In 1964 and 1965, residents and visitors alike only had to venture to Queens to see the whole globe. The 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair covered 646 acres in Flushing Meadows Park and housed 140 pavilions and 110 restaurants for 80 nations, 24 states, and 45 corporations to erect exhibitions. With a theme of “Peace Through Understanding,” it was a chance for the over 50 million people who attended to marvel at the world through hands-on experiences with mid-century culture and technology.
Now, more than 50 years later, not far from the Fair’s iconic Unisphere and New York State Pavilion, there will be a new and different kind of global experience in New York City’s most diverse borough — The World’s Fare. This April, Schneps Communications reimagines the event as a curated culinary celebration of culture at Citi Field in Queens.
Over 100 vendors, selected by a culinary committee, will come together to celebrate and promote some of the top talents on the NYC food scene. The culinary committee is co-chaired by the renowned Danish chef Claus Meyer, American writer and culinary historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris, and Singapore-based KF Seetoh — The World Street Food Congress’ creator and curator.
The World’s Fare will be inclusive of chefs, restaurants, street food vendors, and food businesses and an “opportunity to sample some of the finest flavors the world has to offer, all in one venue,” said Meyer. “We are excited to discover and celebrate what is surely to be the culinary event of the year.”
Meyer’s nonprofit organization, The Melting Pot Foundation USA, will also be on hand to showcase its commitment to accessible healthy food and culinary training. One dollar of every admission ticket will go to the Brownsville, Brooklyn-based culinary community center. VIP tickets for a tour of the World’s Fare with Meyer and Seetoh will also be available for purchase.
Other members of the culinary committee responsible for curating the event include tv hosts, food writers, the founder of an eating club, chefs, restaurant owners, photojournalists, and even the Senior Editor of Zagat.
“When it comes to passion, diversity and creativity in food, there is nothing like New York City,” said Liza deGuia, the founder of food. curated. who is leading curations for the festival. “I wanted to assemble a team of local tastemakers who are experts or enthusiasts in specific cuisines… Each tastemaker will hand-select vendors to cover a wide array of foods to showcase at The World’s Fare. We want the selection to be both affordable and unique with a main goal: to create wonder in bite sized experiences.”
The World’s Fare will be held in the parking lot of Citi Field on April 28 and April 29. Live music and art installations will also be a part of the weekend culinary celebration as well as an international beer garden with 80 craft beers from 45 breweries. Tickets for the family-friendly event are available online.
