The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 22: Alfred Heller

In episode 22 of the World's Fair Podcast, writer Alfred Heller is our guest.

Alfred Heller founded World's Fair Magazine in 1981 and has been to 19 world's fairs so far... from 1939 to 2010. He talks about many of those world's fairs and why he thinks world's fairs are still relevant.

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World's Fairs and the End of Progress by Alfred Heller

WorldsFairs.com

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The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 9: World's Fair Legacy Sites with Jason Griffing

In Episode 9 of The World's Fair Podcast, hosts Urso Chappell and John McGregor talk with Jason Griffing about the former sites of world's fairs as well as memorabilia collecting.

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The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 0

I'm pleased to announce that Episode 0 of The World's Fair Podcast is now live.

In Episode 0, John McGregor of Foundation Expo 88 and I discuss world's fairs in general, the nomenclature, and the how world's fairs are still relevant.

The audio isn't that great yet (which is why this is episode "zero"), but subsequent episodes should sound much better.

To subscribe via iTunes, got to:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=346502335

Alternatively, you can listen to the episode through your web browser at:
http://www.WorldsFairPodcast.com/

I'd love to hear what people think. Please let me know what you'd like to hear in the future. In future episodes, we'll be interviewing both fans and professionals involved in expos in the past and future.

Exhibits About Future Expos

A conversation over on WorldsFairCommunity.org made me think about exhibits about future expos at an existing expo.

I remember seeing an exhibit about Expo 85 near the exit of the Japan Pavilion at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville. As a high school student, I so wished I could afford the $1985.00 for their cheapest travel package. I believe they also had an ad in the guidebook, something I've seen in other guidebooks.

At the 1984 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, Canada devoted a lot of space to Expo 86. I remember getting my first Expo 86 souvenir pins there in New Orleans.

The Germany Pavilion at Expo 98 in Lisbon had a huge section about Expo 2000 including a motion simulator ride where you went underwater in Lisbon and then surfaced and flew over the Expo 2000 site in Hannover.



Even though China hadn't won Expo 2010 yet, the China Pavilion at Expo 2000 promoted its bid for Shanghai. 2010 seems so far in the future back then.



Not surprisingly, the China Pavilion at Expo 2005 devoted a lot of space to promoting Expo 2010. They also showed a large film in their pavilion at Expo 2008.

At that same expo, next door the Korean Pavilion promoted its bid for Expo 2012, which it would end up winning.



Korea promoted Expo 2012 at Expo 2008 with an exhibit and a host that described the plans to guests. She actually spent a lot of time talking to me (in English) about the history of expos. Italy also promoted Expo 2015 at their Expo 2008 pavilion.

Another side topic to this would be Olympics being promoted in pavilions.



In these photos, Paris promoted their 1992 Olympic bid at Expo 86 and Italy promoted the 2008 Winter Olympics in Torino.

Anyone else remember any others?

Remembering New Orleans 1984

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 1984 Louisiana World's Fair, I encourage those who remember well those 6 months in 1984 by helping to rebuild the city through Rebuilding Together New Orleans. The goal is to donate $8400 to the organization.

25th Anniversary of the Louisiana World Exposition

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 1984 Louisiana World's Fair, the last world's fair held in the United States.

I'm researching possible commemorations of the event in New Orleans this year, but in addition to any actual events, I'm working on some ideas for a retrospective web site that both marks the anniversary and afford people the opportunity to help New Orleans, which is still struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

To that end, I'm soliciting ideas for groups I can partner with using the web sites 1984WorldsFair.com and 84plus25.org.

Know of any appropriate charities? Please let me know. Ideally, a connection to the world's fair would make the effort "click" and achieve the most attention.