My Summer of 64 NY World's Fair

On July 29, 1964, my family visited the World's Fair. I narrate the slides taken that day to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that visit.

[@MoMadNU]

Dave, your writing and voice work is the best it gets; Right in the sweet spot between the greats, Cronkite and Harvey. Above dry, and below corny.

[@rogermaddocks6614]

Love your presentation! A friend and I went there alone (from Ohio) when we were 17. We went by Greyhound bus and stayed at the YMCA in Manhattan for two dollars a night. I still remember how amazed I was at the fair and really love all these old pictures. Very, very fond memories.

[@Jay-vr9ir]

Today if you stay at YMCA , you have to really watch your back , if you know what I mean .

[@paulmatulavich7321]

Sorry to hear that your sister Annie and parents are gone. That was one of the most entertaining videos I've seen. Frankly, time has been very good to you as you don't look as old in the introduction as you would have to be if you were a sophomore in 1964. Your video proves that slides will always be the optimum photographic medium due to their visual quality. Thank you for this retrospective.

[@idesofmarchUNIAEA]

I was only four years old, they wouldn’t take me along, I never forgave them. This just reminds me what I missed. Great slideshow, and great narration.

[@gkprivate433]

I was 7! Did not go either. Sis and I went to our Aunties while Mom and Dad went. They did bring back a set of those tall stained glass looking drinking glasses. Grew up with those in the kitchen for the next dozen or so years

[@Bogframe]

That was one of the most entertaining World's Fair slide shows I've seen. Thank you for sharing it with us!

[@mohomoho1]

My grandmother lost me and found my hat floating in one of the exhibit"s water during this fair. She thought the worst had happened. I was only 3.We lived in Astoria Queens. As a young teenager, I and a bunch of friends,girlfriends use to take the subway from Astoria to Flushing Meadows park and play tag in the remaining abandoned buildings. Flushing meadows park was a ghost town in the 70's. So many memories. Thanks for sharing this video. It's well done.

[@loveaodai100]

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing. I was 11 in 1965 and living in Flushing where I was born and raised. I could wander to the Fair and go in for 25 cents special child prices on Fridays. Then I would wander across the street when the Mets were in town and walk into Shea around the fifth inning free of charge as the ticket takers had abandoned their posts by then with all left wide open. I had a good childhood in New York wandering the subways too ... even as a kid!

[@terrydixon3262]

My wife and I visited NYC in August from Australia . We knew of the park but had no knowledge of the World's Fair. A friendly shuttle bus driver suggested we visit Corona Park as we had some down time while waiting for check in at our next hotel. The moment we stepped from the cab we knew 'something' had happened here. We spent a few hours walking around but it wasn't until a few days and research that I realised where we had been standing. I am now completely obsessed! Already planning our next trip!

[@patsysolatzzo2962]

This was an absolute treasure! I never seen anything like this

[@pedropuckerstein4670]

I was 10 in 1964 and I remember everything so clearly. What a wonderful sardonic presentation. Epcot cut its teeth at the Worlds Fair - Robert Moses last hurrah.

[@motorman857]

Having lived only 35 miles from Queens in 64/65, my father took the family to the fair 6 or 7 times. Though only 10 years old at the time, I was already a died in the wool car nut. And I was taken in by all the hype around the soon to be released Mustang. Until recently, I remembered the Ford pavilion sky ride as being all Mustangs. Actually, there were very few Mustangs in the ride and only the very lucky kids got to ride in one. Memory is a funny thing. I can't recall if I ever was one of the lucky kids to have the Mustang come up as it was our turn to get on the ride. Many of the exhibits wound up at Disney world in Orlando and I believe are still there. Great video. It brought back a lot of memory's.

[@burtbenz9964]

Disney ford corporate. Collusion for recreation.

[@stephanielowry630]

Very enjoyable presentation, thank you for posting. I was not yet 2 years old when I went to the 1964 World's Fair with my family. We didn't have to go far, as I grew up in Queens :)

[@evacupp2759]

Loved your humor! Great job 👍 I’m a Buckeye too. Never been proud to say I’m from Ohio- (“nothing to see since 1803” ) but you made me proud to be from the same place you were from. Sorry for loss of your family. 😕. Thanks for a great video!!!

