'The 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair, Part 2: Visions of the Future' Webinar
Details
Tickets: $12 (includes access to the full replay for one week)
Click the link below to officially register for this experience:
How do you throw a massive global exposition during the depths of the Great Depression — and actually make money doing it? For the city of Chicago, the answer came in the form of daring ambition, creative financing, and a splash of lakeside innovation. It's time to discover how a city's 100th birthday became the perfect excuse to offer hope during one of the nation’s darkest economic periods — and a stunning preview of the world yet to come.
Join New York Adventure Club for a captivating two-part series on the 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair, a spectacular international exposition celebrating the city’s centennial with cutting-edge technology, modernist architecture, and a vision of progress. In Part Two: Visions of the Future, we'll explore what visitors experienced once they arrived — from immersive corporate showcases to the surprising decision to give the fair a second life.
Led by world’s fair historian and author Bill Cotter, this special experience will include:
- A close look at the grand pavilions on Northerly Island, featuring the biggest names in American transportation and industry
- How fair organizers reimagined the exposition for an unexpected second season after it turned a surprising profit
- An exploration of exhibits focused on science, progress, and innovation, including early visions of the future that shaped public imagination
- The social and cultural impact of the fair, from how it reflected American optimism to how it shaped Chicago’s identity
- Rare archival photos from Bill’s extensive collection, many being publicly shown for the first time
Afterward, we'll have a Q&A with Bill — any and all questions are welcomed and encouraged!
Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay through one week after the entire series concludes.
See you there, virtually!
*Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar
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***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week after the series finale
****If the event has already passed, but it's been less than a week since the series finale, you can still register for it on our website's active replay section!
About Bill
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 13 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.
The 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair Series
Part 1: Birth of a Spectacle (Tuesday, July 8)
Part 2: Reinvention & Finale (Tuesday, July 15)
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Categories: Virtual, Moments in History
'The 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair, Part 2: Visions of the Future' Webinar