The Zoo Bar, founded in 1973 by Larry Boehmer as a Master of Fine Arts student project, has grown into one of the Midwest's most important blues venues. The club was the first white-owned venue outside Chicago's African-American neighborhoods to host legendary bluesman Magic Slim, establishing its credibility in the blues community. In 1993, the Zoo Bar received the Blues Foundation's Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Club of the Year, recognizing its decades-long commitment to promoting authentic blues music and hosting artists like Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, Albert Collins, Robert Cray, and Otis Rush.

ZooFest originated as the Zoo Bar's annual outdoor festival, bringing the venue's blues heritage to the streets of downtown Lincoln. Held on 14th Street between O and P Streets, the festival transforms the entertainment district into an outdoor concert venue featuring performances from afternoon through midnight. The festival showcases both nationally touring blues acts and the local Lincoln blues community, featuring a diverse lineup spanning traditional blues, contemporary blues, and related genres like soul and funk.

The venue's current owner, Pete Watters, continues the tradition of world-class blues programming. ZooFest represents the Zoo Bar's commitment to making blues music accessible beyond the 21+ nightclub setting, welcoming families and younger audiences during the daytime performances. The festival's venue on the historic 14th Street block, near the original Zoo Bar location at 136 North 14th Street (housed in a 1921 building styled after Chicago blues clubs), connects festival-goers to decades of blues history in Lincoln.