[@reenougle]

I loved this! What great commentary! I grew up in Brooklyn and I remember the World's Fair very well. The world of the future! IBM featured the ball cartridge typewriter- space age stuff! Pepsi's It's a Small World Pavillion was amazing for a 5 year old. I loved it.

[@aaronsarchive82]

Your pictures are priceless! Having become well read on the fair, and having gone to Flushing Meadows, it's rare to find photos of some of the exhibits you mentioned, especially in such crystal clear quality. Your deadpan humor and delivery are just as entertaining! -Another Native Buckeye

[@kevind6675]

Dave this was a fantastic video. Love seeing the fair from a family perspective. Cant wait for you to do something with that 8mm recording. It will be great.

[@AniMerci]

This is brilliant stuff! So enjoyed. I think CBS Sunday Morning could use someone like you!

[@larry4111]

This is hilarious. I love your commentary! I've been somewhat obsessed with the World's Fair since I attended as a kid many times. My dad was with New York's Local 3 Electricians Union and did the wiring for the fair. On several occasions he took me there to see the work he was doing while it was under construction. I may be the only 6-year-old kid who got to trudge through the mud of this former ash dump as they poured the concrete! We had free passes so we went often. We only lived about a half hour away by car. I've watched a number of docs about the fair and yours is by the far the most entertaining. Thanks for the memories!

[@drspaseebo410]

Brilliantly professional ! Happily, I attended the Fair in 1964: the activities, events and displays took one's breath away, believe me ! /

[@Ira88881]

One year later, and I’m watching this again. Brilliant, BRILLIANT writing and incredible narration style. Can’t believe you never worked on 60 Minutes.

[@dimitridimitriades263]

Great narration!! Amazing tidbits of facts I never knew. Brings back lots of memories. As a Queens boy, some of the remnants of the fair still exist at what is now Flushing Meadow Park. Thanks for your work!

[@TerryMurrayTalks]

Nice one, I never thought I would sit through a stranger’s family slide show and love it. - It’s amazing how well 35mm slides hold out over 50 years. Your commentary was top notch and you have ensured your family memories will survive way beyond your compost years ;)

[@mikerca]

What great photos and commentary! Thanks for sharing !

[@ut4321]

Wonderful! Your narration was great and I chuckled out loud several times while watching. What fun!

[@SuperPastorgary]

Great video and excellent narration! By the way, I love the "slide show" style also!

[@jmm1000]

ho lee crap - this is an epic piece for ANYone, and a brilliant piece journalistic talent!! a tour de force!!

[@roberthobbs2862]

This is great! It brings back so many memories! I was there with my dad, mom, and younger sister. I was 12, the same age as your brother Dick. We were from Centralia, Illinois. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@rrrydberg]

old style radio voice over + 35 mm visual serendipity - thank you for the trip down memory lane

[@AlCaudullo]

I also have many fond memories of the fair. I wanted to thank you for making your slide show so enjoyable!

[@johnnrobin]

This is a classic piece of Americana. Thanks for the memories.

[@perrymcdonald5609]

I was 8 when I visited the World's Fair with my grandmother in 1964. Your slideshow and narration are wonderful in this video! Thank you for sharing your memories with us.

[@TheMusicfan1950]

What a nice time remembering the Worlds Fair through your wonderful slide show :-).......I was 14 at the time and visited with friends of the family ! And 10 years later I would marry the love of my life in a church that came off of the top of the Vatican Pavillion !!

[@rpg896]

Thanks for the memories, great commentary, too 😂. I was only 10 when I visited and was mesmerized.

[@deplorabledave1048]

What a striking, handsome young man back then!

[@bobwhammer4237]

Lived right across the street from the fair, parents parked fair visitor's cars in our yard, even had one of the lovely hostesses from the Greyhound bldg parking in our driveway. Unfortunately, no home video, limited b&w photos. Thanks very much for this priceless video.

[@stevekaspruk625]

I was at this fair in 1964 at the age of 9 with my mom and sisters. It was amazing. Still remember every minute there. Mom bought me the toy of the US Royal Tire, which ran on batteries. Don't know what happened to it.

