COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Arnold Sports Festival, already the largest multi-sport event in the world, will grow even larger in 2019 when an estimated 22,000 athletes from 60 nations compete in a record 80 sports and events from February 28-March 3 in Columbus, Ohio.
Headlining the nation’s largest multi-sport festival are professional bodybuilding and strongman competitions with the most well built and strongest athletes in the world. These premier physique and strongman competitions are featured daily at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
The 31st Arnold Classic will be held at Battelle Grand on Saturday, March 2, along with the Bikini International, Arnold Classic Men’s Physique and Arnold Strongman Classic Finals. Other IFBB Pro League events on the weekend include Fitness, Figure, Classic Physique, Women’s Physique and Pro Wheelchair.
The Arnold Amateur NPC Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Bikini & Physique Championships will be held at the Battelle Grand and Arnold Fitness EXPO from Thursday, February 28 through Saturday, March 2 and is expected to attract more than 700 athletes. New events in 2019 include Armlifting, Foosball, Futsal, High School Weightlifting, Speed Cubing and the Viking Dash Trail Runs.
Sports and events at the Ohio Expo Center in 2019 include Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO, baton twirling, cheerleading & dance, futsal, gymnastics, martial arts and pickleball. The Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO is helping kids be more active, building healthier habits for life. Attendees can try more than 20 sports, many led by Central Ohio professional sports teams. Featured events include a talent competition and teen fitness pageant. This wall-to-wall fun event for families is free for kids 14 and under at the Ohio Expo Center’s Bricker Building on Saturday, March and Sunday, March 3.
The 2019 Arnold Fitness EXPO will be held March 1-3 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and feature more than 1,000 booths of the latest in sports equipment, apparel and nutrition and four stages that host unique, non-stop competitions and entertainment that combine to make the Arnold Fitness EXPO the heart of the Arnold Sports Festival.
Admission to the Arnold Fitness EXPO, most events at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO and all events at the Ohio Expo Center are included in the Daily EXPO Ticket ($20 each in advance, $25 at the door). Tickets at the Ohio Expo Center are $20 at the door on event weekend. Children 14 and under are FREE. Parking at the Ohio Expo Center will be $10. FREE shuttles will run from the Ohio Expo Center to the Greater Columbus Convention Center on Friday, March 2 through Sunday, March 4.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Lorimer have co-produced the Arnold Sports Festival since 1989 when it debuted as a one-day bodybuilding competition known as the Arnold Classic. The Arnold Sports Festival has grown over the years and is now a four-day festival that features more than 80 sports and events.
“A Daily EXPO ticket affords a huge entertainment value for attendees to experience a great variety of sports and events,” Lorimer said. “We are very proud to provide the opportunity for athletes, a majority of them youth, to compete at the largest multi-sport festival in the world.”
Fitness Informant POV
Sports nutrition expos have declined in attendance over the years from brands and consumers. However, the Arnold Classic is different. It is more than just an Expo. It is a show about competitive athletes, which is super cool. I have never been, but the 2019 Arnold Classic will be my first one. I obtained a media pass for the event so we will be covering everything here at FI.
I am always very impressed by the various athletic events at the Arnold, especially Strongman. This is on a whole other level of strength. The bodybuilding competitions are always cool, especially the wheelchair division (remarkable athletes). I am looking forward to attending this year’s show.
We will be in Columbus on Friday, March 1st through Sunday, March 3rd. If you see us, come say hi!
