Last Updated on October 15, 2021
The Arnold Sports Festival, already the largest multi-sport event in the world, will grow even larger in 2018 when an estimated 20,000 athletes from 80 nations compete in a record 75 sports and events from March 1-4, 2018 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 on two structurally reinforced stages at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
The 30th Arnold Classic will be held at Battelle Grand on Saturday, March 3, along with the Bikini International, Arnold Classic Men’s Physique and Arnold Strongman Classic Finals. Other IFBB Pro League events on the weekend include Arnold Classic 212, Fitness, Figure, Women’s Physique, Pro Wheelchair and, new in 2018, Arnold Classic Physique.
The Arnold Amateur NPC Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Bikini & Physique Championships will be held at the Battelle Grand and Arnold Fitness EXPO from Thursday, March 1 through Saturday, March 3 and is expected to attract more than 700 athletes from 80 nations.
Sports and events at the Ohio Expo Center in 2018 include Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO, archery, baton twirling, boxing, cheerleading & dance, equestrian, gymnastics, martial arts, pickleball, table tennis, taekwondo, XPC Powerlifting and POWER X.
The Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO features competitions in basketball, volleyball and martial arts as well as a talent show and teen fitness pageant. Attendees can also try out more than 20 sports with hands-on clinics lead by area sports teams and have fun trying the Spartan obstacle course and several zip lines. The Arnold SportsWorld Kids & Teens EXPO is Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4.
New events in 2018 include Classic Physique (professional and amateur), axe throwing, body painting, equestrian, pickleball, and UMG Gaming Tournament.
The 2018 Arnold Fitness EXPO will be held March 2-4 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and feature more than 1,000 booths of the latest in sports equipment, apparel and nutrition and two 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 ($15 each in advance, $20 at the door). 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 75 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.”
Separate tickets are required for the following events:
• Arnold Amateur Fitness, Figure, Bikini and Women’s Physique Prejudging; Masters Figure and Masters Bikini Prejudging and Finals, Noon Thursday, March 1, Battelle Grand $25.
• Meet & Greet with IFBB Pros, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 1, Hilton Columbus Downtown $25.
• Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding and Men’s Physique Prejudging; Classic Physique Prejudging and Finals and IFBB Pro League Women’s Physique International Prejudging, 9 a.m. Friday, March 2, Battelle Grand $25.
• Arnold Classic 212, Arnold Classic Physique, Fitness International, Figure International and Women’s Physique International Finals, 7 p.m. Friday, March 2, Battelle Grand $50-75.
• Amateur MMA Festival, 7 p.m. Friday, March 2, Columbus Convention Center $30-$75.
• Arnold Classic, Bikini International, Arnold Men’s Physique Prejudging and Arnold Pro Wheelchair Prejudging and Finals, Noon Saturday, March 3, Battelle Grand $50.
• Arnold Classic, Bikini International, Arnold Men’s Physique and Arnold Strongman Classic Finals, 7 p.m. Saturday, March 3, Battelle Grand $50-$100.
• Arnold Party With The Pros, 9 p.m. Saturday, March 3, Columbus Convention Center, $25.
• Arnold Pro Boxing, 7:30 pm Saturday, March 3, Columbus Convention Center, TBA
• Arnold Sunday Showcase & Coffee With The Champions Featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, 9:30 a.m. Sunday, March 4, Battelle Grand $25. VIP Ticket Packages and individual event tickets are available through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com/arnold or 800-745-3000.
For more information, including schedules, locations and hours, visit www.arnoldsportsfestival.com.
