The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Powell's largest attraction, is turning 100 next year and plans to mark the occasion with a yearlong celebration.
The Zoo announced Wednesday, Sept. 16, that its "100 Years Wild" centennial celebration will run throughout 2027, building toward the 100th anniversary of its Sept. 17, 1927, opening.
Tom Schmid, president and CEO of the Columbus Zoo, credited the community's long support in the announcement. He said the Zoo's neighbors have been part of its story since the beginning and called the centennial a chance to celebrate that shared history while continuing the Zoo's conservation mission.
Along with the yearlong plans, the Zoo unveiled a new centennial logo designed by its in-house graphic team. The shield-shaped mark features the years 1927–2027 and draws on past Zoo logos.
It includes animals representing key moments in the Zoo's history. The shield shape nods to an iconic former logo and the current Asian Elephant Conservation Center.
It started with six reindeer.
The Zoo traces its origins to the 1920s, when Columbus Evening Dispatch publisher Harry "H.P." Wolfe and Columbus Mayor James J. Thomas visited the Saint Louis Zoo and imagined something similar for their city. In 1926, Wolfe brought six Alaskan reindeer to Columbus for a Christmas celebration. The animals proved so popular that the city agreed to establish a zoo at Riverside Park, and Wolfe donated the reindeer to get it started.
What began at Riverside Park has grown into an operation that welcomed more than 1.7 million guests in 2025 and generated more than $612 million in statewide economic activity, according to an independent study by Silverlode Consulting. Guests visited from all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Several centennial events are already on the calendar:
- Zoo Year's Eve (late 2026): The Zoo's Character Ambassadors debut special centennial attire to welcome the anniversary year.
- Jan. 1–3, 2027: A centennial-themed light spectacular at Conservation Lake during Wildlights, with lights choreographed to music and narration.
- May 22, 2027: RendeZOO returns for its third year with a centennial twist. The 21-and-over fundraiser will benefit the Zoo's conservation work.
- Sept. 17, 2027: The 100th anniversary culminates with Untamed, the Zoo's annual conservation gala.
- Sept. 18–19, 2027: A Centennial Celebration Weekend open to the community.
The Zoo said additional programming, merchandise and experiences will be announced throughout the coming year. The Centennial Celebration Weekend in September 2027 will be the first community-wide anniversary event the Zoo has held in its history.
