About Star City StrongFest
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Star City StrongFest is a free community festival and strength expo in downtown Roanoke's Elmwood Park, benefiting the Star City Strong Foundation 501c3 nonprofit.
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This unique event serves the community as a celebration of strength sports and community - while recognizing the impact both have on our mental wellness.
Volunteer
The best part of my volunteer experience was seeing the amazing breadth and reach of this event with other partnerships that promote wellness!
Vendor
We loved the reason this event was happening. I don't know any other event that is serving the community in so many ways. As a person in recovery, thank you for finally seeing what others don't.
Athlete
Lifting helps keep me grounded, to keep my mental focus on the things that matter. It has helped me beat my anxiety and depression that, at times, has nearly caused me to check out early.
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What can I do at StrongFest?
Check out the Kidz Zone with the fam, shop our festival vendors and enjoy some yummy food while watching free amateur and professional Strongman competitions on the stage featuring some of the strongest athletes from around the world.
What is Strongman?
Strongman is a weightlifting sport that focuses on power, endurance and maximum strength. Unlike the name implies, the sport is open and accessible to any human; there are training and competitive experiences for all ages, experience levels, backgrounds and abilities. In fact, one of the judges at StrongFest also runs America's Strongest Athlete with Disabilities!
Competitors are divided into weight classes and compete in amateur and professional circuits. Much like other sports, Strongman has a supportive community. They do things like flip tires, lift atlas stones, press axles, deadlift cars ... it's a lot of fun to do and watch. StrongFest is honored to have the continued support of Bobby Thompson, American Log Press Record Holder and 2022 World's Strongest Man.
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If you're interested in competing in Star City Strongman or learning more about the sport, let us know!
Why is Strongman part of this festival?
Star City StrongFest grew organically from athlete feedback about how the lifting community enhances their well-being. These stories are common in active communities and this festival serves as a way to highlight them and share the opportunity for others to become a part of that positive environment. Research shows that strong social networks, positive peer influence and shared purpose can significantly improve our mental wellness.
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Strongman is a sport and offers an element of entertainment, making it the perfect focus of a festival. We are grateful to share the opportunity to be inspired by and connect with amateur and professional athletes alike. We are #StrongerTogether.