On May 1, 1982, Knoxville welcomed the world. Forty years later, the Tennessee Theatre is welcoming Knoxville to a look back on the 1982 World’s Fair and what it meant to our fair city.
This Sunday, May 1, the theatre will present a free program of World’s Fair footage built around the documentary “World of Wonders,” narrated by Broadway, film and television star John Cullum, a Knoxville native. The 45-minute film, which explores the history of modern world’s fairs and their signature structures, was directed by Kennedy Maxwell.
It was screened daily from late July through early August at the Tennessee in 1982 but has rarely been shown publicly since that time. Knox County Public Library’s Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound (TAMIS) will present a new 2K digital scan of the film at 3 p.m.
Doors open at 1:30 p.m. for the World’s Fair celebration. At 2 p.m., TAMIS will screen a compilation of performances, commercials and news coverage of the fair. “World of Wonders” will play at 3 p.m., and at 4 p.m. East Tennessee PBS will show video from its World’s Fair archives, including the Folk Life Festival.
Self-guided tours of the Tennessee will be available 1:30-2 p.m., 2:45-3 p.m. and 3:45-4 p.m.
Betsy Pickle is a freelance writer and editor who enjoys spotlighting Downtown Knoxville.