1984 Louisiana World Exposition

1984 New Orleans
Space Shuttle Enterprise at 1984 World Fair New Orleans
Overview
BIE-classSpecialized exposition
CategoryInternational specialized exposition
NameLouisiana World Exposition
MottoWorld of Rivers
Building(s)New Orleans Morial Convention Center
Area84 acres (34 ha)
Visitors7,335,279
Organized byRalph Perlman
MascotSeymore D. Fair
Participant(s)
Countries95
Location
CountryUnited States
CityNew Orleans
Coordinates29°56′40″N 90°03′45″W / 29.94444°N 90.06250°W / 29.94444; -90.06250
Timeline
OpeningMay 12, 1984 (1984-05-12)
ClosureNovember 11, 1984 (1984-11-11)
Specialized expositions
Previous1982 World's Fair in Knoxville
NextExpo '85 in Tsukuba
Universal expositions
PreviousExpo '70 in Osaka
NextSeville Expo '92 in Seville
Horticultural expositions
PreviousInternational Garden Expo 83 in Munich
NextExpo '90 in Osaka
Simultaneous
Horticultural (AIPH)International Garden Festival

The 1984 Louisiana World Exposition was a World's Fair held in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It was held 100 years after the city's earlier World's Fair, the World Cotton Centennial in 1884. The fair was held from May 12 to November 11, 1984, and adopted the theme "The World of Rivers: Fresh Water as a Source of Life," showcasing the vital role of freshwater systems.[1]

The 1984 Louisiana World Exposition encountered significant attendance challenges, ultimately becoming the only World's Fair to declare bankruptcy during its operation. Several factors likely contributed to this. The exposition's proximity, both geographically and temporally, to the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee may have divided public interest. Additionally, the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1982 opening of Walt Disney World's Epcot (often referred to as a "permanent world's fair") presented substantial competition for visitors.

As of 2024, there has not been a World's Fair in the United States since the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition.

  1. ^ Findling, John E.; Pelle, Kimberly D., eds. (2008). "New Orleans 1984". Encyclopedia of World's Fairs and Expositions. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co. p. 360-361. ISBN 978-0-7864-3416-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)

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