Hidden Bel-Gems of the 1964-65 World’s Fair

Janes Walk

Led By Katie Anderson

Perhaps you know about the Unisphere or the New York State Pavilion, or perhaps you didn’t even know New York hosted a World’s Fair (let alone two!). Along with some of the more well-known landmarks, this tour will invite you to go beyond what you can still see and imagine Flushing Meadows-Corona Park as it once was, when more than 50 million people visited during the 1964-65 World’s Fair. We’ll visit sites that still exist, like the Garden of Meditation and the Westinghouse time capsules. We’ll also explore the historical significance of sites whose pavilions were torn down—including, yes, the Belgian pavilion, that popularized the Bel-gem waffle in the United States. We’ll wrap up at the Unisphere, and if you want, you can continue your day at the Fair at the Queens Museum and the Panorama of the City of New York.

Accessibility

This walk will cover approximately 1.3 miles. There are a couple single steps and an uneven path at one point, but please let me know if that's a concern and we can go around it! The meeting location is near the Mets-Willets Point 7 station, and the Q48 bus stops nearby as well.

Location Information

RSVP is required and capacity is limited. Meeting location, ending location, and directions will be provided via email before walk date.

guided

Saturday, May 3, 2025
1:00 PM
90 minutes

Borough: Queens
Theme: Art & Architecture, Food & Entertainment, History & Culture
Language: English
The World's Fair Grounds at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Janine and Jim Eden. Modifications: photo cropped.