ABSTRACT
World’s Fairs are the grand examples of industrial events. In the typology used for events, they are Mega-Events, drawing participants and media attention from around the world and attracting millions of attendees. Like the Olympics, they are gained through an international bidding process and shift from city to city. These events also stand out in having a long history, becoming popular in the 19th century. In this chapter our aim is to better understand these industrial events by examining their history and how they have changed over time. Initially starting as exhibitions promoting imperialism and national achievements, they have changed to placing a greater emphasis on a vision of the future for industry and society. Initially, World’s Fairs were concentrated in Western Europe. In the late 19th century, their geographical focus shifted to the USA. Then, late in the 20th century, there was another geographical shift. Just as the USA became less interested in World’s Fairs, Asian cities started becoming heavily involved. In the 21st century, that pattern has continued, though there is starting to be a further movement towards the Middle East.
