Every year, the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo seems to get bigger -- and more fun. From celebrity sightings to live cooking shows to ice skating without ice, we had a blast in 2014.
We're now planning our 2015 NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo, which will be held Jan. 10 and 11 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C. As always, it's free! (Learn more about next year's Expo here.)
In the meantime, we're remembering some of our favorite moments from 2014's Expo. Here's our list:
10. We met Teddy Roosevelt! And Abe Lincoln!
The Nationals' Presidents dropped by the 2014 Expo to do a few laps around the convention center floor -- and we got to meet Teddy! Cross one thing off our bucket list.
Teddy got me in the mood for BASEBALL season!!! #nbc4expo @nbchealthexpo pic.twitter.com/3zPiKC2pCR — Rachel Gordon (@rachelbg) January 12, 2014
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9. Watching kids explore our new mobile weather station
In 2014, we brought our new Storm Team4x4 to the Expo floor. We thought our mobile weather station, which has the same technology that we use in the Storm Team4 Weather Center at the station, was pretty cool. But that was nothing compared to watching grade-schoolers climb in for a close look at the truck, and the look on their face when they realized they were being streamed live.
Rise and shine! NBC4 crews here and ready for action @nbchealthexpo pic.twitter.com/gCY1IuyKtU — Sean Casey (@CaseyNBC) January 12, 2014
8. Ice skating -- without the Polar Vortex
We had an ice skating rink at the 2014 Expo, since we were gearing up for the 2014 Sochi Olympics (we even had the Presidents race the Olympic torch through the floor!) It wasn't cold, but we can attest that it sure was slippery. Triple Axels were not attempted.
Now we're Rollin' at the ice rink! Watch out #sochi! #NBC4Expo pic.twitter.com/aA3Ll78AIU — abennefield (@abennefield) January 11, 2014
7. So you really want to be in "The Blacklist"? We can do that.
At our social media booth, we offered Expo-goers a chance to insert themselves into all kinds of interesting situations, from the beach to swimming with sharks to hanging out on the set of hit NBC shows including The Voice and Sunday Night Football. (Yes, it was the magic of Photoshop. But it was still fun.)
We loved it when one woman requested "The Blacklist" -- and then whispered to us that she was an FBI agent, and it was her favorite show.
Doreen Gentzler, who is nothing if not a good sport, tried out the Kangoo Jump Shoes -- springy contrapions that absorb 80 percent of the impact on joints. She gave them a bounce with Chakaboom Fitness.
5. Your One-On-One With Delilah
Radio host Delilah brought her silky voice and listening ear to the 2014 NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo to take questions from the audience. True to her show, she shared it all, from parenting her 13 children to her faith to the radio calls that never made the air.
4. Jean Chatzky gets our finances in order
Jean Chatzky, the financial editor for NBC’s Today show, brought her common-sense financial advice to the 2014 Expo. This was the first time we included financial wellness at the Expo, but Expo-goers loved hearing Chatzky's simple "Money Rules." Our favorite: "Hope is not an investment strategy."
At the #nbc4expo with @doreengensler This is huge!! pic.twitter.com/lX42nGT2VP — Jean Chatzky (@JeanChatzky) January 11, 2014
Al took a break from his duties as host and weatherman of NBC’s Today Show to swing by our Expo and have some fun with Doreen Gentzler (including a joke about Kangoo Jump Shoes). Every year we are lucky enough to have celebrities, media personalities and well-known authors join us at the Expo.
2. The Pat Collins Snow Stick made an appearance
Every year, many News4 anchors and reporters meet viewers at the Expo. But this year we had a new addition: The Pat Collins Snow Stick, which Pat uses (far too often, this winter) to check the depth of snow. The media-savvy stick has his own Twitter account, with thousands of followers.
1. Meeting all of you!
More than 85,000 people came to the 2014 NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo, which is the largest health and wellness event on the East Coast each year. We spend months planning and creating this event, and then we spend two non-stop days at the Expo. We truly love meeting all of you, talking about our commitment to our community and hearing your feedback.
Whether we're taking a Zumba class, Photoshopping you into a NBC show, meeting you in the NBC4 booth or just bumping into you on the floor of the Expo, thank you for spending time with us.
See you at the 2015 Expo!
