.m. March 29 at the Davidson Theatre in the Vern Riffe Center, 77 S. High St. The duo, currently on their 16-city "On the Rocks" tour, hosts the award-winning, comedic true crime/paranormal podcast "And That's Why We Drink,” which has over 124 million lifetime downloads. Their book, “A Haunted Road Atlas,” was released last spring. Tickets are $29.50-$59-50, with a limit of eight tickets per person/household. (cbusarts.com)

Backstage at the Lincoln marks 10th anniversary

Celebrate 10 years of Backstage at the Lincoln with headliner T.Wong and special guest Marquitta Minniefield at 7 p.m. March 30, at the Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St. Backstage offers an exceptionally intimate concert experience from a perspective normally seen only by the artists themselves. The evening also will feature an all-star lineup of Lincoln alumni. Ticket packages include general admission ($20), premier ($50), and Stage VIP packages ($75 individual, $125 couple). Each package includes a drink toast before the performance. (cbusarts.com)

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Things to do around Columbus this weekend