Tri-County Senior Day Attendance Nearly Doubles in 2026 

By Tess Fisher, Community Engagement Coordinator

Every spring and fall, the Detroit Zoo opens its doors to seniors from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties for a complimentary day of fun, connection and discovery. This year's spring Tri-County Senior Day, held May 27 and presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, attracted a record number of seniors.

Tri-County Senior Day allows seniors 62 and older to enter cost-free with one adult guest — no ticket or reservation required. Just show a valid ID at the gate to confirm tri-county residency, and the day is yours to enjoy. This year, guests also got to explore the newly opened Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails, adding a fresh new footprint of the Zoo to take in alongside old favorites.

The day was packed with activities for seniors, including:

• A bingo tent with prizes
• Guided informational tram tours with docents
• A Senior Resource Area with community partners and giveaways
• Animal engagements
• Live music throughout the day
• Light refreshments
• And so much more!

Tri-County Senior Day keeps growing, and this year's turnout continued that exciting trend. In 2024, we welcomed just over 1,800 seniors and guests. In 2025, that number climbed 43% to nearly 2,700. This May, attendance soared to about 4,500 guests, a whopping 69% increase over 2025.

That growth showed up across the region, too.

• Wayne County attendance nearly doubled, jumping 97% year over year.
• Macomb County audiences grew by 51%.
• Oakland County (still our largest group of attendees overall) grew by 69%.

More neighbors, friends and family members are discovering that Tri-County Senior Day is an easy, welcoming way to spend a day at the Zoo.

This cost-free, inclusive event helps break down barriers to entry while strengthening the connection between people, animals and nature. By creating an accessible day for seniors and their guests, we remove barriers that allow our community to connect with the natural world — and with each other — in a low-pressure format focused on fun and learning.

As we celebrate these impressive attendance increases, we're excited to welcome seniors from the tri-county area back for our next event on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. Just bring a valid ID and an adult guest — we’ll bring the fun.

Mark your calendars and follow the Zoo's social media for more details. We hope to see you there!