COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Since 1989 the Arnold Sports Festival has been a staple in Columbus and tomorrow will be yet another opening day of the four-day weekend event.

It brings world renowned athletes and body builders to our community. Crews and organizers like Brent Lalonde have been working since Monday, preparing the Columbus Convention Center for the largest health and fitness festival in the world.

“We started in 1989, It’s our 37th year and Arnold Schwarzenegger has been here from day one,” Lalonde said. “It’s a huge, huge undertaking (and) takes all year to prepare for four days. But when you get to this point, you’re just ready for the show to begin.”

Organizers of The Arnold are gearing up for the start of this event on Thursday. They explained setting up the convention center is like putting a puzzle together with huge booths, vendors and exhibitors. They expect nearly 20,000 athletes to compete in a variety of sports like bodybuilding, youth sports, combat sports and more.

“We have some new exhibitors and big vendors inside the expo this year, including a clothing company called YoungLA. That has a massive activation inside of our building,” Lalonde said. “We’ve added some new sports out of the Ohio Expo Center, so we’re building the event back up.”

Another key part of preparation is coordinating with about 350 companies and with sport chairs, who are responsible for the competitions taking place on the weekend. Overall, the goal is to create a space that highlights and celebrates these athletes, while also being enjoyable for the attendees.

“Winning that trophy on our stage and handing that trophy, taking that trophy from Arnold Schwarzenegger is the highlight of our competitors’ career,” Lalonde said. “The heart and soul of the event is the expo, so the best way to experience the event is to come downtown.”

For more information on the Arnold sports festival and if you would like to attend, visit the Arnold Sports Festival website.