[@jimmymckinley4998]

These are *great*. Love the mentions of Walt and EPCOT, having been a Walt Disney World Cast member for ten years. We just visited Flushing Meadows this past week and walked the grounds to locate the sites of the four Disney pavilions.

[@nathanieldavis5231]

Obviously you have a gift for communication, well done. Glad you Ohio folks enjoyed our Queens County ,the garden spot of the Universe !!

[@brianmchale6668]

Outstanding. We lived about 10 miles from the Fair and went often.

[@JeffreySJonas]

Thanks for making this SUCH FUN! The photos still have great color and are mostly sharp, far better than anything my family did! I was too young to remember much of the fair, just that I cried 'till dad bought me the Batman souvenirs, which I still cherish.

[@darkchrome7542]

The is spectacular. Thank you.

[@kingvidiot66]

That was great thanks for sharing! The 60s were the best!!!

[@IvorPresents]

I was Sixteen and living in Queens at the time. Loved having the Fair, in my own backyard. Sixty four was a good year. that, " Big. Bright Beautiful Tomorrow" Was a message of hope. The Fair was a Wonderland. Belgian Waffles were introduced to the world.

[@kgmaj]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I was born in '65 so I didn't go. Very heartwarming. Thanks for mentioning The Supremes!

[@barbaradowell4182]

Ohio here, too, but from Jersey originally, so got to go to the fair twice. As a young teenager, I thought it was great. Thanks for the great slides (and the entertaining commentary).

[@deplorabledave1048]

I was seven years old, yet remember many of the pavilions well to this day. The GE Pavillion Ride was the best. I loved the little model of moon buggies in their" colony on the moon" exhibit. Remember, at the time, we would not even go to the moon for another five years.

[@johnelmore9021]

I loved Disney's contributions to the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. After the fair, many attractions -- the GE Carousel of Progress, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, the PeopleMover, the animatronic dinosaurs, the 360-degree 12-minute movie Circle-Vision 9 screens and projectors, the Swiss Gondolas ride, the Monsanto Adventure Through Inner Space (where passengers shrink to the size of a molecule), and the Pepsico It's a Small World ride -- ALL eventually gained a new home at Disneyland. I finally got to experience them again in March 1971, when I was 19 years old, traveling solo from Connecticut on my first plane flights ever. Quite an adventure! But back at the World's Fair, I also liked the Dupont "Better Living Through Chemistry" stage show -- with singing (or lip-syncing) and dancing models who interacted with projected images on moveable screens on stage. Wonderful lighting, fascinating animation and dazzling costumes.

[@annettecuellar127]

I was 15 or 16 when Iwas there. The best of my life.

[@larrya7822]

I'm from Michigan (our family went too), The large tire is now located the side of highway I-94, about 10 miles south of Detroit.

[@liduck52]

I also went to the Ford Pavilion. And rode in a Galaxie 500!

[@larciabella]

me too I was in the drivers seat!I'll never forget it!

[@larciabella]

This is Amazing!thanx.

[@DjKeNNyKiLoz]

Thanks for sharing, as a Gen X who owns a car from 1964 I have tickets and the map in the glove box for the worlds fair. I am also from Ohio so if you see a Red 1964 Chevy Impala with a younger guy driving ask to see the map in the glove box 😎. I was at the park last week and it’s sad to see what’s it’s become. Thanks for sharing.

[@gmp3699]

Thank you for posting this video/slide show. I was there in '64-'65 and it brings back some very nice memories. Very enjoyable to watch. As a kid I was happy riding the #7 World's Fair train to the fair and it only got better from there!

[@wolfgang3076]

Nice video. ThanX 4 shareing. Can't forget those goofy felt hats with the long feathers, and, of course, Belgium waffles! I remember not many changes in 1965 from the 1964 exhibits, maybe a few new ones. Standing in the long lines in the hot summer, the place to be was the Bell Telephone pavilion, as the lines wrapped around the large base above you and blocked the sun. At the Ford pavilion, my gang wanted to ride in the Mustang convertible. It didn't take long for me and my friends to figure-out when the next one would appear while waiting in line. Folks behind us didn't understand why we were so nice letting them go ahead of us!! lol

[@MrTitan225]

Fantastic ! Thank you for posting ! This had to be the greatest world's fair of all time..... You were very blessed to have wonderful parents to take you there.....I was 10 in 64 Mom said I was too little to go with my Great Aunt and big brother and sister....I cried all day when the left from Pittsburgh on the train in June of 64 with out me..lol...Im glad that the Unisphere was not distroyed after the fair ended....it's still there for all to see..it was the symbol of the fair..............Bobby, West Pa.

