Exhibit Columbus gets underway full speed this weekend but the first event is this afternoon. Local high school students will unveil their installation at the historic post office at 7th and Washington streets in downtown Columbus at 5 p.m. today.

Richard McCoy, director of Landmark Columbus, explains the students’ work.

The high school installation is one of 18 around the community that will be unveiled over the next few days.

On Friday morning, the six installations from university architectural students from around the region will be unveiled at a ceremony at Central Middle School. That starts at 11 a.m. and you will have the chance to talk with the student architects and their professors.

Other Exhibit Columbus events that are free and open to the public include:

• Architect’s Newspaper opening conversations, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Red Room of the Bartholomew County Public Library.
•  Exhibit Columbus Opening Celebration 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday on Fifth Street from First Christian Church to Mill Race Park
• Mill Race Park 25th Anniversary Celebration, 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Mill Race Park.

For more information on the Exhibit Columbus schedule go to exhibitcolumbus.org

In advance of Exhibit Columbus events, the Columbus Area Arts Council is hosting a self-guided walking tour of downtown Columbus art, design and architecture tonight. Kathryn Armstrong is executive director of the Arts Council:

The Art Walk runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and includes nine locations where you can pick up a map, see new art exhibits and get a stamp. A reception will be held afterwards at Hotel Indigo, starting at 8:15 p.m.

If you get five stamps you will be entered into a drawing for tickets to the Columbus Movie. The nine starting locations are:

1. Bartholomew County Public Library Gallery, Cleo Rogers Memorial Library, 536 5th St.  — Avenue of the Architects by Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives
2. Columbus Area Visitors Center, 506 5th St.  — Charley Harper Exhibition
3. Hotel Indigo, 400 Brown St. — Graphic Design Celebration
4. kidscommons, 309 Washington St. Mural by Andy J. Miller also Live, Laugh, Love, Laugh Until You Cry by Tré Reising
5. Viewpoint Books,  548 Washington St. — Nomad Arts, art, spoken word and music by Dresden.
6. Former Brad’s Furniture,  538 Washington St. — Room Setting, a mid-century modern experience curated by Columbus Area Arts Council
7. IU Center for Art + Design, 301 Jackson St. — Redeveloping Downtown by Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives
8. IU Center for Art + Design,  301 Jackson St. — Shadow of an Unknown Bird, a large 3D printed sculpture by Cummins engineers and IU artists & designers.
9. Bartholomew County Historical Society, 524 3rd St. — The National Historic Landmarks of Columbus, Indiana by Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives and Ball State University

For more on the Art Walk, go to artsincolumbus.org