World’s Strongest Man in Sacramento: Metropolis welcoming again tourism

It is the first major event in the city since the pandemic began.

SACRAMENTO, California – The start of Sacramento’s first major event since the pandemic began is slated for the same day California will open again.

On Tuesday morning, the stage is ready for the World’s Strongest Man Competition at the historic Old Sacramento Waterfront. It will be a chance for the city to flex its tourist muscles and rebuild a sorely missed calendar of events that draws visitors to the region.

Competitor Evan Singleton tore a biceps tendon in the battle for the title of the strongest man in the world last year. This year, Sacramento will give its first California visitor a chance for salvation.

“All of the air-conditioning – all of that – I trained without all of that,” Singleton said.

After training in Kentucky for seven months, he hydrates his body to prepare for potentially record-breaking heat. With medical staff and cooling areas for the 25 contestants, Singleton said he was 100% focused on winning.

“It starts here. That’s why I work so hard. Here I come and risk everything, ”said Singleton.

But Singleton isn’t the only one looking for redemption. The Sacramento economy is too.

“One of the silver linings that has emerged from the pandemic is the ability to appreciate what we had before the pandemic,” said Mike Testa, President and CEO of Visit Sacramento.

The World’s Strongest Man Competition is the city’s first major event with spectators in more than a year and signals the revival of tourism and events. A sector that, according to Testa, brought 15 million visitors and more than $ 3 billion to the city in 2019.

“That’s a lot of money that is missing from the coffers of our local businesses,” he said.

With the competition calling Sacramento home for the next three years, Testa said this week’s events will be a rehearsal for next year.

In addition to the traditional keg throwing event, the organizers are paying tribute to the city’s history with a new event. In a turntable challenge, the athletes push an antique locomotive 180 degrees.

“We can only do this because of the train station access,” said Rebecca Levin, vice president of IMG Productions. “To think about the history of Sacramento and work with it to make things that are really unique, but it really speaks for a strong man and that courage and determination that all these guys bring to the competition – it’s just the perfect one Coordination.”

Organizers had originally planned the event without an audience due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, but when California set a reopening date for June 15, they released limited tickets. All of them sold out quickly.

Spectators with tickets are asked to fill out a health questionnaire before entering the event room, but do not need to provide evidence of vaccination status.

People can still take a look behind the scenes Live stream on Facebook.

Testa says – the hope is that it will be fully open to everyone by next year.

Events like The Strongest Man in the World are attracting visitors to the region – and this year Visit Sacramento is planning unique events like the Farm to Fork Festival, Tower Bridge Dinner and Aftershock at full speed.

For more information on the World’s Strongest Man: Backstage Live! Presented by SBD event, click HERE.

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