The Spectacular History of the World’s Fair

Eva and Maite trace the evolution of the fair from holy day marketplaces to the grand World’s Fairs of the 19th and 20th centuries, where visitors encountered sensational visions of the future. Think electricity and dishwashers, but also popcorn machines, ice cream sundaes, and even tequila! Yet these spectacles were far from democratic: intellectual, artistic, and technological contributions from non-Western societies were often minimized or erased. Their influence eventually waned with the rise of the internet. Today, state fairs continue to gather communities around agriculture and tradition, while modern global expos increasingly focus on sustainability and the future of the planet. The Current War: Director’s Cut (the final scene takes place at the Chicago's World's Fair) https://www.amazon.com/Current-War-Directors-Cut/dp/B0833VRPDP See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.