Celebrating America 250 & the Palace Theatre’s 100th Anniversary

What does it look like when a city comes together to celebrate history, art and community? In this episode of Yes, Columbus, Boxer and Sarah kick off the “A Celebration of US” series with Chris Hurtubise of the America 250-Ohio Commission and Jim Fischer of the Columbus Association for Performing Arts. Together, they explore how Ohio and Columbus are bringing America’s 250th anniversary to life through statewide experiences, events and local collaboration — including the Palace Theatre’s 100th anniversary. From arts and culture to community pride, this episode highlights how milestone moments help tell the story of Columbus.Jim Fischer, Communications Manager, CAPA - BioJim is the Communications Manager for CAPA. Previously, he was an arts writer in Columbus for about 30 years, primarily working with various Columbus Dispatch-related properties, including ThisWeek Newspapers and Columbus Alive. A native of Pittsburgh, he is a graduate of Otterbein College (yes, College, he knows it’s a university now) and has made his home in central Ohio for 35 years. He is a Columbus Blue Jackets season ticket holder since the inaugural season, and is a co-founder of Beer & Hymns – Delaware, Ohio.Chris Hurtubise, Communications Director for America 250-Ohio - BioChris Hurtubise, Communications Director for America 250-Ohio, is an experienced senior marketing and communications leader with extensive experience including non-for-profit museum marketing, professional services and consumer packaged goods. She served as COSI's Senior Director of Marketing and Communications and in other roles for 24 years immersing her in attraction marketing, travel and tourism, mission-based messaging, and community-based initiatives. More recently she worked for two local start-ups - one focusing on global humanitarian engineering and the other an MBE-owned entertainment discovery platform. Chris is a native Ohioan from the Dayton area, a graduate of The Ohio State University and lives in Gahanna with her husband Larry and dog Maxi. Her two young adult children are pursuing their careers in healthcare and law. She enjoys outdoor activities including hiking, camping, and kayaking and is excited to help Ohio celebrate our contribution to the richness of America's story in 2026.