Get pumped — the nation's biggest and best sports festival is back this weekend.

• Never been but considering a visit to the Convention Center? Here's a guide to hide that you're an amateur.

Why it matters: The Arnold Sports Festival — we just call it the Arnold — is expected to attract over 100,000 visitors who will spend $15.6 million in the Columbus area, organizers say.

State of play: The four-day extravaganza with 12,000 participating athletes is equal parts sports and spectacle. Go for the powerlifting or the people-watching — we won't judge.

• Amid the chiseled, spray-tanned bodybuilders with impossibly large biceps, other intriguing contests include arm wrestling, Medieval fighting and Scottish Highland games.

What's new: World Chase Tag, a parkour spin on the classic playground game, hosts a championship event that will air on ESPN in April.

Catch up quick: Impress your friends with Arnold history facts:

• This is the festival's 35th year, predating even the acclaimed "Terminator 2: Judgment Day."
• The event started in 1989 as a bodybuilding contest with just 30 competitors.
• Arnold Schwarzenegger's connection to Columbus dates back to 1970, when he won a Mr. World competition here and befriended the late festival co-founder Jim Lorimer.

Be smart: These days, a main draw is the massive expo, a sprawling sensory overload of more than 1,000 vendor booths selling everything from athleisure wear to protein-packed gelato and deodorant for your … butt.

• Two words: Free. Samples.
• Bring a swag bag and prepare for long lines.

💪 Pro tip: No, you won't look like a dork by flexing with the Arnold statue out front. Everybody does it.

• But for a guaranteed opportunity to see the 75-year-old Austrian Oak in the flesh, buy a $30 ticket to Sunday's Arnold Showcase.

If you go: Expo is 10am-7pm Friday and Saturday, 10am-4pm Sunday.

• Tickets: $35-40 daily, $90 weekend pass. (Some events charge separate admission.)
• Still not convinced? Check out Tyler's recap from last year or the competition schedule.

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🏒 Cheer on the Blue Jackets against the Seattle Kraken on Family Night, with demonstrations by COSI on "the science of hockey."

• 7pm tonight at Nationwide Arena. Tickets as low as $28.

🎶 See the hills come alive on stage with the Sound of Music, a performance by the Butterfly Guild benefitting Nationwide Children's Hospital.

• 7pm tonight, 2pm and 7pm Saturday, 2pm Sunday at the Palace Theatre. $14-49.

🪩 Dance with electro-funk duo Chromeo inside Otherworld, an immersive sci-fi art installation.

• 10:30pm tonight, 5819 Chantry Dr. $40-45.

⚽ Kick off soccer season at the Crew's home opener against D.C. United. The first 10,000 fans receive a free winter beanie!

• 7:30pm Saturday at Lower.com Field. $39-91.

More events this weekend

"I think the Indians were going to win. The rain delay killed us."

State of play: Householder denies having schemed with FirstEnergy to pass the nuclear bailout package at the center of his trial.

The road to a national championship begins today for the OSU women's basketball team.

Dribbling the news: The Buckeyes (23-6) open the 2023 Big Ten Tournament against Michigan at approximately 3pm today.

Why it matters: OSU is a shoo-in to make the March Madness tournament regardless of the outcome, but a few wins this weekend mean a better seed and easier path to a title.

What's next: With a victory today, OSU advances to the semifinals tomorrow.

• The conference championship is Sunday.

How to watch: All games are broadcast on the Big Ten Network except Sunday's game on ESPN.

💼 See who’s hiring around the city.

1. Director, (CSM) Solutions and Development at Cogeco.
2. Principal Product Strategist at WillowTree.
3. Sr Director Visual Merchandise and Store Planning at Micro Center.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

It all began on March 4, 1873, as a single reading room inside the old City Hall building.

• A full 150 years later, the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) system now has 23 locations serving readers all over Franklin County.

Driving the news: CML is celebrating the anniversary this Sunday with birthday bashes at most locations.

The intrigue: The first CML library predates the current state fairgrounds, the Horseshoe, Schmidt's meat packing business and even the name "Ohio State University."

• In 1901, steel magnate Andrew Carnegie donated $200,000 toward building the Main Library, which still stands today.

Be smart: These days, CML offers far more than borrowing books.

• You can also "check out" free passes to local attractions like the Columbus Zoo, Franklin Park Conservatory and even Clippers baseball games.

👋 Tyler here! Yesterday, we invited readers to guess my whereabouts and dozens of you got it right — it's Homestead Metro Park near Hilliard!

• I stopped by during a walk along the fabulous Heritage Rail Trail.

Behind me is a barn featuring the Ohio bicentennial logo.

Flashback: Artist Scott Hagan painted bicentennial barns in all 88 counties between 1997-2002 as part of the state's 200th anniversary.

• Over the course of nine years, I traveled the state to visit each one of them.

Of note: The Homestead barn is not the official Franklin County bicentennial barn.

• That one, located in New Albany on land owned by billionaire Les Wexner, was painted over about a decade ago.

👏 Congratulations to reader Matt S., today's winner!