| Great Lakes Exposition | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Aerial view of Cleveland Stadium and the exposition grounds in 1936 | |
| Overview | |
| BIE-class | Unrecognized exposition |
| Name | Great Lakes Exposition |
| Visitors | 4 million (season 1) and 7 million (season 2) |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| City | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Timeline | |
| Opening | June 27, 1936 (season 1) |
| Closure | October 5, 1936 (season 1) |
The Great Lakes Exposition (also known as the World Fair of 1936) was held in Cleveland, Ohio, in the summers of 1936 and 1937, along the Lake Erie shore north of downtown.[1] The fair commemorated the centennial of Cleveland's incorporation as a city.[2] Conceived as a way to energize a city hit hard by the Great Depression, it highlighted the progress that had been achieved in the Great Lakes region in the last 100 years and indicated the path for future progress.[3] Covering over 135 acres of Cleveland's lakefront, it featured numerous attractions, including rides, sideshows, botanical gardens, cafes, art galleries, and much more. Similar to the Chicago World's Fair, the exposition also wanted to expose visitors to other countries' cultures, celebrate American industry, and promote local businesses.[4] Although the Great Lakes Exposition was not as much of a world fair as the Chicago World's Fair was, the exposition drew 4 million visitors in its first season, and 7 million by the end of its second and final season in September 1937—a total of 13 million visitors.
- ^ "Great Lakes Exposition". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
- ^ Trickey, Erick (July 2006). "Sex, Celebrity & Carnival Charm". Cleveland Magazine. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- ^ "The Great Lakes Exposition". The Cleveland Memory Project. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- ^ DeMarco, Laura (2016-07-28). "Great Lakes Exposition: A world's fair to remember opened 80 years ago this summer in Cleveland". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2022-02-23.