Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/21/2025
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Categories
Zoopolis 500 at the Indianapolis Zoo is a fun play on the Indianapolis 500. During the Zoopolis 500, tortoises are placed on a race track and encouraged to move toward the finish line where treats wait for them. The event is a fun way to showcase the natural behaviors of tortoises and to promote conservation efforts. In 2025, Zoopolis 500 takes place on the morning of Wednesday, May 21.
Pre-Race Festivities begin at 10:30am • Snake Pit Opens at 11am • Race begins at 11:30am • Tortoise Chat begins at 1:30pm
Kick off the fun in the Snake Pit, where you’ll find racing-themed activities. Meet Indy 500 driver Alexander Rossi and the 500 Festival Princesses, plus enjoy an event emceed by Dave Furst, Vice President of Communications at IndyCar.
Then, when the green flag drops, cheer on the Zoo’s tortoises as they take on the track! These Madagascar natives aren’t racing for a trophy—they’re after a sweet victory feast, courtesy of Kroger.
After the race, a “pit crew” member will step into the Winner’s Circle with the American Dairy Association Indiana, Inc. to drink a celebratory glass of milk on behalf of the champion tortoise.
Stick around to meet the tortoises up close, admire their star-patterned shells and chat with the Zoo team about conservation efforts to protect these threatened animals.
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