ESSENTIA HEALTH FITNESS EXPO
The Essentia Health Fitness Expo kicks off Grandma’s Marathon weekend and is one of the largest in the nation, featuring more than 100 vendors and exhibitors showcasing the latest products, services, technology, and innovation in the running and athletic industries.
Additional offerings, including guest speakers throughout the two-day event, make the Essentia Health Fitness Expo a wonderful way to start an always fun-filled weekend in Duluth.
The Essentia Health Fitness Expo will be open on race weekend at the following times and location:
DATE & HOURS
- Thursday, June 20, 2024 | 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Friday, June 21, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION
Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC)
Lake Superior Ballroom — Entrance A & B
350 Harbor Drive
Duluth, MN 55802
We would love to have you and your company at our next Essentia Health Fitness Expo! If your organization is interested in becoming an exhibitor, please contact Expo Coordinator Laura Bergen via email at [email protected] or call our office at (218) 727-0947.
DECC PARKING RAMP
350 Harbor Drive
Duluth, MN 55802
Paid parking on race weekend is available for $10 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) parking ramp the Bayfront Festival Park open lot.
Metered and other paid parking is available in Canal Park or downtown Duluth, which is approximately one-half mile away from the DECC. NOTE: To crossover I-35, or to help protect pedestrians from cold or inclement weather, there is an indoor skywalk system that connects downtown Duluth to the DECC facilities.
The Essentia Health Fitness Expo will be open on race weekend at the following times and location:
DATE & HOURS
- Thursday, June 20, 2024 | 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Friday, June 21, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION
Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC)
Lake Superior Ballroom — Entrance A & B
350 Harbor Drive
Duluth, MN 55802
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We would love to have you and your company at our next Essentia Health Fitness Expo! If your organization is interested in becoming an exhibitor, please contact Expo Coordinator Laura Bergen via email at [email protected] or call our office at (218) 727-0947.
DECC PARKING RAMP
350 Harbor Drive
Duluth, MN 55802
Paid parking on race weekend is available for $10 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) parking ramp the Bayfront Festival Park open lot.
Metered and other paid parking is available in Canal Park or downtown Duluth, which is approximately one-half mile away from the DECC. NOTE: To crossover I-35, or to help protect pedestrians from cold or inclement weather, there is an indoor skywalk system that connects downtown Duluth to the DECC facilities.
FEATURED LIVE APPEARANCES
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Alison Mariella Désir, Harlem Run & Author (Running While Black)
Friday, June 16 | 12:00 p.m. | DECC, Paulucci Hall
Alison Mariella Désir is an endurance athlete, activist, and mental health advocate. She currently serves as the co-chair of the Running Industry Diversity Coalition and is the founder of Harlem Run, a New York City–based running movement. A graduate of Columbia University with her bachelor’s and two master’s degrees, including a master of education in counseling psychology, Désir has been published in Outside magazine and contributed the foreword for Running Is My Therapy by Scott Douglas.
BOOK SIGNING: Désir will also be selling copies of her new book, Running While Black, at this year’s expo. She will be available to sign copies from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 16.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
Friday, June 16 | 1:00 p.m. | DECC, Paulucci Hall
Running should be for everyone, but is it? It’s important to Grandma’s Marathon that we continue taking steps forward to make our event and the sport of running more inclusive and accessible to everyone. We’ve invited several community leaders representing various minority groups for a roundtable discussion to address some of the obstacles still present in both competitive and recreational running across the country.
DICK & CARRIE PRE-RACE TALK SHOW
Friday, June 16 | 4:00 p.m. | DECC, Paulucci Hall
Dick Beardsley is a two-time Grandma’s Marathon champion and owned the men’s event record for more than three decades before it was beaten in 2014 by Dominic Ondoro. Carrie Tollefson is a Minnesota running legend in her own right, having competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics and now working as a television analyst for some of the nation’s biggest events.
Together, they make a dynamic duo on our Grandma’s Marathon media team and will again be covering this year’s men’s and women’s full marathons on radio and television. They will be joined during this 60-minute pre-race talk show by some of the other big names we have covering this year’s race, including Kara Goucher, Chad Salmela, Doug Kurtis, and Charlie Mahler.
BOOK SIGNING: Goucher will also be selling copies of her new book, The Longest Race, at this year’s expo. She will be available to sign copies from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 16.
VIRTUAL RACECOURSE TOURS
Friday, June 16 | 10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. | DECC, Paulucci Hall
Doug Kurtis is a two-time Grandma’s Marathon champion and will be available to take you through a virtual racecourse tour before you get to the start line. Whether it’s your first time to Duluth or you just can’t get enough of our beautiful racecourse, make sure you don’t miss out on your chance to learn any last-minute tips and tricks that may help in your approach to race day.