World's Fair expo in Elk Grove takes visitors back in time

Visitors stepped back in history Sunday to relive the 1933-34 Chicago World's Fair, during the 23rd annual World's Fair Memorabilia Show in Elk Grove Village.

More than 400 people were expected at the show, which featured a special display of the Chicago fair, themed "A Century of Progress."

"I started collecting postcards alone and I thought it was kind of cool and, before you know it, I had a whole room full of collectible memorabilia strictly for the Century of Progress World's Fair," said event co-sponsor Bob Conidi. "This is a great show. Every year, no matter how many people show up at the door, we see something that we haven't seen before."

Collectors had a chance to meet with 17 dealers on hand to buy, sell and trade items related to World's Fairs from 1876 to the present. The show also included collectibles from the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition, as well as other World's Fairs, including 1904 St. Louis, 1939-40 New York, 1962 Seattle, 1964-65 New York, and Expo '67.

Other portions of the exposition included home movies and newsreels playing from the Century of Progress fair and a special display of pictures taken at the fair.