“Sex is like snow, you never know how many inches you're going to get or how long it will last.” Sexapalooza returns to Columbus this weekend for three days of bawdy entertainment and a unique shopping experience. Starting Friday and running through Sunday at Franklin County Veterans Memorial, Sexapalooza offers a safe yet titillating environment dedicated to entertaining and educating visitors on all aspects of sex and sexuality. Enjoy stage shows and learn new sex “how tos” and tips at seminars given by professionals in the adult industry. Highlights will include burlesque, male erotic dancers, body painted models, bondage bed demos and more. This will be the third time the sex expo has been presented in Columbus, the first city in the United States for the Canada-based enterprise. Liz Lewis, the event promoter, said after holding Sexapalooza shows in Ottawa, Toronto and other Canadian cities, Columbus seemed a good fit. “There were a number of things I looked for and also the facility was open to having me,” Lewis said. “They were great to work with, they've been very welcoming. You've got a great city there.” Sexapalooza strives to create an environment and show that is supportive and inclusive regardless of your sexual practice or preference. Lewis said her team works hard to assemble a diverse collection of exhibitors, entertainment, educators and non-profit community groups that represent each city's sexual community. “Everyone who comes to the shows has fun,” Lewis said. “People are talking to people and seeing stuff they've never seen before. Some of the stuff that's on the main stage is humorous. The people giving seminars try to keep it very light hearted.” In addition to the Main Stage productions, Sexapalooza will feature product demonstrations, workshops and seminars, a dungeon showcase, educational videos, the Alley of Fantasy, body painting, The Sex Museum, contests, door prizes and shopping from a host of vendors. This is the third consecutive year Sexapalooza has come to Columbus and Lewis is expecting the largest crowd ever. “Attendance the second year was up 10 percent over the first year, so I expect an increase this year as well,” she said. “Within another year or so I expect we'll be up to the same kind of attendance we get in Ottawa, which has the same population as Columbus.”