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  1. The World's Fair Community

    1. Announcements

      Find out what's new at The World's Fair Community.

      1,073
      posts

    2. Introductions

      New to the World's Fair Community? Long-time reader but never posted? Take a moment and say hello!

      974
      posts

    3. Suggestion Box

      Submit ideas for The World's Fair Community here.

      813
      posts

    4. Affiliated Websites

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  2. The Great Fairs

    1. 1851, London, England - The Great Exhibition

      The Great Exhibition was held in Hyde Park, London, England from May 1 to October 11, 1851 and is considered the first world's fair. It took place in the Crystal Palace designed by Joseph Paxton.

      72
      posts

    2. 1889, Paris, France - Universal Exposition of 1889

      The Exposition Universelle de 1889 was a World's Fair held in Paris, France from May 6, to October 31, 1889. Remembered most for the Eiffel Tower.

      64
      posts

    3. 1893, Chicago, United States - World's Columbian Exposition

      The World's Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago, Illinois, United States from May 1 to October 31, 1893. It celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World.

      190
      posts

    4. 1904, Saint Louis, United States - Louisiana Purchase Exposition

      The Louisiana Purchase Exposition was held in the St. Louis, Missouri, United States from May 1 to October 31, 1904. The Fair celebrated the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase.

      117
      posts

    5. 1915, San Francisco, United States - Panama-Pacific International Exposition

      Staged to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, and drawing over 19 million visitors in only nine months, the Pan-Pacific International Expo rose like a literal jewel from the ashes of San Francisco's 1906 Earthquake and Fire.

      136
      posts

    6. 1933-34, Chicago, United States - A Century of Progress International Exposition

      A Century of Progress International Exposition was held in Chicago, Illinois from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation. Its motto was "Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Conforms".

      584
      posts

    7. 1939-40, New York, United States - The 1939-40 New York World's Fair

      The 1939-40 New York World's Fair, located on the current site of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, was one of the largest world's fairs of all time. The fair ran for two seasons and over 44 million people attended.

      8,505
      posts

    8. 1939-40, San Francisco, United States - Golden Gate International Exposition

      The Golden Gate International Exposition was held in San Francisco, California to celebrate the opening of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. The exposition's first season ran from February 18, 1939 through October 29, 1939 and its second season was from May 25, 1940 through September 29, 1940.

      289
      posts

    9. 1958, Brussels, Belgium - Expo '58

      Expo 58 was held in Brussels, Belgium from April 17 to October 19. It was the first major World's Fair after World War II.

      213
      posts

    10. 1964-65, New York, United States - The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair

      The 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair, located on the current site of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The fair ran for two seasons and took place without sanctioning from the Bureau of International Expositions.

      68,538
      posts

    11. 1967, Montreal, Canada - Expo 67

      Expo 67 was held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It was considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with over 50 million visitors and 62 nations participating.

      3,375
      posts

    12. 1970, Osaka, Japan - Expo '70

      Expo '70 was held in Osaka, Japan from March 15 and September 13, 1970. This was the first World's Fair held in Japan, 77 countries participated and over 64 million visitors attended.

      196
      posts

    13. 2010, Shanghai, China - Expo 2010

      World Expo Shanghai 2010 will be held in Shanghai, China from May 1 to October 31. Its theme is "Better City, Better Life."

      381
      posts

  3. World's Fairs & Expositions

    1. 1840 to 1859

      89
      posts

    2. 1860 to 1879

      49
      posts

    3. 1880 to 1899

      23
      posts

    4. 1900 to 1919

      176
      posts

    5. 1920 to 1939

      341
      posts

    6. 1940 to 1959

      8
      posts

    7. 1960 to 1979

      1,078
      posts

    8. 1980 to 1999

      782
      posts

    9. 2000 to 2019

      312
      posts

    10. 2020 to 2039

      • No posts here yet

    11. World's Fair Bids

      41
      posts

  4. Something for Everyone

    1. Fairs That Never Were

      Many fairs have been proposed over the years. Projects start with great fanfare and then fade away. These are their stories.

      149
      posts

    2. Events

      Do you have a free world's fair related event you'd like to publicize? A picnic or get together? Post your event here.

      2,678
      posts

    3. Community Chat

      General discussion, something for everyone.

      16,566
      posts

    4. Festival of Laughing Gas

      It's a cavalcade of comedy! A parade of parody, delightful deadpan and silly slapstick. Something funny for everyone.

      3,561
      posts

  5. Commerce Zone

    1. The Souvenir Shop

      Have a Fair collectible you would like to sell? Are you trying to find a buyer for a one-of-a-kind item? Do you buy and sell world's fair memorabilia? The Souvenir Shop is the place for you.

      1,507
      posts

    2. Commercial Events

      Want to promote a world's fair related commercial event? Are you having a collectibles show? Is there an admission fee? Commercial Events is the place for you.

      310
      posts

  • Posts

    • waynebretl
      Where were you in 1953?

      By waynebretl · Posted

      Wow - thanks for posting this.
    • sunguar
      Where were you in 1953?

      By sunguar · Posted

      Bravo, Ralph, bravo.  I'm sure we all wish we could contribute that much to history.  
    • RalphQuinn
      Where were you in 1953?

      By RalphQuinn · Posted

      Twelve years before the Fair, I was in the Mediterranean with the Sixth Fleet. That was the year of the "Great Cephalonia Earthquake," a truly disastrous event for this Ionian Sea Island off the west coast of Greece. I was on the scene two days after the main (7.2) quake that literally distroyed the island and caused the emigration of half its citizens. Using a professional press camera (the well-known Speed Graphic) I recorded some of the devastation. After 65 years (come August 12th) of them sitting in a binder in my bookcase, I delivered these photographs to the Historical and Cultural Museum in the capital city of Argostoli, where I did most of my photography (and where there were 400 deaths and 900 injuries). My package, which included about 30 original photographs and other materials, was received with considerable enthusiasm by the curators. Although Cephalonia's history goes back to legendary times, this museum (part of the city library) covers about 200 years, up to the time of the earthquake. Almost everything on the island was newly built since then. I thought you might like to see a sample of the images from one of my first adventures with a camera.     This is the back wall of a four-story building, taken from the front of the structure.   I was surprised to learn that this building was the city's library, one of the few rebuilt along original lines. In 1968 the Historical Museum was added in the lower floor of the building, with an entrance to the right of the stairs, now celebrating its fiftieth anniversary. I was also surprised and honored to learn that the museum would keep my package as I designed it, with added translations from English to Greek. By the way, the movie 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin,' with Nicholas Cage and Penelope Cruz, was filmed on Cephalonia, covering their war-time occupation by the Italians and Germans, and ending with the same earthquake I photographed. Based on the book 'Corelli's Mandolin,' one of the experts consulted by the author was the founder of the museum itself.Now a tourist attraction, Argostoli's 2000 year-old history literally ended in 1953, and everything since then is another world. I received, as gifts, two substantial books published by the museum, detailing the early years and the earthquake.                                                             
    • expoboy
      Yugoslavia booklet from '65?

      By expoboy · Posted

      According to an early map of the NYWF, Yugoslavia had shown interest in participation but I doubt there would have been any publications produced.  
    • icedstitch
      Yugoslavia booklet from '65?

      By icedstitch · Posted

      that's got the modernist type design that came after the '65 NYWF.  Definitely not 64/65 WF

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