[@johnbockelie3899]

The papers still called black people Negros . The 1960's was a different time.

[@tijuanabrassman]

Super great narrative!! Great slide show!! Laughed out loud!! You have a great sense of humor sir!

[@distantlands]

As a former award winning reporter at CNN myself I must say simply, WOW. You’re really entertaining. What a pleasant surprise. Subscribed.

[@RatDaddy3]

man,Do I miss this,I was only 10 years old,when we went to visited the Worlds fair and My Grandparents lived in South Ozone park and wasn't far to go from there.Nicely done on the slides.

[@elizabethbuckley729]

Love your slide show and your humor. As I'm not 60 until October, i have few memories of the fair. The most remembered by me was Michael Angelo's pieta. My olfactory memory goes to the fair if i ever smell diesel fumes from a bus. Must have been lots of buses. Thank you for sharing this😊

[@ronbowdoin]

Thanks for a great trip, expertly narrated to reflect the feeling of all of us kids who took those family trips in the 60s. Sadly, all my summers in the 1960s took me to Texas, so it was Six Flags Over Texas (Arlington, TX) and later on, AstroWorld in Houston. I shouldn't have, but I missed the HemisFair, too!

[@lklpalka]

Excellent, lots of fun and very creative!

[@ScottALaFollette]

Thank you David McBride. 👏 I thoroughly enjoyed that and will likely share with family and friends encouraging them to also enjoy and learn. After reading through the comments there’s not much more I can add except another round of applause.👏

[@ScottALaFollette]

Oops… Forgot to say, you have a new subscriber.

[@ernestkovach3305]

Thank you for the history lesson .Enjoyable to watch.

[@stevek8829]

This was so nice. I turned thirteen four days before Zapruder shot his 8mm so I was just a tad older than your brother that summer when my dad took us. You brought back some memories.

[@Ira88881]

This was hysterical! Loved it!

[@idiotproof67]

That was hilarious. Most enjoyable. Thanks for uploading as you have a great wit about you.

[@yrasphong]

Looks awesome..so many people smiling or having a great time

[@TheFatman1918]

thank you for sharing your wonderful family and vacation , and your adventure in the 1964 world fair ,

[@bdoepke]

One of your comments was so clever, wry,sarcastic, funny I spewed my coffee.

[@JB-js4xi]

Very entertaining. I always marvel that families went on trips to things such as this together. My family just packed me off to camp a few summers. We never did any travelling or spent time together. That was nice but an experience like this would have been superb. Great. Thanks for sharing it.

[@gayekurtz7240]

Well THAT was fun! Thanks 😊

[@MrMenefrego1]

MAGNIFICENT! You, sir, are a genius! Thank you so much, you made this ole Boomer's day. By the way, my Pop was a 'Ford man' too.

[@stephenadamsmusicalinterpr4203]

I was there age 7 with my parents and big brother in June. Still remember lots of that experience.

[@lynnmckenna9934]

Loved watching this!!!!!!!!

[@cth0211]

I see that giant tire every week on I-94 in Michigan

[@charlesmcdermott6139]

What wonderful memories this gave me! We lived in Union, NJ, would take the bus from the Center to the Port Authority and then the subway to the Fair. We went at least 12 times because we were given the 12 entry ticket booklets. But, we went more than that. My favorite foreign pavilion was that of Spain. I loved going up into the egg for the Telephone company’s pavilion. It may have been IBM. I can’t remember. Supper was often the 99 cent deal at the Chun King pavilion.

[@shandur5660]

Dear Paul Harvey, thank you for the memorable step back in time. I also spent most of my life back there as well

[@cfzcr5545]

All I had were some black and white photos taken with my Brownie. Thanks for sharing. Very entertaining narrative!

