Tennessee History
The 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville
For six months in 1982, Knoxville welcomed the world to East Tennessee. The fair brought millions of visitors, international exhibits, music, food, technology, and one unforgettable golden landmark: the Sunsphere.
When the World Came to Knoxville
The 1982 World's Fair opened on May 1, 1982, with President Ronald Reagan helping dedicate the event. Its official name was the Knoxville International Energy Exposition, often shortened to Energy Expo '82. The fair ran through October 31, 1982, on a former railroad yard near downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee.
At the time, Knoxville was sometimes teased as a "scruffy little city." By hosting the fair, the city proved it could welcome an international audience and stage one of the best-remembered public events in Tennessee history.
The Energy Theme
The fair's theme, "Energy Turns the World," fit East Tennessee well. Knoxville sits near the Tennessee Valley Authority, the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge, and a region long connected to energy, science, industry, and technology.
Exhibits explored energy production, conservation, transportation, innovation, and the future. More than 50 private organizations and companies took part, along with international exhibitors from around the world.
International Participation
The fair included exhibits from 22 nations. Participating countries included Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, and West Germany.
Visitors could sample foods, watch performances, view cultural displays, and experience exhibits that made Knoxville feel like a temporary crossroads of the world.
The Sunsphere
The Sunsphere was built as the fair's theme structure and became its best-known symbol. The gold-glass sphere rises above World's Fair Park and still offers one of the most recognizable views in Knoxville.
Today, visitors can go to the Sunsphere's observation deck for panoramic views of downtown Knoxville, the University of Tennessee, the Tennessee River, World's Fair Park, and the Great Smoky Mountains in the distance.
Entertainment and Fair Life
The fair was not only about energy exhibits. It also brought concerts, stage shows, food, international performers, and major entertainers to Knoxville. Visit Knoxville notes that the Sunsphere and amphitheater hosted official ceremonies and entertainment, including orchestras, ballet, opera, Broadway productions, and performers such as Ricky Skaggs, Doyle Lwson, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Bob Hope, Red Skelton, and many others.
The Energy Express
One of the fair's most memorable sights was the Energy Express parade train. Its bright, futuristic look fit the fair's energy theme, and its highly recognizable synthesized electronic theme music helped give the fair a sound of its own. The theme has been credited to songwriter and composer Tom Bahler, with an arrangement associated with Don Dorsey.
What Remains Today
The fairgrounds became World's Fair Park, one of downtown Knoxville's major public spaces. The most visible reminders are the Sunsphere and Tennessee Amphitheater. The former fair site continues to host festivals, concerts, gatherings, fountains, walking paths, and community events.
The fair also left Knoxville with a complicated financial legacy. The City of Knoxville notes that $46 million in bonds helped fund the fair, and that the debt was paid off in May 2007.
Tennessee Trivia
Elo and the Touchscreen
One of the fair's most forward-looking displays came from Elographics, the company now known as Elo Touch Solutions. At the U.S. Pavilion, visitors could interact with 33 television screens fitted with transparent touch-sensitive panels. Long before smartphones and tablets made touchscreens ordinary, many people first encountered the technology at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville.
Learn More
These links are useful starting points for more about the fair, the Sunsphere, and Knoxville's World's Fair legacy.