Many memorable events and activities took place at the Big Pool over the years. For several years, the pool most memorably hosted the zoo's elephants for a special swim at the end of summer, when on the Saturday before Labor Day and for a week following, Moki and Chana walked from the zoo next door for a frolic in the pool. Crowds came from as far away as California, and thousands of people packed the pool area to see the spectacle. The elephants were relocated to Florida in 2004, and an elephant slide was purchased to commemorate the yearly visit; that slide remains at the entry to the aquatic center. The pool also hosted other recreational activities besides swimming. In its early years, the pool water was left to freeze over the winter and ice skating was popular, but the freeze and thaw caused small cracks in the concrete shell, so the pool was drained every fall in later years. A band shell once stood at the pool, and swimmers enjoyed live music concerts in the evenings. Promotional stunts also brought many visitors to the Big Dipper over the years, including water skiing, windsurfing, synchronized swimming performances, boat jousting tournaments, and bathtub races. The Big Pool even hosted Miss Garden City, and submarines practiced there during World War II. Mary Owens was an important part of the Big Pool's history and success. As pool manager for many years, she oversaw thousands of visitors, though she never swam in the pool herself, and she remained optimistic about its future.