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  1. The World's Fair Community

    1. Announcements

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

      1,058
      posts

    2. Introductions

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

      897
      posts

    3. Suggestion Box

      Submit ideas for The World's Fair Community here.

      808
      posts

    4. Affiliated Websites

      2,457
      posts

  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.

      62
      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.

      156
      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.

      108
      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.

      134
      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".

      556
      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.

      8,129
      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.

      279
      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.

      206
      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.

      66,244
      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.

      2,930
      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.

      190
      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

      87
      posts

    2. 1860 to 1879

      49
      posts

    3. 1880 to 1899

      1
      post

    4. 1900 to 1919

      174
      posts

    5. 1920 to 1939

      341
      posts

    6. 1940 to 1959

      8
      posts

    7. 1960 to 1979

      1,028
      posts

    8. 1980 to 1999

      750
      posts

    9. 2000 to 2019

      273
      posts

    10. 2020 to 2039

      • No posts here yet

    11. World's Fair Bids

      39
      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.

      145
      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.

      2,677
      posts

    3. Community Chat

      General discussion, something for everyone.

      16,384
      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.

      3,539
      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.

      1,469
      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.

      309
      posts

  • Posts

    • Bill Cotter
      Working as a Guide in U.S. Pavilion

      By Bill Cotter · Posted

      Great posts, Sheri.
    • Jim
      Working as a Guide in U.S. Pavilion

      By Jim · Posted

      Thank you, Sheri, for sharing all of these memories.  There is nothing better than first hand accounts and memories of Expo.  Your stories certainly explain why you "became so much more" while serving as a guide.
    • Sheri C
      Working as a Guide in U.S. Pavilion

      By Sheri C · Posted

      There was no such thing as heating or cooling above ground. Obviously, below in the dressing rooms, PR lounge, and so forth, we were comfortable. I was devastated when of the fire. When I returned to Montreal, I was staying in Sherbrooke at a mandolin convention, and in the morning, I opened the curtains...and was shocked when I saw the dome in tact. I was sure I would see nothing. What a pleasant surprise when I took the first metro to the dome and found it as I remember it sans exhibits. It did feel completely different. I went up the stairs or took the elevator as I recall. Standing on the lunar platform was weird! That was off-limits whereas all the other exhibits were open to us and I would always go to the Hollywood floor and play on a golden, very out of tune piano. I usually played something from the era. 1920s style. It was so rinky-dink but I played everything I could remember and would spend an evening, after visitors and guides were gone. It was OK with security. My best memories were just meeting people while they cued in line--from all over the world. Chatting them up! keeping them happy with 3-4 hours waiting to get it. We were the most popular pavilion by far! We never had a short line except 20 minutes before we would close. As to what I recall the most, well, every day there was some dignitary, president of some African country, or the Shah of Iran and his wife, movie stars every day. I'd have to look at my autograph book but celebs would come in all the time. Certainly, being 2 ft. from Pres Johnson at the height of his popularity before the end of 67 changed everything. Lady Bird was like a human parrot in her emerald green coat and hawkish nose!  Cary Grant came and denied ever saying "Judy, Judy, Judy!" He was lots of fun. Of course, I consider meeting Ralph Bunche and being his guide as one of the most cherished memories I still carry. (see above)  The special U.S. day had every jazz, blues, classical musician on one stage--all day long!  The talent was unbelievable! And being a guide, I meet just about everyone there. One of the other pleasures was being able to wear my uniform, and have all the doors opened to me. I never once stood in a line to see any exhibit. I would just walk up, smile, and the reciprocity took place. It was the same for allowing guides to visit U.S. Pavilion. Guides had very, very little time to wait in line. We all worked long, long hours and would go home exhausted. At least I did. My roommates partied but weren't bad.  Let's see one roommate was a daughter of the Illinois Gov., others were related to senators or someone in Congress. I found out that quite a few got their jobs because of 'their daddy.'  Why, there were siblings who talked about "Lestah"  (Lester)! Why Lestah' said this blah blah blah! They were talking about GA's racist governor Lester Maddox. That's how they got their jobs! They knew Lestah! ;-)  Neither guide could speak French so it wasn't from qualifying for the position, rather it was who they knew. That was true for others. Well, before I get into trouble...and one of my former roommates reads what I wrote, I better stop for now!  ;-)   
    • Jim
      Working as a Guide in U.S. Pavilion

      By Jim · Posted

      Great information, Roger. Thank you.  I had not given much thought to the heating and cooling.  I think Sheri stated the pavilion could get quite warm and uncomfortable during summer days in 1967 so there must not have been any cooling at all.  I was there in 1976, for the Olympics, and I remember Ile Ste. Helene was a busy place but that is a quiet scene.  I saw the Dome from a distance and it was scorched as this photo verifies.  We were able to ride the Mini Rail across the channel and through the Expo remains on Ile Notre Dame.  It' amazing how small the trees are in this photograph.  In any event, I am glad the pavilion is still there and in use.  I remember a visit to the Biosphere and looking at the openings where the Mini Rail passed through and reading the information explaining how the structure was built.  And it is always a wonderful sight and symbolic of Montreal's great summer fifty years ago. 
    • Roger
      Working as a Guide in U.S. Pavilion

      By Roger · Posted

      Unfortunately, the Bubble had a lot of design flaws – one the main problem was, as you said Jim, water. Heat had an effect on the structure and it moved ever so slightly but enough to cause water problem when there was hard rain. But a 4/5 sphere represents a lot of air – air that needs to be heated and cooled and there is the main reason why they decided not to rebuild the cover in 1992 when they were planning the renovation. The plastic covering was not a problem – a few years after the fire, Shoji Sadao, the architect of the US pavilion (and not Buckminster Fuller!) had found new plastics that were basically fireproof. And the cost of re-covering the structure again was not a real issue – it was the extremely high cost of heating and cooling the building that made the architect that did the renovation go another way. But to be fair, the building is still wonderful and respectful of Fuller since the sphere itself is still there. They also repaired and kept all the platforms so if you saw it before the fire, you still get the basic feeling of how it felt to be inside it but without the huge escalator though   Here's the pavilion, a few months after the fire in 1976  

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