Stadiums, arenas & big events
Ohio State Fair Towing on the Expo Center Grounds
Twelve days of rides, livestock and fried food each summer, plus horse shows and expos the rest of the year. If your car gives out at the fairgrounds, call us.
- Open 24/7, 365 days
- Flatbed-only fleet
- Price quoted before dispatch
- Licensed & insured
The Ohio Expo Center sits on the north side of Columbus right off I-71 at the 17th Avenue exit, beside the Ohio History Center. Every summer it hosts the Ohio State Fair, and for the rest of the year the same grounds hold horse shows, trade shows, weekend sales and all kinds of expos. Ohio State Fair towing is the busiest version of our work here, but we take calls from these grounds in every season.
The fair is a heat-and-crowds event. Families arrive in the morning, park on a hot lot, and come back at night to a car that has been baking for ten hours. Exhibitors arrive days early with trucks, trailers and campers. Add summer storms and a highway exit that backs up at opening and closing, and you get dead batteries, overheated engines, flat tires and the occasional fender-bender on the ramps.
Our flatbeds come up from Harrisburg Pike on the southwest side, so the route to 17th Avenue runs straight up the freeway system. We handle cars, SUVs, minivans and light pickups ourselves. For a loaded livestock trailer, a camper or a heavy truck, we bring in a heavy-wrecker partner and coordinate the job so you only have to make one call.
Summer at the fair: what fails
Heat is the common thread. Batteries that limped through spring often give out after a long day parked on hot pavement, especially in older cars. Cooling systems struggle in the slow exit traffic at the end of the night, and hot tires that were already low can let go on the ramp to I-71.
- Batteries that will not crank after a full day in the sun.
- Engines that overheat while idling in the line to leave.
- Flat tires on the way in or out, including on the 17th Avenue ramps.
- Keys locked in the car with sunscreen, strollers and coolers being loaded.
- Pickups and SUVs that have towed a trailer to the grounds and then will not restart.
Finding you on the grounds
The grounds are large, with several entrances and a number of parking areas that look very similar at dusk. When you call, tell us which gate or entrance you drove through, any lot name or number you can see, and the nearest building or landmark, such as a barn, an arena or the History Center. A dropped pin from your phone is the best possible help.
During the fair, parts of the grounds are reserved for exhibitors, campers and staff. If you are in one of those areas, mention it, because the driver may need you or a staff member to meet them at a gate.
Exhibitors, trailers and campers
Exhibitor rigs are often bigger than what a light-duty flatbed can take. If your truck died with a trailer attached, the trailer usually needs to be unhitched and handled separately, or the whole rig needs a heavy wrecker. Our dispatcher will ask about weight and size, and arrange a medium-duty or heavy partner when needed.
Fair-time pricing
The fair does not change our prices. Roadside help is a flat $75, and a tow runs $125 to hook up with $7 for each mile loaded; both add $4 per mile for our trip from the yard. Weekends add $50, and calls after 10 PM pick up the overnight fee. Our rates page lists every figure, including the winch-out rate if a car slides into soft ground after a storm.
Ohio Expo Center & State Fair: what drivers ask
Do you offer Ohio State Fair towing every day the fair is open?
Yes. Our dispatch line is open 24 hours a day, every day, so we cover the fair from opening morning to the last night. The worst times for traffic are usually the morning arrival rush and the hour after the fair closes. A call in the middle of the afternoon or early evening is often easier to reach. Phone (614) 633-8163 with your gate and lot.
My car overheated in the line leaving the fairgrounds. What should I do?
Get out of the travel lane if you can, switch off the engine and turn on the hazards. Do not open the radiator cap while it is hot. Let it cool for at least half an hour. If it overheats again right away, or you see coolant pouring out, call us for a tow rather than trying to drive home on I-71.
Can you tow my pickup with a livestock trailer still attached?
Our light-duty flatbeds cannot carry a pickup with a loaded trailer behind it. In most cases the trailer is unhitched and moved separately, and we take the truck. If the animals need to be moved too, that is best handled by the fair's staff or another exhibitor. For a large rig, we arrange a heavy-wrecker partner.
Can you get to me while the fair is busy?
Yes, though traffic around the I-71 and 17th Avenue exit can slow any vehicle down. Our driver will choose the clearest route and may ask you to meet them at a gate or a spot that is easy to reach. The dispatcher gives you a real estimate based on current conditions rather than a promise that might not hold.
Our keys and bags are shut inside the car. How do you open it?
The driver uses professional tools that open most cars without damage, as part of our $75 roadside service plus en-route mileage. Bring ID that matches the registration. A child or animal trapped in a hot car is a 911 call, since fire and police crews can get there faster than any tow truck.
Do you help at horse shows and other Expo Center events outside fair season?
Yes. The grounds host events through most of the year, and we take calls from all of them. Winter events bring their own problems, mostly cold-weather batteries and frozen locks. The process is the same: tell us where you are on the grounds, and we will give you a price before sending a truck.
Can you tow a camper or RV from the fairgrounds?
Large campers and RVs are beyond our light-duty flatbeds. We can arrange a partner with the right heavy equipment and coordinate the job for you. Small pull-behind trailers and pop-ups are decided case by case, so describe the unit, its length and roughly what it weighs when you call. We will tell you honestly whether it suits our equipment.
How much is a tow from the fairgrounds to Westerville?
The price depends on the exact addresses, but the pieces are a $125 hook-up, $7 for each loaded mile and $4 a mile for our drive to the grounds. A weekend call adds $50, and a call after 10 PM adds the overnight fee. The dispatcher works out the full figure with you before the truck leaves.
Need a truck?
Someone picks up 24/7, quotes the Ohio Expo Center job and texts you the driver's name.
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Auto Lyft USA is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Ohio Expo Center, the Ohio State Fair or the Ohio Expositions Commission.
Where the trucks start
All four carriers that work Ohio Expo Center start and finish the day on Harrisburg Pike (US-62) on Columbus's southwest side. Call around the clock, 365 days a year.
1620 Harrisburg Pike
Columbus, OH 43223
Phone: (614) 633-8163
Email: lisa@autolyftusa.online
Directions to the yard