The last U.S. World’s Fair bombed so spectacularly there hasn’t been another in 40 years. The 1984 Louisiana World Exposition was ruinous enough that its New Orleans organizers declared bankruptcy not after but during its run.
If you haven’t heard of a World’s Fair before, it’s likely because you’re not a Boomer or Gen Xer. Before they fell out of fashion, a World’s Fair could feel like EPCOT and Disneyland combined. This analogy is especially astute as Walt Disney himself created four attractions for the 1964 World’s Fair in Queens, NY, including the iconic It’s A Small World ride and a precursor to the Magic Kingdom’s Hall of Presidents.
Going further back, London's Crystal Palace was the centerpiece of the first World’s Fair in 1851. The pavilion resembled a massive greenhouse fashioned from prefabricated cast iron and glass sections. Similar showpieces followed in short order, with a Crystal Palace knock-off in Manhattan in 1853 and the first Ferris Wheel in Chicago in 1893. The event’s planners saw the latter as a response to the 1889 Parisian fair, which had no less than the Eiffel Towel as its purpose-built attraction.
An engraving of the Great Exhibition’s Crystal Palace, located in London’s Hyde Park
These architectural and engineering marvels weren’t the only icons of the World’s Fairs. While the initial purpose of the exhibitions was to show off innovations at a time of significant industrialization, the fairs also grew into cultural exchanges. And that’s how they came to introduce or popularize some of today’s most ubiquitous foods.
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Popular food and drink and their World’s Fair connections
1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Heinz ketchup
1893, Chicago, Illinois
Hot buttered popcorn
Cracker Jack
Hot dogs
Brownies
Aunt Jemima pancake mix
Cream Of Wheat
Shredded Wheat
Juicy Fruit chewing gum
Pabst Blue Ribbon beer
1901, Buffalo, New York
Instant Coffee
1904, St. Louis, Missouri
Cotton candy
Ice cream cones
Hamburgers
Jell-O
Peanut butter
Iced tea
Dr. Pepper
Club sandwiches
1939, New York, New York
Puffed wheat/puffed rice cereals
1964, New York, New York
Belgian waffles
Egg rolls
Sushi
Fondue
Tandoori chicken
Churros
Falafel
Sangria
1982, Knoxville, Tennessee
Chicken McNuggets
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While the 1876, 1893, and 1904 fairs were consequential in their contributions to the American diet, the 1939 and 1964 New York events put food front and center in ways no U.S. fair had. Though the 1893 fair in Chicago had food makers on display, they were spread throughout the fairgrounds. With the New York fairs, food and the companies who produced it had dedicated spaces.
In 1939, there was the massive Food Building (Food North), a smaller exhibition area (Food South), and an adjacent food zone with brand-focused facilities. It’s here Borden demonstrated its strides in cow-milking technology, and Kraft used machinery with human-like “fingers” to package its Philadelphia-brand cream cheese. Continental Baking similarly showed off how Hostess Cakes and Wonder Bread were made in a building resembling the latter’s signature polka-dotted bread bag. The company even planted an entire field of wheat in the rear.
Perhaps foreshadowing the widespread use of psychedelic drugs, 1964’s Food Building featured a dramatically lit hall with surreal scenes celebrating the nation’s achievements in aquaculture, agriculture, and horticulture. Its displays included winged lobsters, bejeweled avocados, and a waterfall of roses that spilled into the desert.
In addition to this unique experience, a more conventional World of Food building was planned. It was intended to showcase corporate entities like Miller Brewing and Wise Potato Chips. However, due to financing issues, the partially built five-story structure was razed two weeks before its official opening. With traditional American foods consigned to the individual state pavilions, hungry fairgoers had greater reason to sample international delights like chow mein and kimchi.
According to The Washington Post’s Phyllis C. Richman, the only safe bets in Knoxville at the penultimate 1982 fair were the cole slaw and biscuits. Depending on how you feel about barbecued neckbones and pickled pigs’ feet, it could be a blessing that America is no longer hosting World’s Fairs.
It’s not for lack of trying, though. There was an effort underway by a Twin Cities suburb to secure the 2027 Expo, but Serbia won out. The mind, however, boggles when thinking of what food fads Minnesota could’ve given us. Porketta sandwiches? Tater tot casseroles? Walleye on a stick?