Flushing Meadows is set to once again host a "world's fair," though much of what will be showcased this time around will be deliciously edible.
The World's Fare is set to take place April 28 and 29 in the parking lot of Citi Field, re-imagining the famed New York World's Fair, which was last held at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in 1965. Many New Yorkers remain so nostalgic about that event that on the 50th anniversary of the fair in 2014, thousands lined up to revisit the site.
The structures from the fair have long rusted and officials continue to debate what to do with them, but organizers of the World's Fare hope their festival will help revive the magic from nearby Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
"We've always admired The World's Fair, and we believe that food and drink really bring people together, so we reimagined The World's Fair around food," said Elizabeth Aloni, a spokeswoman for The World's Fare, whose organizers also run the LIC Flea & Food Market in Long Island City.
The event will feature over 100 curated international food vendors from across the tri-state, a beer garden featuring craft beer from over 50 nations, live music and street art in the city's most diverse borough, right in the shadow of the Unisphere and the New York State Pavilion, which were built for the past World's Fairs, according to the website.
Among the art installations will be a six-foot-tall Unisphere made of Legos, according to Aloni.
The food vendor lineup hasn't yet been announced; a committee of 12 "tastemakers" -- which includes food writers, bloggers, and chefs -- are still working to select participating food establishments.
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The culinary committee co-chairing the event include renowned Danish chef Claus Meyer, the founder of Great Northern Food Hall and Agern restaurant at Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall; Jessica B. Harris, an author, journalist and culinary historian; and KF Seetoh, the Singapore-based creator and curator of The World Street Food Congress.
Tickets range from $19 to $199. One dollar of every ticket sold will go to The Melting Pot Foundation USA, which operates a culinary center based in Brownsville, Brooklyn, according to The World's Fare organizers.
Learn more about the event at theworldsfare.nyc.
