Zoofari a wild success for Columbus Zoo

Dueling Pianos played to a crowd by the water's edge. (A. Kennett)

Zoofari, the Columbus Zoo's premier adults-only fund raiser, unfolded through perfect night on Saturday. The weather cooperated, giving Zoofari guests a very pleasant, if warm, evening to enjoy amazing food, great drinks, and stellar entertainment.  In all, more than 4,500 people passed through the zoo's gates for this event, and approximately $500,000 was raised to help fund the education and conservation programs run by the Columbus Zoo.

A number of bands and musical artists entertained the large crowd throughout the night.  Stages near the entrance, in the Polar Frontier, and by the banks of the Scioto River were home to much of the music, but other performers could be found wherever space allowed.  Dueling Pianos from The Big Bang, pictured above, entertained a substantial crowd for hours, playing requests and improvising their way through long medleys nearly until Zoofari ended at 1:00 am.  The performance also included a great deal of humor, both pianists rotating to play the drums, a bassist, and a fiddle player.  You just haven't lived until you've heard Metallica's Enter Sandman played on piano and fiddle.

Some restaurants really got into the spirit of the event (A. Kennett)

For many Zoofari guests, the food and drink were the center of the event. From barbecue to Italian and from bread to steaks, the food was plentiful, varied, and delicious.  Some restaurants got into the spirit of the event by displaying their food with flare.  The Great Harvest Bread Company accompanied their food, samples of breads, sandwiches, and cookies, with a baked spider and octopus (pictured right).  One restaurant that truly captured the attention of those in attendance was Abuelo's.  This Mexican restaurant, located in Easton Town Center, offered bacon-wrapped shrimp and fillet mignon that were both well-spiced and perfectly cooked.  Despite bringing nearly a thousand portions of meat, they were completely out of food in under two hours.

Lest anyone think that the animals of the zoo were forgotten about in all the excitement of the event, it was clear that the Columbus Zoo had that angle well thought-out.   For instance, because the gorillas are sensitive to disruptions in their patterns, the entire African Forest region was closed off. (This is the same reason that a large part of this region is also closed off during Wild Lights in December.)  Similarly, a portion of the North America region was also closed off to visitors.  That said, there were plenty of opportunities to see some of the zoo animals, from the young lion cubs to birds of prey.  One of the most fun, however, was not seeing an animal, but hearing them.  As darkness set in, the Mexican wolves let loose with a musical serenade of their own, howling to the encroaching night.