# Event Details

- **Event Name**: OSPA Annual Convention
- **Event Start and End Date**: Sat, 10 Oct, 2026 at 08:00 am (-07:00)
- **Event Description**: It’s a classic Portland story: the city’s premiere wildlife conservation center started because a pharmacist had a few too many bears in his back room.

The Oregon Zoo, originally known as the Portland Zoo, owes its existence to a British seaman-turned-pharmacist named Richard Knight (often referred to as R.B. Knight).If you're looking for a story about how a simple hobby turned into the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi, you’ve found it. 

Here is the breakdown of how Knight’s "side project" became a city institution:
-The Pharmacy Menagerie - In the 1880s, Knight operated a pharmacy at Third and Morrison in downtown Portland. Having been a sailor, he maintained connections with seafaring friends who would frequently bring him exotic animals from their travels.
- Knight began housing these animals in the back of his drug store. His collection eventually included:
-Parakeets and exotic birds
-Monkeys
-A grizzly bear and a brown bear

The "Accidental" Founding (1888)
As you can imagine, keeping bears in the back of a pharmacy in a growing city wasn't a sustainable business model. By 1888, the bears had become too large and expensive for Knight to manage.
-The Request: Knight originally approached the Portland City Council to see if they would buy the animals.
-The Compromise: The city wasn’t interested in buying them but offered Knight two circus cages and a spot in City Park (now Washington Park) to keep them.
-The Donation: Knight still had to pay for their food and care, which proved too much. On November 7, 1888, he officially donated the bears and their cages to the city. This act is recognized as the official founding date of the zoo.

Evolution of the Zoo
From those two bears, the collection grew rapidly:
1894: The zoo had expanded to over 300 animals.
1925: It moved to the site where the Portland Japanese Garden now sits.
1959: The zoo moved to its current location in the West Hills to accommodate larger exhibits (and eventually its world-famous elephant program).
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/portland/ospa-annual-convention/200030511781811
- **Event Categories**: business, nonprofit
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 9

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Portland
- **state**: OR
- **country**: United States
- **location**: Oregon Zoo
- **lat**: 45.509992044005
- **long**: -122.71596230868
- **full address**: Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Rd,Portland, Oregon, United States

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: OSPA Annual Convention
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/7a83da6ac0d401428dc2aa0754e8b2ab5c665816d23a6b0fe105a5b1de389b8b-rimg-w1024-h1536-dcf8f8f8-gmir?v=1787289928

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is OSPA Annual Convention being held?
  - **A:** OSPA Annual Convention takes place on Sat, 10 Oct, 2026 at 08:00 am to Sat, 10 Oct, 2026 at 08:00 am at Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Rd,Portland, Oregon, United States.
- **Q**: Who is organizing OSPA Annual Convention?
  - **A:** OSPA Annual Convention is organized by Oregon State Pharmacy Association.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** OSPA Annual Convention is ideal for art lovers, trade professionals, collectors, and exhibition enthusiasts exploring the latest in their field. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Portland, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If OSPA Annual Convention sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

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