Borough President Melinda Katz, center, poses with some of the seniors who attended one, or both, of the World’s Fairs. Courtesy Borough President Melinda Katz’s Office
Residents take a break from Sunday’s festivities to relax by the “Rocket Thrower,” a massive bronze sculpture designed by Donald De Lue for the 1964 World’s Fair. The work is in keeping with one of the central themes of that fair – space exploration. Photo by Anna Gustafson
They came from all corners of the city – tens of thousands of them – carrying 1939 admissions tickets, decked out in uniforms worn in 1964, humming tunes played at the World’s Fairs that, 50 and 75 years ago, drew millions of people to events that forever shaped the borough of Queens.
About 60,000 people streamed into Flushing Meadows Corona Park Sunday for a festival kicking off six months of events commemorating the 50th and 75th anniversaries of the 1964 and 1939 World’s Fairs – both of which were held at the Queens green space. The free all-day event, which was organized by the city Parks Department and the World’s Fair Anniversary Committee, featured live music – including concerts by the Queens Symphony Orchestra and a Beatles tribute band – food representing cuisines from across the globe, fair memorabilia, and a fireworks finale.
“Sunday’s World’s Fair festival was an astounding success that brought people from across our diverse borough together to celebrate two momentous events in the history of Queens,” said Borough President Melinda Katz, who co-chairs the World’s Fair Anniversary Committee with Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth).
Stephanie, left to right, Kyle, and Eric, 6, Janssens and Voon Chew, all of whom are collectors of World’s Fair memorabilia, spend time on a “Greyhound escorted” that had been at the 1964 World’s Fair. Photo by Anna Gustafson
The World’s Fairs drew millions of people from around the world to Queens, and Katz said Sunday’s event “rekindled memories of those fantastic events and reminded us that the borough of Queens, the most diverse county in America, remains the world’s borough.”
During the festival, Katz, Markey and Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowksi presided over a mid-afternoon ceremony honoring Gilmore D. Clarke, the landscape architect who designed the iconic Unisphere – the massive steel globe that was the centerpiece of the 1964 World’s Fair. A world-renowned architect who served as Dean of Architecture at Cornell University, Clarke was involved in both the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs. He also consulted on the construction of the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan and worked on numerous high-profile projects around the country, including the Westchester County parkway system.
Katz and Markey presented proclamations honoring Clarke to his widow, Dolores Clarke, and Lewandowski unveiled a city Parks plaque that explains the history of the Unisphere and Clarke’s role in its creation.
Elected officials and Parks Department representatives present Dolores Clark, bottom center, with proclamations honoring her late husband, Gilmore D. Clarke, the landscape architect who designed the iconic Unisphere. Photo by Anna Gustafson
“Gil was the most modest person I ever knew – he was totally dedicated to his profession, to the good, and to the beautiful,” said Dolores Clarke, who lives in Manhattan.
Dolores Clarke, who noted Sunday’s event was the “second political thing I’ve done in my life – the first being the president of Teenagers for Ike,” in reference to President Dwight Eisenhower, spoke of the importance of the Unisphere, not only to Queens but to those who believe in the message of the World’s Fair, which promoted a future where cultural understanding reigned supreme.
“It represents the meaning of life, the beauty of life, the goodness in the world,” she said of the Unisphere.
Many of those attending Sunday’s festivities echoed similar points, saying that the fairs were emblematic of messages that remain relevant 50, and 75, years later.
“I came to this fair as a 10-year-old, and I was in awe of what the future could be,” said Joseph McElroy, who grew up in Woodside and now lives in Ridgewood. “I’ve seen the future, and we can all see we live in a pretty amazing world technologically… Queens is incredible with how many diverse groups live here, but I think we could still learn a thing or two from the World’s Fair. We need to get better about accepting – and learning from – different cultures.”
Jaime Lopez, a member of the Queens’ Workers Coalition, stands by part of his group’s art exhibit, “What Were Their Names,” at Sunday’s festival. The exhibit honored laborers – in general, as well as those who worked to construct the World’s Fairs. “There’s an invisibility with labor that we wanted show – we never reap the benefits of what we’ve created,” Lopez said. for more information about the group, email Queensyoungworkers@gmail.com. Photo by Anna Gustafson
For more information about upcoming World’s Fair events, visit www.itsinqueens.com/worldsfair.
By Anna Gustafson
A member of Mariachi Flor De Tolache entertains the crowd. Photo by Anna Gustafson
Mariachi Flor De Tolache inspired many an impassioned cheer during their performance.
Photo by Anna Gustafson
The original Batmobile was a big draw at the festival.
Photo by Anna Gustafson
Voon Chew, of Manhattan, broke out some of his favorite World’s Fair collection Sunday, including a 1939 admission ticket and a 1939 tie. Photo by Anna Gustafson
Atop shoulders, Soline Polanco, 2, had one of the best views of the musical acts in the crowd. Photo by Anna Gustafson
Raices, a musical band made up of Queens-based musicians originally from Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, had the crowd cheering loudly with its music. Based in East Elmhurst, the group focuses on traditional songs from their various homelands. Photo by Anna Gustafson
