ENTERTAINMENT
Billy Rose’s Aquacade
One of the biggest shows of the fair was Billy Rose’s Aquacade. Having been featured in the 1937 Great Lakes Exposition and the 1939 New York World’s Fair, the Aquacade came to Treasure Island in 1940. The Aquacade, a longtime favorite of fair goers, allowed Treasure Island to recoup some of its financial losses from 1939.
The Federal Building Hosted Many Outdoor Events
The Federal Building hosted one of the larger outdoor stages in front of its Colonnade of the States. With 48 columns representing the then-48 states, the Colonnade was a covered pathway separating the two main buildings. Two murals decorated the Federal Building, painted by Works Progress Administration Artists and measuring 360 feet long and 60 feet high. Visible in this picture is The Conquest of the West by Sea, designed by Herman Volz.
The Parade of Nations
One of many parades throughout the length of the fair,
the Parade of Nations celebrated the participating countries with flags and costumed performers. Here, the parade streams down the Court of the Seven Seas with the statue of Pacifica in the background.
Wish You Were Here! Postcards from the Golden Gate International Exposition is presented by the
Treasure Island Museum.
Beauty on Parade
With live shows, parades, and exhibits, the fair provided much needed jobs to hundreds of people. It also welcomed participation from over twenty different countries. Here Beauty on Parade featured the flags of the participating countries in the foreign pavilions.
Photography at the Fair
Art and Architecture
Entertainment
Concerts
Wish You Were Here
Gayway
One of the most popular destinations at the fair was the Gayway. Home to roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and live shows, the Gayway was forty acres of entertainment. One of its most famous shows was Sally Rand’s Nude Ranch.