[@joshb5632]

This is really great! Thank you for posting!

[@user-yg4wi6zr8x]

Well done ! Great narrative and footage. Thanks for sharing.

[@justbobism]

Well done, sir! Loved your Breezewood reference. The city of motels. I visited the fair as a 5 or 6 year old in 64 or 65 - we took the train up from DC.

[@frankieford7668]

Really Really enjoyed that...brought back a lot of memories....I was in a Corvette stroller at 5 years old...that my parents rented from the GM pavilion...my older brother parked me along side an older gentleman with a tray full of burgers and Sodas...when he turned to leave ...dropped the whole pile right on top of me...I still remember that...clear as day..and the Hot plastic Dinosaurs dropped out the Dino-dispenser at the Sinclair Pavilion.....👍

[@Lunafalls]

I think we can see some of those "car strollers" parked outside the Illinois Pavillion in his slide of that. I figured that must've been what they were. Neat!

[@jimtrack3786]

Very entertaining! Funny too! Thanks!

[@babyemma1000]

I enjoyed this so much. I had a few giggles along the way. The ending remark was great!

[@joemackey1950]

Wonderful vid, with the humorous comments! Two points of connection here. Re: missing The Fugitive. My favourite tv show was Red Skelton and upset in 1965 (living in Colorado) I had to take six evening drivers ed classes when he was on. Re: Uncle John. I live in Huntington and remember the plane crash. I was in the Navy in the mess desk writing letters home when the news came over the radio.

[@kalinagoedge2777]

This is very cool. Thanks for sharing!

[@Klawhauser353]

Thank you for showing your family memories sir it was a need expression too bad I wasn't around those

[@richgillette6831]

Thank you for such an entertaining piece on the NY Worlds Fair. Wish I had kept all my Dads slides and digital them like you. I was there but don’t remember a lot except the Disney shows.

[@yaelrar.4460]

This could have been my family....thanks for sharing. The pics are amazing.

[@johnbowman1076]

great dry humor. thanks for sharing... as they say in AA meetings.

[@Polymathese]

Excellent presentation - Thank You!

[@user-vn5cz4ck7j]

Thanks so much for doing this. My family went twice and it was spectacular. I was 14 at the time I remember clearly what the future "was suppose " to look like and be. Wonderful memories

[@mrceagle]

Very enjoyable video. I've always had a bit of a fascination with this fair. Not only for the large number of Disney built attractions but for the multicolored lights the fair had. One of my local parks bought them and operated them for many years. They are sadly all gone except for one. Thankfully I have one of the colored panels and it's in a safe place. Thanks for sharing

[@larryaldrich4351]

Very entertaining. Great summer fun in 1964.

[@jameskronholm6751]

Thanks for posting. My family was also there in '64 for my cousins wedding. Along with the fair we saw Barnum and Baily's Circus, a show at Rockafeller Plaza, "The Price is Right" with Bill Culla, and places my dad knew as a kid growing up.

[@WC0125]

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR SLIDES! Your video is absolutely fantastic. I love it! Great scans, commentary, opinions and personal recollections. I am a bit younger than you and from the far west but absolutely was just "there in 1964" with you via your slides. Your family slides look beyond beautiful on our 60" plasma TV (much bigger than the 25" RCA TV they were fraudulently hocking then). They are so GREAT! I loved your whole show. Thank you very much for pushing history forward and using today's technology to share it with millions of future generations.

[@dbhaffey]

That was fun and entertaining. Thank you for sharing part of your childhood.

[@StevenSzczuka]

Wonderful slideshow with very humorous narration, I was there too but I was only 9 and I don't remember much. I only remember the carrousel of progress, it's a small world, and great moments with mr Lincoln. And those came to Disneyland and we moved to California shortly afterward so I grew up seeing those rides.

[@Robert_Presto]

I really enjoyed looking back with you on this video ! Thanks for posting !

[@johnps30]

What a wonderful surprise to come across this. I was 17 and took my girl to the Fair. So glad to see the photos and so nice of you to memorialize your wonderful family in such a touching and humorous way. Bravo!