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Race to the Indianapolis Zoo for Zoopolis 500, our fast-paced annual event presented by American Dairy Association! Experience the Greatest Spectacle in Tortoise Racing, where our radiated tortoises hustle to the finish line to be the first to reach the abundant fruit platter in the Dean's Arena.
This year's festivities get under way at 10:30 a.m. at the Front Gate, and all of the day's activities are included with your regular Zoo admission! Meet the beautiful 500 Festival Princesses and peer inside a 500 Festival Pace Car. Get a hug from our animal mascots, who will be available for some fun photo ops, so don’t forget your cameras! Plus, enjoy the spoils of winner’s circle with Dean's milk throughout the morning, while supplies last.
The stars of the Indy Racing League, including IRL Chief Announcer Mike King and past IRL IndyCar Series champ Tony Kanaan, will join in the fun as our race announcer and honorary steward. At 11:30 a.m., Kanaan will kick off our parade, which also includes 500 Festival Princesses, the Dairy Princess, the American Dairy Association mascot Buttercup, and our featured racing tortoises. Following the parade, the green flag drops on our feature race, and you can cheer on your favorite tortoise to the finish line. But these brilliantly colored natives of Madagascar aren't racing for a trophy. Instead, they’re after the delicious fruits and veggies waiting in the winner's circle.
Stick around afterward to meet the winning tortoise and his "pit crew," our very own Zookeepers who can answer any tortoise-related questions and tell you all about our efforts to help these endangered animals.
Now in its 31st year, Zoopolis 500 is one of our oldest and most popular events! The grandstands inside the Dean’s Arena will fill up fast, so come early to make sure you have the best view of all the action!
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