PHOTOS: Expo 86 kicked off in Vancouver 36 years ago

The fair, featured pavilions from 54 nations, including Italy, Cuba, Australia and Thailand

Ashley Wadhwani-Smith May 3, 2022 5:30 AM May 3, 2022 1:23 PM

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1 / 1 Expo 86 is pictured in Vancouver on May 3, 1986, as Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales attend a rock concert at the World鈥檚 Fair. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

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Thirty-six years ago this week, millions of visitors flocked to Vancouver for the beginning of Expo 鈥�86.

The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication ran from May 2 until Oct. 13 in the city鈥檚 north shore of False Creek, carrying the theme 鈥淲orld in Motion 鈥� World in Touch鈥� and coincided with Vancouver鈥檚 100th anniversary.

The fair, featured pavilions from 54 nations, including Italy, Cuba, Australia and Thailand. An estimated 22 million people attended the expo, which was powered by 26,000 volunteers.

Some of the pavilions featured then remain iconic landmarks today: Science World (formerly the Ontario Pavillion), the China Gate and Canada Place.

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To mark the start of the fair, then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and his wife, Mila Mulroney, was joined by Prince Charles and late Princess Diana for an opening ceremony, as part of an eight-day royal tour through Canada.

Queen Elizabeth listens while then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau explains something to her prior to the EXPO 聭86 invitational ceremoy that the Queen read from the people of Canada inviting the people of the world here in 聭86. The ceremony took place inside the domed BC Stadium. (CP PHOTO) — Queen Elizabeth listens while then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau explains something to her prior to the EXPO 鈥�86 invitational ceremoy that the Queen read from the people of Canada inviting the people of the world here in 鈥�86. The ceremony took place inside the domed BC Stadium. (CP PHOTO)

Visitors to Expo 86 in Vancouver, B.C. are dwarfed by the Expo Centre, an exhibit which contains a theatre and various displays. Twenty years after Expo 86 changed Vancouver to a destination point on tourism maps, both proponents and critics are looking back. (CP PICTURE ARCHIVE)

ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.

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