Welcome to the Hilltop
The Historic Hilltop Area of Columbus. We at the Hilltop Business Association are a group of business professionals dedicated to improving the Hilltop Area.

Bean Dinner Festival 2024

The festival is an 80 year old tradition being held every June in Columbus’ Westgate Park. Despite the name – we don’t sit around a table eating beans! The event is a family friendly festival remembering the history that made the Columbus west side. During the Civil War – the area now known as Westgate Park was a Civil War prison camp called “Camp Chase”. While Westgate is now a gorgeous neighborhood – it used to be a very feared place by the Confederate soldiers. The soldiers were fed a ration of beans twice a day. While we remember the nation divided during the Civil War – the Hilltop bean dinner unites people from all around Columbus in this one day of Music, a Variety of Food (including the famous beans), Arts and Craft Vendors, and an Antique Car Show.

Saturday June 22th
10am-5pm.
455 S. Westgate Ave,
Columbus, Ohio 43204.

About the Hilltop

The “Greater Hilltop Area” (as defined by the City of Columbus) is bounded by I-70 on the north, I-270 on the south and west, and the railroad track just west of Harrisburg Pike/Central Avenue/3C.

Commercial Revitalization

The City of Columbus has selected the Highland West section of West Broad Street as one of six Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization districts eligible for economic incentives. The incentives for business and property owners include low-interest loans and matching grants for exterior improvements.

Opportunities

The Greater Hilltop area of Columbus Ohio hosts a diverse multicultural environment. With our diversity comes excellent opportunity for both small and large businesses. Our economic base is an even split of white collar and blue collar occupations and family households hold a majority. We have a population density of 20% more per square mile than overall Columbus statistics.

The Hilltop Business Association was founded in 1926 as the Hilltop Businessmen’s Association. The HBA has hosted events such as the Historic Hilltop Bean Dinner, the Greater hilltop Open, the Annual Fall Celebration, Deck the Hilltop, National Night Out Events. The HBA offers a way for business people in the Hilltop and the Westside to network and build cohesiveness among themselves.
The Hilltop Business Association was organized in 1926 with the purpose of developing and improving the hilltop area of Columbus, Ohio. At the time, most of the members were located in the business districts of West Broad Street and Sullivant Avenue. Originally known as the “hilltop Businessmen’s Association”, the group voted to include women in the mid 1950’s, and changed the name to what it is today. The interests of the community are served through involvement in community needs and concerns.
The group involves itself with the city government as well as neighborhood, social and charitable events. The HBA is working with other organizations toward economic development on the Westside.
In 2007, the HBA began receiving a Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization (NCR) grant from the City of Columbus for economic development of the Highland West Area of West Broad Street.

COVID-19 Information

COVID-19 Emergency Loan Guide PDF

Bean Dinner Festival Applications

The Bean Festival will be held on Saturday June 22th, 2024.
Below are the applications for booth space, right click to download each.
Fill them in and return to
Hilltop Business Association – Bean Dinner
PO Box 44217
Columbus OHIO 43204
or
Email to Nancy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For Online Applications & Payments Go Here

Booth Space Application
Arts and Crafts Vendor
Car Show Application
Car Show Liability Waiver

Join the HBA

Learn more about the HBA HERE

JOIN The HBA

Existing HBA Members can make a payment through the website or renew their Membership. We use Paypal for payments, if you do not have a Paypal account please go through the checkout process as a guest.