There's no denying that opening day in the Arena District is a fun time, and everyone is invited. From kids to adults and everyone in between, there is something for everyone. So come down and join in the festivities. Some of us (yeah, me) will be down there at 10 AM, eating breakfast and getting ready for the day. The weather is going to be beautiful, so get down there and join us. 

Now let's look at what's going to be happening in the Arena District ahead of puck drop at 7 PM.

The Blue Jackets will be hosting a Plaza Party at Batelle Plaza in front of the arena. 

Per a press release from the team: 

The Columbus Blue Jackets invite fans to kick off the club’s 25th season by visiting the Opening Night Plaza Party, presented by Nationwide, on Monday, October 13 before the Jackets host the New Jersey Devils at 7 p.m. The party on the Front Street Plaza starts at 3:30 p.m. and game tickets are not required to attend.

A central attraction of the plaza party is the Nationwide “blue carpet” arrival of the Blue Jackets. Fans are invited to line up and welcome the players as they proceed across the plaza and into the front doors of Nationwide Arena. Arriving in Lexus vehicles, most players are expected between 4-5 p.m.

Fans 21 and over can enjoy samples from Garage Beer, Clubtails and Surfside, while entertainment for all ages includes an ice sculpture, face painters, balloon artists, and a DJ from 4-7 p.m. Attendees can also visit Blue Jackets radio partners 97.1 The Fan at The Fan Van and 93.1 The Fan WSSR from Lima, OH. Team partners including Nationwide, Bread Financial, G&J Pepsi, Tim Hortons, and Fanatics Sportsbook will be onsite to connect with fans.

FanDuel Sports Network will broadcast from inside Nationwide Arena and stream an expanded edition of the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show hosted by Brian Giesenschlag and Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre starting at 6 p.m.

Inside Nationwide Arena, fans will receive a 2025-26 schedule magnet, courtesy of Nationwide. Doors open early at 5:30 p.m., and fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 7 p.m. for a special Opening Night ceremony featuring individual player introductions, and more. Members of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra will honor our nation with a heartfelt performance of the national anthem alongside 99-year-old World War II veteran Burt Marsh before puck drop.

A highlight on the main concourse will be the display of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan earned the honor last season.

Later in the evening, fans will also be organizing a march to Nationwide Arena. Fans are invited to join the fan group "Union Blue Soldiers" in front of R Bar at 6 PM.  The group will then depart R Bar and head to Nationwide Arena, all the while chanting and carrying banners celebrating opening night for their favorite team. 

The group will also be passing out buttons to people who show up to the march. 

The festivities will culminate with the Blue Jackets taking on Metro rival New Jersey at 7 PM. 

The Blue Jackets also announced a few days ago that they are honoring the 25th season of the CBJ by placing puck sculptures around Columbus.

According to the press release from the hockey club, three will be located at OhioHealth Chiller locations in Easton, Dublin, and North. The other nine will be unveiled over the coming weeks, and locations will be shared on their social media channels.  

The Blue Jackets have shared some more details via their press release. Each sculpture will be approximately four feet, six inches, weighing around 350 pounds and will be made of steel tubing and sheeting.

More design details are below:

• The puck statues are 46 inches in diameter – 15 times the size of a standard hockey puck.
• Over 480 letters were laser-cut from two different thicknesses of steel sheeting to create the dimensional look.
• The outer ring of each puck was laser etched with a grid pattern scaled to match a real hockey puck.
• The laser traveled 800 feet to complete the etching, equal to the length of four NHL rinks.
• Each puck is painted with Amerlock, the same industrial coating used on submarines, ensuring durability and a sleek finish.
• For details and more information about the team’s 25th season, visit www.CBJHistory.com or follow the team on social media.

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.

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