The Cincinnati Zoo’s Fiona the hippo is turning three years old today — Jan. 24 — and the Queen City is ready to celebrate.
Fiona defied odds when she was born six weeks premature in 2017. At the time of her birth, she weighed a meager 29 pounds — about a fifth of what most hippos weigh when they’re born.
Since her birth, she has gained national attention, had her (sweet, kind and plump) face plastered all over T-shirts, beer cans, Skyline Chili cups, Facebook news feeds and, well, literally everywhere and anywhere else. And — in many ways — she’s brought our community together. In the past three years she’s accomplished a lot, including being voted Best Cincinnatian by readers in CityBeat’s 2018 and 2019 Best of Cincinnati issue.
“Fiona won the hearts of Cincinnatians when she fought to survive after being born six weeks early and terribly underweight,” said Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard in a release. “Three years later, people all over the world are still crazy about this normal, healthy hippo.”
Fiona fans can party in her honor in the following ways:
- Visit the Cincinnati Zoo (3400 Vine St., Avondale) to pay homage to the chubby queen. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and there’s discounted admission due to a Penguin Days winter ticket promo. While there has to be fair conditions and temperatures above 40 degrees (today’s high is 46) for hippos to be outside in their habitat, she may come out to say hi to her fans.
- Listermann Brewing Co. is releasing a new NE IPA Fiona beer in cans called Team Fiona 3rd Birthday. The release starts at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 24.
- On Saturday, Jan. 25, Rookwood Pottery and Graeter’s Ice Cream are re-releasing 1,000 coveted Fiona-branded ice cream bowls. The birthday party will take place at the Rookwood Pottery OTR flagship store (1920 Race St., Over-the-Rhine) from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes behind-the-scenes tours of Rookwood’s operations, featuring a “making of” the ceramic ice cream bowl (RSVP for tours here); signings from the local artists who designed the super-popular bowl (it sold out very quickly the first time it was released, before the holidays); Chunky Chunky Hippo ice cream from Graeter’s; photos with a Fiona mascot; and birthday-themed food and drink. Tour times are 10:15-11 a.m., 11:15 a.m.-noon, 1-1:45 p.m. and 2-2:45 p.m.
- The zoo has asked that in lieu of gifts, fans purchase a Fiona-themed T-shirt to help benefit the Australian wildlife affected by the devastating bushfires. Designed by Cincinnatian Loren Long and available at Cincy Shirts, all proceeds from the shirt sales will be sent to Zoos Victoria “to help them care for koalas, kangaroos and other animals that are suffering as a result of bushfires raging through their homes,” says a release. Shirts are available through Jan. 31 and the zoo will add $5,000 to the total raised.
- If you want another, different shirt, head to any Rally House location — in Rookwood, Crestview Town Center, Florence, Voice of America or West Chester — to buy a new Fiona design.
- Watch this music video by local kids’ entertainer Zak Morgan. The song is about Fiona and features the Cincinnati Pops, with “special appearances by Thane Maynard, Graeter’s, Skyline Chili, the Cincinnati Reds and more,” says the zoo.
- Head to any Coffee Emporium location to buy a bag of Fiona’s Blend Thirsty Thirsty Hippo coffee. The roast features notes of fudge and toasted hazelnut.
- Busken Bakery has also created a special cookie to commemorate the hippo. One dollar from every cookie sale goes to the Cincinnati Zoo.
This article appears in Jan 22 – Feb 4, 2020.