1904 – Louisiana Purchase Exposition 
Also called the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis was the first world’s fair to also host an Olympics – the 1904 Summer Olympic games. The 1904 summer games were the first Olympics competitions ever hosted in the United States with competitions mostly running from Aug. 29 through Sept. 3 on the Washington University campus in St. Louis. Chicago initially was awarded the summer games, but World’s Fair officials in St. Louis managed to win host-city status for the summer games after threatening to hold their own athletic competitions to eclipse the planned games in Chicago.
1953 – Conquest of the Desert Exposition
Held in the recently founded nation of Israel, the 1953 Conquest of the Desert Exposition was the Middle East nation’s first international exhibition and formally opened on Sept. 22 during a ceremony presided over by Israel President Ben Zvi and Acting Premier Moshe Sharett. Representatives from 23 nations participated in the event focused on making desert land habitable for humans and create more living space and food for the rapidly growing global population. Three scientific conferences focused on architecture and engineering, agriculture, and the general advancement of science also were held in conjunction with the Conquest of the Desert Exposition.
1985 – Tsukuba World’s Fair draws 20 millionth visitor 
Running from March 17 through Sept. 16, 1985, the Tsukuba World’s Fair attracted its 20 millionth visitor during the month of September to finish with a total attendance of about 20.3 million visitors. The exposition featured a theme of “Dwellings and Surroundings – Science and Technology for Man at Home” and was held in the Tsukuba Science City on about 250-acre site with 111 nations participating. Tsukuba Science City is a “planned city” planned during the 1960s and built during the 1970s with the aim of rapidly increasing the rate by which scientific discovery and innovation occurs. The Tsubuka Science City became active during the 1980s and ranks among world leaders in scientific research and advancement.
Tradeshow History as reported by Exhibit City News
1999- EFI named ‘Best of Show’
A gaming exhibit designed by the two-year-old firm Exhibit Fair International (EFI) won “Best of Show” for large exhibits during the World Gaming Congress & Expo held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Designed for Australia-based gaming firm Aristocrat, the rented exhibit featured a space-age theme for the new millennium with a two-story deck and 14-foot-high lighted obelisks built of steel framing covered with a filon sheet that emitted a warm glow from its internal lighting. The display included holographic images hung on walls and special lighting was provided by a theatrical truss hung from the ceiling with four projectors casting images onto 10-foot-tall oval screens also hung from the ceiling.
2001 – Orange County Convention Center wins top award
Two prestigious 3CMA “Savvy” awards were presented to the Orange County Convention Center during the 13th annual 3CMA conference held in San Antonio. Members of the City-County Communication and Marketing Association honored the Orange County Convention Center with first place in the “Best Service Delivery” category for its Center of Hospitality program while the convention center’s promotional compact disc won second place among nominees for “Best Technology Services – Info Exchange Systems.” The hospitality program at the Orange County Convention Center incorporates core values, like safety, courtesy, ownership, results and taking extra steps, to improve visitors’ experiences while at the facility.
2003 – IAA sets attendance record
More than 1 million people visited the 60th International Automobile Exhibition (IAA) as of September 2003, making the event the most successful in its decades-long run. Held in Frankfurt, Germany, the event drew more than 1,000 exhibitors from 42 nations showcasing the latest automobiles and innovative products for them. An increase in demand for automotive products as well as the vehicles themselves, particularly among young Europeans, was cited among factors for the record-breaking attendance figures. About 40 percent of show attendees were under age 30, and one in eight visitors came from a nation other than host country Germany.
