Join New York Adventure Club for a five-part deep dive into the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, where ambitious pavilions, visionary designs, and behind-the-scenes drama came together to create one of the most iconic events in history.

When the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair opened its gates on April 22, 1964, it promised to celebrate New York City’s 300th birthday with a dazzling showcase of American pride and progress. But behind the scenes, politics, rivalries, and corporate interests shaped the exhibits in unexpected ways. From groundbreaking pavilions to unrealized dreams, it’s time to uncover the stories behind each themed area that made this world’s fair one of the most ambitious in history.

The 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, Part 1: Federal & State Areas
In Part One: Federal and State Areas, explore the fair’s central hub, home to the towering Unisphere, the massive United States Pavilion, iconic state exhibits, and a surprising corporate presence.

• The Unisphere’s origin and symbolism, and how this 12-story stainless steel globe became the fair’s theme structure and an enduring symbol of global unity
• The United States Pavilion’s grand vision, from its ambitious design to its unexpected fate after the fair ended
• A look at the iconic New York State Pavilion, a striking modernist structure later immortalized in Men in Black (and still standing today)
• A discussion around the groundbreaking animatronic “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” at the Illinois pavilion, and how it went on to shape the future of Disney attractions
• Why Westinghouse shared the spotlight with government-funded exhibits even though it was a private corporation

Thursday February 27, 8:00 – 10:00 pm
(Recording available)

The 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, Part 2: International Area
In Part Two: International Area, explore how fair organizers defied global regulations to bring more than 80 countries to the fair, creating a vibrant showcase of culture, innovation, and unexpected culinary legends.

• The battle with the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), and how the fair’s non-official status nearly prevented international participation and forced organizers to take creative action
• An inside look at the pavilions of countries that defied the odds to participate, from major national exhibits to smaller cultural displays
• The rise of the Belgian waffle — why this sweet treat, first introduced to America at the Seattle World’s Fair, became a nationwide sensation in New York
• How countries used their pavilions to showcase national pride, including stunning modernist structures and traditional cultural motifs
• The role of corporate and privately funded international displays in filling the gap left by government-backed nations

Thursday March 6, 8:00 – 10:00 pm ET
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The 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, Part 3: Industrial Area
In Part Three: Industrial Area, explore how American corporations used the fair as a global stage to showcase cutting-edge technology, sell the American dream, and prove that capitalism could outshine the competition.

• IBM’s vision for the future — how the computing giant demonstrated that computers were already shaping everyday life and would soon be in every home
• The debut of Bell System’s Picture Phone, and why this futuristic invention, expected to be a household staple within years, ultimately failed to take off
• The battle of the cola giants — why Coca-Cola and Pepsi both fought for dominance in one of the fair’s most competitive marketing showdowns
• Unexpected industrial innovations, from new ovens revolutionizing the pizza industry to a pavilion where visitors could sign up for an international pen pal
• One of the quirkiest pavilions in fair history — a space dedicated to the simple pleasure of taking a quick nap amidst the excitement

Thursday March 13, 8:00 – 10:00 pm ET
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The 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, Part 4: Transportation Area
In Part Four: Transportation Area, we’ll explore how the automobile reigned supreme at the fair, as the biggest names in the industry unveiled bold visions of the future — complete with moon bases, underwater hotels, and even a trip back to the age of the dinosaurs.

• General Motors’ “Futurama II” showcase — a stunning look at futuristic cities, moon bases, and underwater hotels that promised a high-tech tomorrow
• Ford’s Disney-powered time travel adventure, and how Walt Disney helped create a ride that transported fairgoers in Ford convertibles back to the land of the dinosaurs
• Chrysler’s playful approach to car culture by using whimsical exhibits to make automobiles seem less intimidating and more approachable
• The dominance of the automobile and why, unlike past world’s fairs that celebrated railroads, this fair fully embraced the car as the future of transportation
• The fair’s transportation innovations beyond cars, from monorails to experimental vehicles

Thursday March 20, 8:00 – 10:00 pm ET
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The 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, Part 5: Lake Amusement Area
In Part Five: Lake Amusement Area, explore how the fair reimagined the traditional carnival experience with Broadway-style productions, futuristic thrill rides, and cutting-edge entertainment — including a jet pack-wearing daredevil and New York’s first live dolphin show.

• Why organizers ditched traditional carnival attractions in favor of sophisticated theater productions and a circus, and why they failed to impress audiences
• The futuristic thrill rides and attractions, from the AMF Monorail and log flume ride to a helicopter simulator and amphibious cars
• The story behind a jet pack-wearing daredevil who became the fair’s most thrilling spectacle
• The first fast-food Chinese restaurant — how the fair introduced quick-service Chinese food to a mass American audience
• New York’s first live dolphin show, complete with free samples of orange juice for the crowd

Thursday March 27, 8:00 – 10:00 pm ET
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All events will end with a Q&A with Bill Cotter.

Bill Cotter was inspired by the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair to pursue a career in technology, becoming a submarine designer out of college for the US Navy, working on the Polaris-Poseidon-Trident guidance and launch systems. Cotter was then hired by The Walt Disney Company to set up the company’s initial computer security. He also contributed to the designs for several major computer-controlled attractions. More recently, Bill retired as a Senior Vice President of Information Systems for Bank of America and is now an active volunteer with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Bill has written 12 volumes about the history of world’s fairs. He has contributed to dozens of books and documentaries and served as a consultant on several movies, including Iron Man 2 (2010) and Tomorrowland (2015). Bill spoke at the 50th anniversary of the 1964/65 New York World’s Fair and Disney’s D23 celebration of the Fair held at Walt Disney World Resort. Bill is also the author of a comprehensive history of Disney television and other entertainment projects, and operates three websites devoted to the study of world’s fairs.