First-ever Pizza Expo Columbus is making its debut in the Midwest on Oct. 26-27, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. This inaugural event is designed to bring the vibrant energy of the pizza industry to a new region, offering a unique opportunity for professionals to connect, learn, shop and grow.
“The inaugural Pizza Expo Columbus is special because it brings the world-class pizza trade show experience to the Midwest for the first time,” says Show Director Bill Oakley. “The event builds on the four-decade legacy of the International Pizza Expo, serving the needs of the booming Midwestern pizza market. This event is a more regionally focused trade show than our flagship Las Vegas show, allowing for more specific networking and insights for operators in the Midwest.”
The pizza community will convene at the Greater Columbus Convention Center for two days of exploring exhibit booths, participating in the excitement of competition and learning from leading regional industry thought leaders and experts.
Why Columbus?
“We chose Columbus to capitalize on the city’s central location, a large regional pizza market and a well-equipped, exhibitor-friendly convention center,” Oakley says. “This event is an expansion of the long-running International Pizza Expo and is specifically designed to serve the needs of the Midwest region’s pizzeria owners and operators.”
What to Expect at Pizza Expo Columbus
“Pizza Expo Columbus provides a crucial platform for the pizza community to network and connect with top industry suppliers and manufacturers from across the country,” Oakley explains. “Our education program is designed to help pizza professionals elevate their craft and grow their businesses. At Expo, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from industry experts on the show floor, and well as in our pizza-specific demonstrations, seminars and hand-on workshops.
Oakley continues, “A highlight of the expo is the Great American Pizza Challenge, which features specific competition categories relevant to the region and a broad range of styles, including America’s Best Dessert Pizza, Gluten-Free, Pepperoni Slice, Traditional and Non-Traditional Thin. We’re also going to have the Young Pizza Maker of the Year competition for 16- and 17-year-olds.”
All Eyes on Competitions
The Master Pizza team, led by Michael LaMarca and Jeremy Galvin, have brought years of outstanding experience staging the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas to jumpstart the Great American Pizza Challenge, which will showcase top pizza-making talent in the country. At the end of the festivities, we will declare America’s Best Pepperoni Slice. It’s thin for the win in non-traditional and traditional competitions, with the pizza categories focused on thin-crust pizza styles including Tavern, Columbus, New Haven, St. Louis, NY Thin and Flatbread. America’s Best Breadsticks/Garlic Knots is a unique and highly anticipated division.
Competition spots fill up quickly. If you want to go head-to-head against master pizza makers, check to see if there are any spaces still available in your preferred categories.
30+ Education Sessions
Pizza Expo in Las Vegas is known for world-class education designed specifically for pizzeria professionals. We bring that caliber of learning to Columbus, tapping the region’s brightest minds in the business.
“Columbus Pizza Expo is jam-packed with educational sessions designed to help address the most current and pressing challenges pizzeria operators face today,” says Content Director Jeremy White. “The business environment is constantly evolving and is impacted by the economy as well as advances in technology. This talented group of speakers – who own and operate their own successful pizza businesses – will bring a diverse group of topics to life for attendees looking to stay ahead of the curve.”
Engaging Keynote Address
Kevin King, president and CEO of Donatos Pizza, will be the keynote speaker at the inaugural Pizza Expo Columbus. With over two decades of experience in the restaurant industry – including leadership roles at Donatos, Smoothie King, Papa Murphy’s, and Domino’s Pizza – King brings a wealth of expertise. Under his leadership, Donatos operates over 460 locations across 29 states and focuses on enhancing guest experiences, franchisee engagement and innovation.
Deep-dive Workshops
Sign up for extensive, fee-based workshops specifically designed for operators who are looking to take their operations to the next level, including:
- What You Need to Know BEFORE Opening Your First Pizzeria with Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Caliente Pizza & Drafthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Sourdough Pizza Dough with Will Grant, owner of Sourdough Willy’s in Kingston, Washington
- Carryout & Delivery Done Right with Michael Androw, owner of E & D Pizza in Avon, Connecticut.
On-point Seminars & Demos
The inaugural lineup of seminars and demonstrations at Pizza Expo Columbus leverages some the region’s top-performing pizzerias. Be ready to take notes from operators such as Anna Crucitt at Mercurio’s in Pittsburgh, Brittany Saxton of 600 Downtown in Bellefontaine, Ohio; Rocky and Courtney Shanower from Park Street Pizza in Sugarcreek, Ohio; Jeff Ledford at Catch-a-Fire Pizza in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Eric Soller from Old Scratch Pizza in Dayton, Ohio, along with a full cohort of experienced and talented pizza pros.
Sessions at Pizza Expo Columbus tackle some of the industry’s toughest challenges pizza operators currently face, including retaining employees in a tough labor market, using AI in your business, navigating food and labor costs amid inflation, dealing with tightening margins and more.
With a packed demo schedule, get new menu ideas, from adding a new pizza style such as New Haven to unique pizza specials to infusing the menu with new items, such as gelato, creative salads, craft cocktails, pasta and stuffed breads.
As you can see, we are kicking off this Midwest show with two power-packed days of everything we love about the pizza industry. Explore more about the show at pizzaexpocolumbus.pizzatoday.com.
See you in Columbus for the first Midwest Pizza Expo experience!
Read the October 2025 Issue of Pizza Today Magazine
It’s National Pizza Month! We’re celebrating all month long with pizzeria community impact stories. See how pizzerias are making a difference in their communities. The inaugural Pizza Expo Columbus takes over the Columbus Convention Center on Oct. 26-27. Get a preview of all the excitement to expect. In this issue, we also dive into what makes the perfect pepperoni slice and breakfast pizza inspiration. Find tips leadership traits and how to maximize user-generated content. Go to the October issue.
